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SHARMINE NARWANI. "65 ARMENIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE THE SYRIAN CRISIS BEGAN"
Thursday 13 February 2014 11:20
Photo: http://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com
Sharmine Narwani
Sharmine Narwani is a political commentator and analyst of Mideast
geopolitics. She is currently a Senior Associate at St. Antony's
College, Oxford University and a blogger for Al Akhbar English
in Lebanon.
She has a Master of International Affairs degree in both Mideast
studies and journalism from Columbia University's School of
International and Public Affairs, and has written for Al Jazeera, The
New York Times, The Guardian, USA Today, Huffington Post and others.
Mediamax talked with Sharmine Narwani about the latest attacks on
Syrian Christians, especially Armenians, and the possibility of
religious war in Middle East .
-Information about extremists who started to attack and kill Christians
in Syria, was again spread in web in January. What information do
you have about these attacks?
-I don't have any further information on the alleged execution of
the two Syrian-Armenian men from Aleppo. Sadly, at this point in the
conflict in Syria, this kind of news is no longer surprising. It takes
more than a mere 'beheading' or a chopped off body part to make the
headlines today.
We are, however, increasingly hearing about forced conversions,
particularly in the past six months as Islamist militants have taken
control of the armed rebellion. I think it was last September -
when Al Qaeda-linked groups seized the ancient Christian town
of Maaloula - that the media first shone a spotlight on forced
conversions. Local civilians later spoke of rebels using terms like
"Crusader" to underline the sectarian nature of the attack - only
serving to frighten Christian communities across Syria further.
The news earlier this month of the forced conversion of two Armenian
families by the radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)
was followed by reports of the executions of Wanis and Minas Livonian,
who had allegedly accepted conversions. I'm not sure we can ever know
the truth of that story. But this information comes on the heels of
13 nuns being kidnapped from Maaloula in December, so I think the
tendency is to accept the worst.
- Having in mind the attacks that you have mentioned, and lots of
other simliar examples, can this already be considered as the start
of a "religious war" in the whole Middle East?
-I don't think it is right to extrapolate from the actions of a few
thousand extremists and plunge straight into a war-of-civilizations
discourse. There is a real danger of exacerbating conflict by 'framing'
the narrative in sectarian terms.
Let's be honest here. Is there really a Christian versus Muslim
conflict in the Mideast? Is there really a Sunni versus Shia conflict
in the region? I don't think so and neither do the majority of
Arabs polled.
The conflict is not between sects - it is between "sectarians" and
"non-sectarians." There are Christians and Muslims and Shia and
Sunni on both sides of that divide. And fortunately, those who are
"sectarian" represent a miniscule population - they just happen to
be louder, more zealous and more determined to sow discord among
communities.
What is disturbing today is the staggering amount of financial
assistance flowing to sectarian groups and individuals, both in and
out of the Middle East. Part of this comes from the - what you might find in an Iranophobic Saudi Arabia
or a Shia-hating Pakistani donor. But the real shocker is how far
countries like the United States, Great Britain and France have
been willing to go to isolate, marginalize, destabilize and destroy
adversaries (Syria, Iran, Hezbollah) - even if it has meant investing
heavily in sectarianism to make those gains. These three western
powers - so influential in global media - have clung to divisive and
sectarian narratives to describe events in the region, even going
so far as to downplay violence against Christians to serve broader
political agendas.
There is no 'religious war' in the Middle East. There is no popular
support for any such thing. On the contrary, the horror of sectarian
violence like beheadings and castrations has made a lot of Arabs
disconnect from "sect" and adopt a more unifying "national" identity.
Hence the rise in support for national armies in states like Egypt,
Syria and Lebanon.
-Are the fears, that the Christian population becomes the main and
only target of the extremist groups, true?
-No. I don't think the Christian population has been singled out in
this conflict. As rebels radicalized, all dissenters have been hit
hard, regardless of sect, religion or anything else - this includes
Sunni populations as well. Extremist groups are intolerant by nature
and demand conformity, so anyone outside their framework is going to
be a target.
I read somewhere that 65 Armenians have been killed since the crisis
began - I don't know what the number is for Christians in total. But
out of a figure of more than 100,000 dead, that number is negligible.
- Today we are witnesses of Islamist extremists fighting against
each other in Syria. What caused this rivalry between rebel groups
who were focused only on fighting against the Assad regime in past?
