Riyadh al-Turk calls for reviving confidence
Syria, Politics, 8/9/2001

The official spokesman for the al-Attasi forum has introduced Riyadh al-Turk as one of those who paid a heavy price for their views, considering that al-Turk was the one who started the breaking of the " wall of fears in Syria."

The former secretary general of the Syrian communist party -- political bureau-- Riyadh al-Turk ( 71 year old) expressed optimism over the taking oath speech delivered by President Bashar al-Assad, which he described as carrying " a new language." However, al-Turk drew a dark image for Syria in the past phases, hoping that the future will witness detente and called for reviving confidence in order to make a change.

The old politician was heard by a large number of people who gathered at the house of the late Syrian politician Jamal al-Attasi and the crowd extended until the pavement in al-Mazze quarters in Damascus, in a lecture which many doubted it would have taken place.

In one of his first open appearance in Damascus since he was released in 1998 after he spent 17 years in prison, al-Turk said that " the circle of fear has been narrowed backward in the year 2000." Al- Turk considered that " it is impossible to achieve reforms by the change by relying on the current authority forces or what is called the presidential reform or achieving a revolution from the upper class." He added " that all forces which declare inclination to reforms in the authority are disabled because of its weakness."

Al-Turk called for " openness to the forces which have interests to making the change." Certain observers considered that the convening of the first declared lecture for al-Turk after his release is an evidence on a detente in the atmospheres of the forums, the organizers of the forum seized the chance to declare resumption of the activities of the forums in Syria, but without announcing an official licensing for that.

At a time in which al-Turk lives in his house in Homs, in the downtown of Syria, Syrian official sources stressed that al-Turk is not banned from traveling outside of the country, in contrary to news reports and that he can travel at any time he wants.

Previous Stories:
  On Seif's Forum   (8/3/2001)
  Matouq boycotts human rights society meeting   (7/28/2001)
  Detente for human rights in Syria   (7/27/2001)

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