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رسالة وصلتني من الشاعرة والصديقة مهجة القحف بشأن المشاركة في مؤتمر أنطاليا
by Marah Bukai on Saturday, May 28, 2011 at 6:28πμ
Dear Marah,
Thank you for your calm and moderate contribution to the debate about the conference.
I want you to know θάτ:
a) We will ask for receipts and transparency in the funding. The funding is 100% from Syrians in the opposition. No foreign money.
b) I researched university dorms for a less expensive location, with my friend Lava Selo who really did the work (because she is in Turkey and had better access), but found them closed to us as their semester is still in session.
c) With others at the conference, will urge a hunger strike for the conference's second day, so that the money saved on meals can be used for humanitarian relief.
d) Worked hard (successfully),with many others who did the same, to expand the list of invitees to include many more women and many more members of all the religious and ethnic communities of Syria. And many more young, "new blood" people, especially those who have previously not attended opposition conferences.e) With many of us allied on this point there, will lobby against any attempt to form a "transitional council" and will request that the focus instead be on forming coordinating committees to make the most efficient use of opposition-abroad's energies to support those inside in their communications and logistics and relief needs; this is not just about mounting more international pressure but providing better support to the inside.
Also, we spoke with organizers inside who are in a position to know this:they assert that ALL the Local Coordinating Committees inside, except Damascus and Tal, support this conference. As long as it does not claim to represent them or to form a "transitional council!" And as long as it does NOT support any form of foreign military intervention. I don't think ANYONE wants that, and I do not think that will even come up, but if it does, I expect the overwhelming majority immediately to put it down.
f) There are many "ordinary folk" of us at the conference, non-politicians, than there are traditional opposition figures and politicos--at least, this is my expectation. And we will request that the known opposition figures leave their egos at the door and roll up their sleeves to work on practical issues, not to posture at the podium. My hope is that this meeting will not be about "stars" but about the many unaffiliated young women and men "fresh blood" new activists attending in sincere, concrete, practical SERVICE to the inside, service toward the success of the freedom movement in Syria, whose goal is regime change to a democratic, civil, pluralistic state.
I myself was undecided until a few days ago, sharing some of the concerns that have been expressed, but decided in the end that the best way to make the things I want to see happen there and to prevent what I dont want to see, is to go to the table there and hash it out in the messy, democratic fashion.
It is unfortunate that some attendees and non-attendees are making pre-conference statements that are not moderate like yours, but divisive. I wish they would stop.
Until today, there has been no official statement authorized by the conference. Attendees who are making inflammatory statements which imply that they represent the goals of the conference are just speaking on their own, sometimes to the damage of the work ahead of all of us. However, this is all part of the beautiful messiness of the democratic process, and it only shows that this is truly a meeting of diverse minds and diffuse efforts pulling together, against challenging odds. Let's be patient with it. I love democracy; it's a MESS.
I hope this, if not changes your mind, gives you a better impression. There is still time to decide to come!
مع اطيب التحيات والتقدير
مهجة
Dear Marah,
Thank you for your calm and moderate contribution to the debate about the conference.
I want you to know θάτ:
a) We will ask for receipts and transparency in the funding. The funding is 100% from Syrians in the opposition. No foreign money.
b) I researched university dorms for a less expensive location, with my friend Lava Selo who really did the work (because she is in Turkey and had better access), but found them closed to us as their semester is still in session.
c) With others at the conference, will urge a hunger strike for the conference's second day, so that the money saved on meals can be used for humanitarian relief.
d) Worked hard (successfully),with many others who did the same, to expand the list of invitees to include many more women and many more members of all the religious and ethnic communities of Syria. And many more young, "new blood" people, especially those who have previously not attended opposition conferences.e) With many of us allied on this point there, will lobby against any attempt to form a "transitional council" and will request that the focus instead be on forming coordinating committees to make the most efficient use of opposition-abroad's energies to support those inside in their communications and logistics and relief needs; this is not just about mounting more international pressure but providing better support to the inside.
Also, we spoke with organizers inside who are in a position to know this:they assert that ALL the Local Coordinating Committees inside, except Damascus and Tal, support this conference. As long as it does not claim to represent them or to form a "transitional council!" And as long as it does NOT support any form of foreign military intervention. I don't think ANYONE wants that, and I do not think that will even come up, but if it does, I expect the overwhelming majority immediately to put it down.
f) There are many "ordinary folk" of us at the conference, non-politicians, than there are traditional opposition figures and politicos--at least, this is my expectation. And we will request that the known opposition figures leave their egos at the door and roll up their sleeves to work on practical issues, not to posture at the podium. My hope is that this meeting will not be about "stars" but about the many unaffiliated young women and men "fresh blood" new activists attending in sincere, concrete, practical SERVICE to the inside, service toward the success of the freedom movement in Syria, whose goal is regime change to a democratic, civil, pluralistic state.
I myself was undecided until a few days ago, sharing some of the concerns that have been expressed, but decided in the end that the best way to make the things I want to see happen there and to prevent what I dont want to see, is to go to the table there and hash it out in the messy, democratic fashion.
It is unfortunate that some attendees and non-attendees are making pre-conference statements that are not moderate like yours, but divisive. I wish they would stop.
Until today, there has been no official statement authorized by the conference. Attendees who are making inflammatory statements which imply that they represent the goals of the conference are just speaking on their own, sometimes to the damage of the work ahead of all of us. However, this is all part of the beautiful messiness of the democratic process, and it only shows that this is truly a meeting of diverse minds and diffuse efforts pulling together, against challenging odds. Let's be patient with it. I love democracy; it's a MESS.
I hope this, if not changes your mind, gives you a better impression. There is still time to decide to come!
مع اطيب التحيات والتقدير
مهجة
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