As Syrian opposition divides, SNC head quits, unless, they beg him to stay

Introduction

A Syrian source close to Syrian National Council revealed that Riad al-Turk the founder of the opposition people's party, who have great influence in local coordination committees across razan Zaytoun and Omar Idilbi of the Communist labor party, asked Ghalyoun to leave the local coordinating committees and join NSC.

Syria opposition rift widens
with resignation of Burhan Ghalioun

Riad al-Turk pressed for the electing him as first National Council President. Ghalyoun was elected Support by the brotherhood, and two voiceless Christians to cover the Islamic vote and the support of the seculars embracing extremists. The second SNC president was supposed to be George Sabra, named by Riad Turk, On the basis of this agreement the opposition leader Riad Turk called asked George Sabra to leave Syria before elections. But, the French strongly intervened and forced re-electing Ghalyoin for a second term.

Despite the fact that Ghalyoun the French support, The brotherhood and Ghalyoun betrayed Riad Turk and re-elected Ghalyoun for a third term.

Consequently, the iinfuriating Riad al-Turk threatened through coordinating committees to withdraw from the Council in case Ghalyoun don't step down.

The Syrian circles associated with the National Council explain Muslim Brotherhood's position in favor of Ghalyoun by Saudi refusal to elect a Christian. Saudi Arabia has threatened to stop all funding for the National Council and withdraw its recognition and change its policy, if the Council don't listen.

The Syrian Brotherhood, having lost hope that the west may repeat the Libyan scenario and fully convinced of the Turkish position that will emerge from the confines of the hostile political attitudes in Syria, and being the largest and strongest body on the ground who administers operations and the guerrillas against the Syrian army, and is directly responsible for most suicide attacks in Syria, the Brotherhood wants to eliminate any effect of the secularists in the National Council to guarantee the sole right in the representation of the opposition in the event of a settlement with the Syrian regime.

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Burhan Ghaliyoun throwin in the towel ... unless, they beg him to stay!  

 "Syria's fragmented opposition has suffered a further setback, with the newly re-elected head of the main exiled coalition offering to resign due to criticism of his leadership and infighting that has plagued groups trying to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

 Syrian National Council chief Burhan Ghalioun said Thursday he does not want to be a cause of division in the opposition coalition and will step down as soon as a replacement is chosen through consensus or election......

Ghalioun promised to stay active in the group after his resignation."

Kodmani said the SNC will try to limit the influence of groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood by finding a balance in its membership that reflects Syria's political, religious and ethnic diversity.

 

SNC head quits as Syrian opposition divides

Published Thursday, May 17, 2012

The head of the opposing Syrian National Council offered his resignation on Thursday after the rival Local Coordination Committees threatened to withdraw from the council.

Burhan Ghalioun declared on he was ready to step down from the SNC presidency when an alternative is available, only two days after being reelected to the post.

"I declare my resignation as soon as a replacement is found through elections or consensus," Ghalioun told Reuters.

Ghalioun, who was re-elected on Tuesday to serve his third term as head of the SNC, added that he is “not ready to be a cause for division. The revolution is above personalities.”

His resignation followed a statement issued on Thursday by The Local Coordination Committees – a major activists group, working both inside and outside Syria - threatening to withdraw from the SNC.

“After refusing to participate in the Council's activities for the past two months, the last of which was the general assembly's meeting in Rome, we find in the deteriorating council a reason for further steps, which might start with suspending our membership to withdrawing,” the statement said.

The LCC claimed the leadership of the council, Syria's largest opposition umbrella group, had been monopolizing decision-making powers. The statement mentioned the re-election of Burhan Galioun to a third term as one example of the lack of democracy.

The statement pointed also to “the marginalization of most of the members of the movement and of the council's general assembly.”

George Sabra, on right

It also condemned the “political incompetence” of the council and the “lack of consensus between its vision and that of the revolutionaries.”

Ghalioun's resignation will lead to speculation about potential successors, with George Sabra, a Christian council member who ran against Galioun in Tuesday's elections, a prime candidate.

A possible withdrawal of the LCC would deprive the SNC of an important ally. The LCC is one of the few opposition groups working inside Syria and is an asset to the council, has been accused of being too heavily focussed on expatriate Syrians.

(Al-Akhbar/AP/Reuters)

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