-The so-called Syrian "Revolution" has been a turf war for power and
control from the start. Disparate interests within, and competing
interests from foreign backers, have ensured that there will never be
a unified "opposition" in Syria. It was easy enough to pretend they
were one fighting force in the early days, but as the various militias
gained territory and assets, the competition for dominance accelerated.
The recent confrontations that have reportedly killed more than 2,000
rebels are mainly between the ISIL and other rebel factions that
have organized themselves into new coalitions for this fight. At the
heart of these clashes is a turf war, but the ISIL, which is viewed
as a non-Syrian group, has alienated many rebel militias by attacking
other fighters and refusing to cooperate on many levels.
Ideologically, there isn't an awful lot of difference between the
various Salafist militant groups, and the ones being re-packaged as
"moderates" these days are simply the ones smart enough to publically
defer all talk of "Islamic Empire" until they have assumed power.
I anticipate continued rebel infighting because, as we enter a new
phase in the Syrian conflict where compromises, negotiations and
military confrontation will produce winners and losers, the stakes
increase and it will be "each militia for itself."
- Do you think that western powers who were demanding the resignation
of Assad before, now have a huge problem dealing with this new big
Extremist threat?
-Absolutely. The West calculated that Assad would fall shortly after
protests broke out in 2011. At various intervals they have tried to
escalate the conflict, believing wrongly that one more "big push"
would do the job. Instead, they helped push Syria into a situation of
dangerous instability and chaos - producing the kind of environment
in which Al Qaeda and like-minded radical groups thrive.
Washington has certainly recognized its error, and has taken recent
bold steps to shift course. It is the only reason why the US bypassed
its traditional allies Saudi Arabia and Israel and struck a nuclear
deal with Iran in Geneva. The West now needs help from inside the
Middle East to thwart extremism. And they know that Iran is one
of the only countries that can do this - the Islamic Republic is
a major target of Saudi-backed Salafist extremism and is therefore
existentially motivated to thwart it. So now Iran, Hezbollah, Iraq
and Syria are going to be at the forefront of a real War on Terror,
fought and led from inside the region. Neighboring states like Turkey
and Jordan will eventually participate, and Russia, China, India and
other key states will lend significant support.
-If summarizing recent developments, what is the future of Christians
still living in Syria?
-A lot of Christians have fled Syria at this point. Those who could
afford it left early, mainly to keep their spouses and children out
of harm's way. The decision to leave has weighed heavily on all the
Christians I have spoken with: they are torn between love for their
country and concern for their families. Most resolve to return when
the worst is over.
Christians and Armenians also feel a profound sense of responsibility
to ensure the continuity, after thousands of years, of their presence
in Syria - and to maintain their heritage sites and treasures.
Extremists have destroyed so many churches, monasteries and places
of worship that this aspect, at least, seems bleak for now.
Resolve to remain in Syria is put to the test often. An acquaintance
from Homs tells me of the massive exodus of more than 50,000 Christians
from the city since late 2011. Most of the Homs Christians didn't
leave Syria - they relocated first to Wadi al Nasarah (also known as
Valley of the Christians) (closer to the Lebanese border) and set up
checkpoints and protection patrols in their neighborhoods.
Just opposite this area you have the Krak de Chevaliers, the famous
Crusader fortress which is now entirely occupied by armed Islamist
militias - this is a strategic point between Lebanon and Syria,
well-travelled by fighters and weapons. But on August 14, eleven
Christians were brutally murdered by Islamist militias from the nearby
town of Amar al Hosn, prompting another wave of Christians to leave
or send their children out of Syria.
It is a hard choice Christians face today. The Levant is all the
richer for its diversity, and Christians play a huge part in that.
This may be a fragile community, but there is a real determination
to preserve heritage and history, both. Right now the future may not
look too rosy, but I don't see Syria without its Christian community.
The international community is now taking Islamist extremism in
Lebanon, Syria and Iraq very seriously, and I anticipate some
significant military and political efforts to turn the tide in Syria.
Christians remaining in the country will participate in these efforts,
particularly as Salafist attacks become more sectarian and brutal. It
will be important, during this time, to coalition-build with other
communities and enhance defensive security measures Christians can't
afford not to be proactive any longer. I also think this finally
means the plight of Christians and other Syrian minorities will be
highlighted in the global media with more regularity - and less bias -
than in the past.
