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Statement By the Int'l Union of Muslim Scholars Concerning Events in Syria

The International Union of Muslim Scholars called for the cessation of the killing of the Syrian people, and starting a genuine response to the legitimate demands for freedom, dignity and change in Syria.

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Doha: June 6, 2011

The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) called for the end of the killing of the Syrian people, and starting a genuine response to the legitimate demands for freedom, dignity and change in Syria. The IUMS called for the Arab and Muslim world, as well as the people of the international community to support the people of Syria.
 
The statement read as follows:"Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and may the good consequence be for those who fear Allah. Let there be no aggression except against the oppressors, and prayers and peace be upon the messenger of mercy, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and upon his family and companions. 

Today, after more than two and a half months of peaceful protests demanding freedom, democracy and human dignity, the killing machine of the Syrian regime continues to claim dozens of lives every day in all cities and rural areas of Syria. These numbers multiply every Friday. The number of martyrs has reached more than 1200 and thousands of people have been wounded and others have been imprisoned since the beginning of the demonstrations on March 15 in the struggling town of Deraa. 

In more than one statement, the IUMS has rejected and condemned of the brutal manner in which the security apparatus of the Syrian regime addresses these peaceful protests. Furthermore, the IUMS has expressed its lack of conviction and its refusal to accept the weak and shallow justifications and allegations promoted by the Syrian authorities and the claimed presence of terrorist elements targetting citizens.
 
Since the beginning of these events, the IUMS has called on the authorities to take these matters and demands seriously, and to respond to the aspirations of the Syrian people for freedom, democracy, political pluralism and alternation of power, and to immediately stop confronting the peaceful demonstrators by opening fire on them and besieging towns with tanks and heavy weaponry.

However, the Syrian authorities have ignored all these requests and have launched strong attacks against the IUMS and its leadership - especially its president, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi. The Syrian authorities persisted in their outrageous attitude, continuing the murderous assaults against the brave and noble Syrian people who are courageously demanding "regime change" after they were initially demanding "reform and freedom". Due to these atrocities, the people of Syria have now lost any interest in all the offers of dialogue and promises of reform from the authoritarian power. These claims have been made while the regime refuses to express any intention to make reforms. The last of the regime's attempts was the general amnesty announced by President Bashar al-Asad for all the political "crimes" committed before May 31, and the formation of a commission that would be in charge of managing a comprehensive national dialogue starting this week.
 
As evidence that the Syrian people have made up their minds and no longer trust any action taken by the authorities, the demonstrations have continued and are stronger than they were before, the most recent were the demonstrations last Friday in the city of Hama, where the regime killed more than 37 martyrs, as well as those on Saturday and Sunday in Jesre Al-Shighour and Wadi Al-Zur where about 30 martyrs were killed.
 
The marches last Friday were the strongest and the most numerous since the beginning of the uprising, and this confirms that the Syrian people - after the number of martyrs reached 1200 in two months - have decided that there is no hope expected from any action made by this regime.
 
The killing has taken place among all classes and strata of Syrian people; men, women and children. It is important to note that according to the UNESCO more than thirty children have been killed. Hamza Al-Khateeb is the most famous of these unfortunate children. He was arrested and tortured to death by Syrian Security forces who mutilated his body after he was murdered. The world has been informed of what happened to Hamza Al-Khateeb in the alternative media on the web, and then on television screens everywhere. This was further evidence of the brutality of the Syrian regime and the weakness of its will to reform and change.
 
The Union expresses its grave concern at the continuation of the tragic situation in Syria, and therefore, the Union announces the following: 
 
1 - The Syrian authorities must stop the killing machine and lift the siege on cities and villages. The Syrian authorities should remove the army and tanks from the center of cities and allow the Syrian people to express their aspirations for freedom, democracy, justice and dignity. The authorities must cease using the fabricated story about so-called infiltrators and extremists, because this is no longer convincing, even to those who are loyal to the regime. The Syrian authorities should move boldly and courageously towards introducing real, genuine and concrete reforms that would be felt by Syrian citizens in the hope of regaining the people's confidence. 
 
2 - The Union is surprised at the complete silence of the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference towards what has been happening in Syria for the last two and a half months. Therefore, we call upon these two organizations to declare a clear position, similar to the positions already voiced towards the revolution in Libya. They should not be silent about injustice, and should never tolerate it. 

3 - The Union warns the Syrian regime and holds it responsible for the innocent blood that has been shed and that which will be spilled in the future. The Union also holds the regime responsible for allowing the international powers - the West in particular - to intervene in Syrian affairs through international organizations, including the UN Security Council. The Union states that if the bet of the Syrian regime is on Russia and China to prevent the issuance of any resolution against its atrocities, it has to take into consideration the positions of Russia and China that are currently being voiced towards the oppressive regime of Muammar Qaddafi. Today, both countries, which are permanent members of the Security Council, show full support for the Libyan people and their transition. Now, Russia and China are working together to find a way out for Colonel Gaddafi before it is too late, because these countries only care for their own interests. 
 
4 - We call on Turkey, as a neighbor that has a good relationship with the present regime in Syria, to exert more pressure on this regime to stop the serial killing that is taking place. We call upon Prime Minister Erdogan personally to redouble the efforts made and work on not turning Syria into a new Libya (with respect to international intervention, which we completely reject, as we look forward to Arab and Islamic intervention to save Syria and its people from anything that would make it an arena for international forces that are hostile to our nation, because in such a case, the picture would be much more complicated).

We also support the emerging initiatives that seek to unite the opposition within Syria and abroad to support the protesters and the legitimate demands of the people till they are realized.

Finally, we call upon the Arab and Islamic nation – especially the Ulama, scholars and writers – to stand by the Syrian people, materially and morally, and pray for them in Qunoot and prostration.

Secretary-General:      Dr. Ali Mohi-Din Qara Daghi
President:                   Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi

International Union for Muslim Scholars