The Assembly for Democracy and Unity, a political gathering in Syria has issued its first statement declaring its foundation and raison d’etre in “the Syrian political life.” Meanwhile, the first private paper has been licensed in the country for about 40 years, according to a report by the Lebanese Al Safir.
The assembly has not been authorized but insisted in the statement that the gathering is an expression of the right to practice democracy and freedom of speech thorough creative dialogue that involves all Syrians.
The ADU said that a secretary general and a general secretariat were elected in their foundation meeting last Thursday to prepare for a public general conference.
Summing up the assembly’s goals, the statement said that it seeks to enhance national unity through democratic dialogue, sovereignty of the law and equality among the citizens. The ADU also supports the pan-national renaissance enterprise, which calls for the “complete liberation of [occupied] Arab lands and conquer the Zionist occupation.”
In a related development, the Ministry of Information has given permission for the publication of the first privately run newspaper since 1963.
Celebrated cartoonist Ali Farzat submitted an application last July asking his “Domary” daily to be licensed, a political satire that will depend mainly on his cartoons.
The word domary refers to the municipality official whose job was to light the kerosene street lamps before electricity was introduced in the country – Albawaba.com