Narine Daneghyan talked to Sharmine Narwani.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/interviews/9113/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Thursday 13 February 2014 11:20
Photo: http://commentisfreewatch.files.wordpress.com
Sharmine Narwani
Sharmine Narwani is a political commentator and analyst of Mideast
geopolitics. She is currently a Senior Associate at St. Antony's
College, Oxford University and a blogger for Al Akhbar English
in Lebanon.
She has a Master of International Affairs degree in both Mideast
studies and journalism from Columbia University's School of
International and Public Affairs, and has written for Al Jazeera, The
New York Times, The Guardian, USA Today, Huffington Post and others.
Mediamax talked with Sharmine Narwani about the latest attacks on
Syrian Christians, especially Armenians, and the possibility of
religious war in Middle East .
-Information about extremists who started to attack and kill Christians
in Syria, was again spread in web in January. What information do
you have about these attacks?
-I don't have any further information on the alleged execution of
the two Syrian-Armenian men from Aleppo. Sadly, at this point in the
conflict in Syria, this kind of news is no longer surprising. It takes
more than a mere 'beheading' or a chopped off body part to make the
headlines today.
We are, however, increasingly hearing about forced conversions,
particularly in the past six months as Islamist militants have taken
control of the armed rebellion. I think it was last September -
when Al Qaeda-linked groups seized the ancient Christian town
of Maaloula - that the media first shone a spotlight on forced
conversions. Local civilians later spoke of rebels using terms like
"Crusader" to underline the sectarian nature of the attack - only
serving to frighten Christian communities across Syria further.
The news earlier this month of the forced conversion of two Armenian
families by the radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)
was followed by reports of the executions of Wanis and Minas Livonian,
who had allegedly accepted conversions. I'm not sure we can ever know
the truth of that story. But this information comes on the heels of
13 nuns being kidnapped from Maaloula in December, so I think the
tendency is to accept the worst.
- Having in mind the attacks that you have mentioned, and lots of
other simliar examples, can this already be considered as the start
of a "religious war" in the whole Middle East?
-I don't think it is right to extrapolate from the actions of a few
thousand extremists and plunge straight into a war-of-civilizations
discourse. There is a real danger of exacerbating conflict by 'framing'
the narrative in sectarian terms.
Let's be honest here. Is there really a Christian versus Muslim
conflict in the Mideast? Is there really a Sunni versus Shia conflict
in the region? I don't think so and neither do the majority of
Arabs polled.
The conflict is not between sects - it is between "sectarians" and
"non-sectarians." There are Christians and Muslims and Shia and
Sunni on both sides of that divide. And fortunately, those who are
"sectarian" represent a miniscule population - they just happen to
be louder, more zealous and more determined to sow discord among
communities.
What is disturbing today is the staggering amount of financial
assistance flowing to sectarian groups and individuals, both in and
out of the Middle East. Part of this comes from the - what you might find in an Iranophobic Saudi Arabia
or a Shia-hating Pakistani donor. But the real shocker is how far
countries like the United States, Great Britain and France have
been willing to go to isolate, marginalize, destabilize and destroy
adversaries (Syria, Iran, Hezbollah) - even if it has meant investing
heavily in sectarianism to make those gains. These three western
powers - so influential in global media - have clung to divisive and
sectarian narratives to describe events in the region, even going
so far as to downplay violence against Christians to serve broader
political agendas.
There is no 'religious war' in the Middle East. There is no popular
support for any such thing. On the contrary, the horror of sectarian
violence like beheadings and castrations has made a lot of Arabs
disconnect from "sect" and adopt a more unifying "national" identity.
Hence the rise in support for national armies in states like Egypt,
Syria and Lebanon.
-Are the fears, that the Christian population becomes the main and
only target of the extremist groups, true?
-No. I don't think the Christian population has been singled out in
this conflict. As rebels radicalized, all dissenters have been hit
hard, regardless of sect, religion or anything else - this includes
Sunni populations as well. Extremist groups are intolerant by nature
and demand conformity, so anyone outside their framework is going to
be a target.
I read somewhere that 65 Armenians have been killed since the crisis
began - I don't know what the number is for Christians in total. But
out of a figure of more than 100,000 dead, that number is negligible.
- Today we are witnesses of Islamist extremists fighting against
each other in Syria. What caused this rivalry between rebel groups
who were focused only on fighting against the Assad regime in past?
