Reform retreat, Khaddam and intellectuals in Syria

The Monte Carlo radio correspondent in Damascus has stated that the Syrian vice- President Abdul Halim Khaddanm has criticized the intellectuals who called for reconsidering the political and economic life in the country through a statement they had recently released.

In a meeting he held with the Baath party cadres at Damascus university, the Syrian vice President added that it is not the right of any citizen to try to threaten the basics on which the society is built. He explained that freedom does not means violating stability in the country. He accused them as trying to hold the regime as a criminal and of practicing intellectual terrorism. He commented " even colonialism was not what they have demanded," considering that the aim behind their move as to make Syria preoccupied at a time when Syria runs the risk of "facing the conflict with Zionism."

Meantime, the Syrian authorities have limited the freedom of clubs and forums which opened up actively in tens of numbers in the country, with most of them are unlicensed.

An owner of one of these forum Habin Saleh in the province of Tartous, accused the Syrian authorities of laying " crippling " conditions which are to apply the security authorities via the governor 15 days before the lecture, the give a summary about it and to give a briefing in the name of the participants and the name of the lecturer, the name of the forum and its name.

The Monte Carlo radio learnt from member of the Syrian parliament Munzir Musalli that the Speaker of the Syrian parliament Abdul Qader Qaddoura permitted the independent parliament member and the businessman Riad Seif to be brought before the law after the Attorney general filed a case against him under the charge of violating the constitution, especially article second of it which states that the Baath party is a leader for the " state and the society." Seif, has in a statement released earlier, when he announced the foundation of his party " the social peace movement" states that the Baath Party had singled out the power and gave itself the right to lead the society and the state.

Worthy mentioning that Seif will be subjected to lifting the immunity he has if it is found he will be convicted during the investigation.