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<DIV class=WordSection1>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333"
lang=EN>__________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0cm; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3"><![if !supportLists]><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><![endif]><SPAN dir=ltr></SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333"
lang=EN>Solidarity With the Syrian Struggle for Dignity and
Freedom<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333" lang=EN>We, the
undersigned, stand in solidarity with the millions of Syrians who have been
struggling for dignity and freedom since March 2011. We call on people of the
world to pressure the Syrian regime to end its oppression of and war on the
Syrian people. We demand that Bashar al-Asad leave immediately without excuses
so that Syria can begin a speedy recovery towards a democratic future.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333" lang=EN>Since March
2011, Asad’s regime has steadily escalated its violence against the Syrian
people, launching Scud missiles, using weapons banned by the Geneva Convention
such as cluster bombs and incendiary munitions, and using aerial bombardment.
The regime has detained and tortured tens of thousands of people and committed
untold massacres. It has refused political settlements that do not include Asad
in power, and it has polarized the society through strategic acts of violence
and by sowing seeds of division. The regime has also, since the early days of
the uprising, sought to internationalize the crisis in order to place it within
geopolitical battles that would only strengthen the regime. Staying true to the
logics of an authoritarian regime, Asad could never accept the legitimate
demands of the Syrian people for freedom and dignity. Thus, there is no hope for
a free, unified, and independent Syria so long as his regime remains in
power.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333" lang=EN>This is a
revolt that was sparked by the children of Deraa and the sit-ins and
demonstrations of the youth in the cities, the peasants of the rural areas, and
the dispossessed and marginalized of Syria. It is they who rallied non-violently
through protests and songs and chants, before the regime’s brutal crackdown.
Since then, the regime has pushed for the militarization of the Syrian
nonviolent movement. As a result, young men took up arms, first out of
self-defense. Lately, this has resulted in attempts by some groups fighting the
regime to force a climate of polarization, and negation of the Other
politically, socially and culturally. These acts that are in themselves against
the revolution for freedom and dignity.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333" lang=EN>Yet, the
revolution for freedom and dignity remains steadfast. It is for this reason that
we, the undersigned, appeal to those of you in the global civil society, not to
ineffective and manipulative governments, to defend the gains of the Syrian
revolutionaries, and to spread our vision: freedom from authoritarianism and
support of Syrians’ revolution as an integral part of the struggles for freedom
and dignity in the region and around the world.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333" lang=EN>The fight in
Syria is an extension of the fight for freedom regionally and worldwide. It
cannot be divorced from the struggles of the Bahrainis, Egyptians, Tunisians,
Libyans, Yemenis, and other peoples who have revolted against oppression and
authoritarianism as well as against those seeking to usurp or destroy the
uprisings and divert them for their own agendas. It is connected to the
Palestinians’ struggle for freedom, dignity and equality. The revolution in
Syria is a fundamental part of the North African revolutions, yet, it is also an
extension of the Zapatista revolt in Mexico, the landless movement in Brazil,
the European and North American revolts against neoliberal exploitation, and an
echo of Iranian, Russian, and Chinese movements for freedom. This is a
revolution where women have also played a central role.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333" lang=EN>The Syrian
revolution has confronted a world upside down, one where states that were
allegedly friends of the Arabs such as Russia, China, and Iran have stood in
support of the slaughter of people, while states that never supported democracy
or independence, especially the US and their Gulf allies, have intervened in
support of the revolutionaries. They have done so with clear cynical self
interest. In fact, their intervention tried to crush and subvert the uprising,
while selling illusions and deceptive lies.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333" lang=EN>Given that
regional and world powers have left the Syrian people alone, we ask you to lend
your support to those Syrians still fighting for justice, dignity, and freedom,
and who have withstood the deafening sounds of the battle, as well as rejected
the illusions sold by the enemies of freedom.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333" lang=EN>As
intellectuals, academics, activists, artists, concerned citizens, and social
movements we stand in solidarity with the Syrian people to emphasize the
revolutionary dimension of their struggle and to prevent the geopolitical
battles and proxy wars taking place in their country. We ask you to lend your
support to all Syrians from all backgrounds asking for a peaceful transition of
power, one where all Syrians can have a voice and decide their own fate. We also
reject all attempts of any group to monopolize power, and to impose its own
agenda, or to impose unitary or homogenous identities on the Syrian people. We
ask you to support those people and organizations on the ground that still
uphold the ideals for a free and democratic Syria.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><![endif]><SPAN dir=ltr></SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333"
lang=EN>Frederic Jameson (Duke University, United States)<BR>Tariq Ali (British
Pakistani writer, journalist, and filmmaker, United Kingdom/ Pakistan)<BR>Ilan
Pappe (University of Exeter, United Kingdom)<BR>Etienne Balibar (Columbia
University, United States/ France)<BR>Nigel Gibson (Emerson college, United
States/ Britain)<BR>Norman Finkelstein (American researcher and writer, United
Sates)<BR>John Holloway (Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, United
States/ Mexico)<BR>Vijay Prashad (Trinity College, United States/
India)<BR>Salameh Kaileh (Intellectual, Syria/Palestine)<BR>Bill Ayers
(University of Illinois at Chicago, United States)<BR>Bernardine Dohrn
(Northwestern University, United States)<BR>Rashid Khalidi (Columbia University,
United States/Palestine)<BR>Lieven de Cuater (Philosopher, Belgium)<BR>Jihane
Sfeir (l'Université Libre de Bruxelles, Lebanon/ Belgium)<BR>Jean-Pierre Filiu
(Institut d'études politiques de Paris, France)<BR>Farouk Mardam Bey
(Intellectual, Syria)<BR>Faraj Bayrakdar (Poet, Syria)<BR>Ziad Majed (American
University of Paris, Lebanon/ France)<BR>Kamal Bandara (Intellectual,
Tunisia)<BR>Francois Burgat (CNRS, France)<BR>Adam Shapiro (Activist, United
States)<BR>Razan Ghazzawi, (Activist, Syria)<BR>Yassin el-Haj Saleh
(Intellectual, Syria)<BR>Thierry Boissière (Institut français du Proche-Orient,
France)<BR>Olivier Le Cour Grandmaison (universitaire, France)<BR>Jens Hanssen (
University of Tornoto, Canada/ Germany)<BR>Ghassan Hage (University of
Melbourne, Australia/ Lebanon)<BR>Hani al-Sayed (American University of Cairo,
Syria/ Egypt)<BR>Hazem al-Azmeh (Intellectual, Syria)<BR>Sadri Khiari
(Intellectual, Tunisia)<BR>Oussama Mohamad (Film maker, Syria/ France)<BR>Ann
Ferguson (Philosopher, United States)<BR>Jihad Yazigi (Journalist,
Syria)<BR>Saad Hajo (Cartoonist, Syria)<BR>Wendy Brown (UC Berkeley, United
States)<BR>R. Radhakrishnan (UC Irvine, United States/ India)<BR>Samir Aita (Le
Monde Diplomatique editions arabes, Cercle des Economistes Arabes)<BR>Santiago
de Rico Alba (Philosopher, Spain)<BR>Asef Bayat (University of Illinois,
USA)<BR>Chela Sandoval (University of California, Santa Barbara)<BR>Adam Hanieh
(SOAS University of London, UK)<BR>Zeinab Abul-Magd (Oberlin College, United
States/ Egypt)<BR>Saba Mahmood (UC Berkeley, United States)<BR>Sylvie Tissot
(University of Paris-8, France)<BR>Aida Seif Ell Dawla, (Human Rights Activist,
Egypt)<BR>Salam Said (Economist/Germany)<BR>Gilbert Achcar (SOAS, University of
London, Lebanon/ UK)<BR>Omar Dahi, (Hampshire College, Syria/ USA) <BR>Mohamad
Ali Attassi, (Writer, Syria/ Lebanon) <BR>Leyla Dakhli, (researcher, CNRS,
France)<BR>Jean-Philippe Schreiber, (Université libre de Bruxelles,
Belgium)<BR>Yasser Munif, (Emerson College, Syria/ USA) <BR>Sami Hermez,
(University of Pittsburg, USA/ Lebanon)<BR>Amr Saeddeine, (Université libre de
Bruxelles, Belgium/ Palestine)<BR>Elena Yehia, (University of North Carolina,
USA/ Lebanon)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><![endif]><SPAN dir=ltr></SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333"
lang=EN>Chandra Talpade Mohanty, (Feminist Scholar-Activist,
India/USA)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333"
lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>