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Civil Society Between Mosque From Demonstrations And Democracy
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Mays al-Krady- Al Thara
Translated by Michael Walker
7-5-2011
Civil society represents the highest form harmonious with the practice of democracy and paves the way for transition to the civil-societal formula that is a guarantor of the people's right to effective participation in political authority and decision-making. Civil society forms a participatory condition with the State where realistically the masses become effective, participatory, and active through modern representative bodies in this societal formula.
If the region is not represented as an example of this condition, then this is one of the most important obstacles which face societal movement and first among the crises of the State.
In examples of these nations the authority depends on control of the security force in-turn depending on the harshest organizations of society as the conduit between the masses and the State. The State should share decision-making with the citizenry but this suppressive rational is terrified of societal movements outside the framework of narrow concepts, subsequently becoming a representative in-form for the people that are unable participate. Therefore, obstacles to transformation of a society to a civil-social society are embodied by the following.
Lack of a constitution guaranteeing individual liberty and protection of this liberty. Even if constitutions generally appear sophisticated in adopting the rights of the citizens they however in nations described as totalitarian contain opportunities for abuse and make it easy to violate the protections preserving freedom or even independence of society. The door remains open to legitimizing tyranny which is a prevalent feature of these regimes.
Lack of modern laws which protect these organizations which should represent the will of the desired civil society that is able to develop itself through its effective presence in the public sphere which are not protected in face of security apparatuses. Professional associations fit this example. Because free speech has been sucked out of all parts of society it is appropriated and interfered with. As a result the practice of democracy in the case of the election process becomes a show which does not reflect independence and is not effective either through forcing prepared election lists filled with meager political personalities or limiting the process by laws, precedents faithful to domination, and limiting the effectiveness of the process.
Enforcing emergency laws which span decades. Among the results of this condition, gatherings that are not within the framework of religious worship are prohibited, weakening the principles of Secularism and limiting civil gatherings like cultural forums that are not within excessive guidelines. This contributes to fissures within civil society. Also it leads to substitute ethnic, sectarian, and tribal allegiances. Additionally, it leads to difficulty opening society and the weakening of the intellectual-political movement with prohibition of interactive group actions and a state of closeness.
Freedom of expression and opinion are extremely limited and curtailed in these societies, weakening individual and group initiatives. Activist are tracked and followed beyond set limits forcing opinions and decisions on individuals and society which hampers the movements of both.
Of course what has been presented previously is related in all ways to lack of separation of power, lack of judicial independence, and regression of political movements because these are inevitable results of what has been mentioned above. This is reflected upon the establishment of civil society. It is not correct that religion is an obstructing element to the establishment of this society because a modern nation with a healthy civil society is able through modern laws to unite society far from the reach of religion. In developed nations religion has become a personal matter when each person becomes subject to a single set of laws.
Religious laws or related laws in place to satisfy religious rationality are connected with the mentality of despotism through cementing the ideologies and extremism where their movements center around a boundary of taboos which can not be overstepped or developed. Whereas, on the other hand, civil society is subject to historical development and societal movement. It seems clear that the story of the suffering despotic regimes at the hands of religious extremism is not authentic, because a society that aspires to limit and restrain the authority is the danger. For safety of religious movements through history the symbols were devoted to service of the ruling authority, evidenced by the lack of prohibiting the spread of places of religion. We can find thousands of houses of worship, built and established with the support of these regimes, while they are sometimes hostile to and suppress the establishment of a group or human rights organization or political party. While of course providing limitless protection to these type of [religious] gatherings.
So religiousness is accompanied by fatalism and subordination to reality. In our region exceptions have appeared which call for Jihadism with the Islamic mark but they have not grown except when those groups have been confronted with what they believe is a threat to their doctrine (Political Islam). The regimes are usually successful in containing these movements and arrive to compromises with them. When the situation worsens and they are forced to enter a struggle with them the regimes receive international support making themselves seem as they are in a war with extremism which solidifies their existence.
When we want to touch upon the condition of Syria currently, It is my belief that the concept of civil society in our region is in a theoretical state and not a deeply rooted experience or in the memory of the people in practice. This makes our studies of it merely theory and words that have not been subject to experience or real life experimentation. Likewise, what is happening now is popular movements are not tamed or expected by political-social leadership, so the origins of them which originate from mosque are not evidence of religious identity, to the extent they are exercising the means available, which does not include gatherings outside those places. It is a foregone conclusion that the actions are long reaching. Democratic change has begun as a pressing demand in clear words or between the lines when the banners for freedom are raised demanding restoration of the nation through peaceful expression with a feeling that all types of people from various ethnic, sectarian, and religious backgrounds are united under one banner.
The last thing that can be said is that the spontaneous popular movement stripped of any religious ideology assures that there is no anxiety that the face of the movement will transform from a popular to religious face or the imposition of religion. This is not a denial that the movement does encompass religious elements but we must today be faithful to opening the way for all from every background and ideology. This is one of the facets of democracy i.e., the acceptance of others, where it has proved the people of Syria are unexpectedly perceptive in their slogans and practices. Naturally we are facing a long transitional period in which we do not know whats ahead, but in the end the people must enter the heart of the experience and develop naturally through it.
Thara E- Magazine No. 280 ,7/5/2011
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