SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – Popular uprising the governorate of Suwayda, south Syria, witnessed in late July came to an end. However, it has raised another matter; the fate of armed groups affiliated with the Military Security Branch of the Syrian government forces and whether they will be prosecuted or pardoned.
In July 23, Suwayda witnessed tension and popular protests by locals against acts and breaches of armed groups affiliated to the Military Security Branch against civilians.
Tension developed into armed clashes that resulted in expelling groups from the governorate, with the local factions taking control over their offices in the town of Atil and the village of Slim in the northern countryside of Suwayda.
On August 8 Sheikh Laith al-Balous, the son of Sheikh Wahid al-Balous and the founder of Men of Dignity Movement, voiced to a Russian delegation that visited the town of al-Mazra’a in western countryside of Suwayda his rejection to the presence of the government security branches in Suwayda.
This came within a list of demands presented by al-Balous to the Russian delegation
On August 12, the Men of Dignity Movement announced in a statement “An armed group affiliated to the Military Security Branch pledged to dissolve itself.”
The Movement said on its official Facebook account that the group led by Kifah al-Hamoud, close to Raji Falhout, pledged to dissolve itself and not to form any new military formation.
The Men of Dignity is a self-defense militia established after the outbreak of the Syrian war to defend the Suwayda area. Described as a terror organization by Russia, it took an initial position against the Syrian government in the early days of the war but did not engage in any armed struggle with government forces.
The statement added, “The group pledged to hand over its weapons to the Men of Dignity within five days.”
Amid all these developments, uncertainty prevails regarding the fate of members of these groups, especially after a media spokesman for the Men of Dignity refused to call what took place with such groups as “reconciliations.”
He considered such measures as “initiatives to spare the people a bloodbath since affiliates of these groups come from Suwayda.”
He told North Press, “Under this goal, locals ensure that the armed groups hand over their weapons and pledge not to commit any immoral offences.”
The Movement’s spokesperson pointed out that a man called “Salim Hamid” an affiliate of such groups broke the pledge he made and started firing immediately on his release that aroused popular fears which necessitated he being pursued again.”
The Movement had proposed “to punish all gangs by being prosecuted by impartial judiciary committee that guarantees to hold them accountable, “according to the spokesperson.
However, he stressed in case they are set free by the government’s judicial authorities after being handed over, judiciary bodies would “bear whole responsibility.”
He noted those have not yet surrendered will be pursued until they are “eradicated.”
Justice is the best way out
Ayman Shibddin, a lawyer from Suwayda, says the best ever of solutions is to prosecute them by the judiciary, “There is no other party that has legitimacy that entitles it to pursue these groups or to put them under investigation or punish them.”
However, at the same time, he casts doubts on the impartiality of the judicial authorities, “As all other government’s institutions, they suffer from the grip of executive and security institutions.”
However Shibddin retracted,”The best solution is the judiciary, otherwise, murder and counter murder and the repercussions to be left would be catastrophic on the governorate in future.”
He emphasized the necessity of “holding accountable the security branches that supported such groups not only affiliates of such groups since there is no one above the law as the authorities allege.”
Tribal solution
In light of the popular questioning over the impartiality of the judiciary, Adnan Abu al-Izz a member of the local factions in Suwayda, rejects the idea of referring members of “gangs” to the judiciary.
Abu al-Izz said, “There is no confidence in judiciary or its impartiality, there is no judiciary in Syria, rather security and intelligence authorities.”
Abu al-Izz noted that in case judiciary is activated, it will be to the “interest of the government’s authorities that pursue activists protested under the public right in addition to thousands of young men, who evade the military serve.”
He went further saying, “While no arrests warrants issued or lawsuits filed against members of the gangs that spread drugs in Suwayda’s schools.”
One of Suwayda’s notables proposed, “Members of these gangs be kept away from the Suwayda community.”
Under the notion “perpetrator be prosecuted by his acts” that could be activated in Suwayda religiously and societally, due the absence of judiciary, they could be disavowed and stripped of their rights and be treated according to common societal and moral regulations.”
Amid uncertainty in Syrian south in general due to penetration of other powers, and fears of the security grip by the government as in neighboring Daraa, the fate of such groups that were affiliated to the Military Security Branch in Suwayda is still unknown.