-The so-called Syrian "Revolution" has been a turf war for power and
control from the start. Disparate interests within, and competing
interests from foreign backers, have ensured that there will never be
a unified "opposition" in Syria. It was easy enough to pretend they
were one fighting force in the early days, but as the various militias
gained territory and assets, the competition for dominance accelerated.
The recent confrontations that have reportedly killed more than 2,000
rebels are mainly between the ISIL and other rebel factions that
have organized themselves into new coalitions for this fight. At the
heart of these clashes is a turf war, but the ISIL, which is viewed
as a non-Syrian group, has alienated many rebel militias by attacking
other fighters and refusing to cooperate on many levels.
Ideologically, there isn't an awful lot of difference between the
various Salafist militant groups, and the ones being re-packaged as
"moderates" these days are simply the ones smart enough to publically
defer all talk of "Islamic Empire" until they have assumed power.
I anticipate continued rebel infighting because, as we enter a new
phase in the Syrian conflict where compromises, negotiations and
military confrontation will produce winners and losers, the stakes
increase and it will be "each militia for itself."
- Do you think that western powers who were demanding the resignation
of Assad before, now have a huge problem dealing with this new big
Extremist threat?
-Absolutely. The West calculated that Assad would fall shortly after
protests broke out in 2011. At various intervals they have tried to
escalate the conflict, believing wrongly that one more "big push"
would do the job. Instead, they helped push Syria into a situation of
dangerous instability and chaos - producing the kind of environment
in which Al Qaeda and like-minded radical groups thrive.
Washington has certainly recognized its error, and has taken recent
bold steps to shift course. It is the only reason why the US bypassed
its traditional allies Saudi Arabia and Israel and struck a nuclear
deal with Iran in Geneva. The West now needs help from inside the
Middle East to thwart extremism. And they know that Iran is one
of the only countries that can do this - the Islamic Republic is
a major target of Saudi-backed Salafist extremism and is therefore
existentially motivated to thwart it. So now Iran, Hezbollah, Iraq
and Syria are going to be at the forefront of a real War on Terror,
fought and led from inside the region. Neighboring states like Turkey
and Jordan will eventually participate, and Russia, China, India and
other key states will lend significant support.
-If summarizing recent developments, what is the future of Christians
still living in Syria?
-A lot of Christians have fled Syria at this point. Those who could
afford it left early, mainly to keep their spouses and children out
of harm's way. The decision to leave has weighed heavily on all the
Christians I have spoken with: they are torn between love for their
country and concern for their families. Most resolve to return when
the worst is over.
Christians and Armenians also feel a profound sense of responsibility
to ensure the continuity, after thousands of years, of their presence
in Syria - and to maintain their heritage sites and treasures.
Extremists have destroyed so many churches, monasteries and places
of worship that this aspect, at least, seems bleak for now.
Resolve to remain in Syria is put to the test often. An acquaintance
from Homs tells me of the massive exodus of more than 50,000 Christians
from the city since late 2011. Most of the Homs Christians didn't
leave Syria - they relocated first to Wadi al Nasarah (also known as
Valley of the Christians) (closer to the Lebanese border) and set up
checkpoints and protection patrols in their neighborhoods.
Just opposite this area you have the Krak de Chevaliers, the famous
Crusader fortress which is now entirely occupied by armed Islamist
militias - this is a strategic point between Lebanon and Syria,
well-travelled by fighters and weapons. But on August 14, eleven
Christians were brutally murdered by Islamist militias from the nearby
town of Amar al Hosn, prompting another wave of Christians to leave
or send their children out of Syria.
It is a hard choice Christians face today. The Levant is all the
richer for its diversity, and Christians play a huge part in that.
This may be a fragile community, but there is a real determination
to preserve heritage and history, both. Right now the future may not
look too rosy, but I don't see Syria without its Christian community.
The international community is now taking Islamist extremism in
Lebanon, Syria and Iraq very seriously, and I anticipate some
significant military and political efforts to turn the tide in Syria.
Christians remaining in the country will participate in these efforts,
particularly as Salafist attacks become more sectarian and brutal. It
will be important, during this time, to coalition-build with other
communities and enhance defensive security measures Christians can't
afford not to be proactive any longer. I also think this finally
means the plight of Christians and other Syrian minorities will be
highlighted in the global media with more regularity - and less bias -
than in the past.
Narine Daneghyan talked to Sharmine Narwani.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/interviews/9113/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress