PRESIDENT Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma al-Assad received sons and daughters of martyrs on the occasion of Martyrs’ Day on Tuesday. President al-Assad said the Martyrs’ Day is a precious occasion for all Syrians and it means much for us as we have always felt proud of our martyrs who have protected, along with their families, our Homeland.
The President told sons and daughters of martyrs that each one of them has to be proud of his/her father who has offered his blood for the sake of the Homeland and for each citizen, adding, ‘If all people were strong, firm and not intimidated like you and your families, we would certainly gain victory over terrorists.’
President al-Assad concluded his words by saying, ‘On the next Martyrs’ Day we will meet, God willing, not only to celebrate the occasion, but also to celebrate victory over terrorists who have perpetrated the ugliest crimes against the Syrian people.’
Later, the President and his wife exchanged cordial speeches with sons and daughters of the martyrs, affirming that the Syrians are always proud of their martyrs, whether those who have been martyred during previous stages of Syria’s history or those during the current war against terrorists.
The President added that families of martyrs are also a source of pride because their courage and strength were the basis of Syria’s steadfastness and will be one of the most important reasons of its victory over terrorism.
President al-Assad said that if not for the willingness of Syrians to defend their country, and the heroic martyrs who protected the Homeland, Syria wouldn’t remain and we would not be able to meet in this place and talk to each other.
For her part, Asma al-Assad told the sons and daughters of martyrs that the courage of their fathers should be a motive for them to exert more efforts in their studying and have superiority in order to be the heroes of the future who defend the Homeland.
• Leader of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party Ali Haidar declared that his party supports the nomination request of Dr Bashar al-Assad to run for presidency as this is his right being a Syrian citizen.
‘No external or any other forces are allowed to interfere in naming who have or don’t have the right to do that as the act of nomination is a Syrian internal affair par excellence and the right of every citizen without exception,’ Haidar told the reporters in a press conference on Tuesday.
He reiterated that this right, which is also a duty of every Syrian citizen, should be practised away from any political bickering stemming from having opponents or supporters of the government. Haidar announced that his party was withdrawing from the Popular Front for Change and Liberation over the differences in positions towards the presidential elections.
While voicing the Syrian Social Nationalist Party’s outright rejection of confusing attitudes towards the election, being a constitutional event, with those stressing the necessity to reform the elections, Haidar made it clear that his party is not on the same page with all the forces of the Front and not just with the Popular Will Party over this issue.
He said his Party intends ‘to make wide-ranging contacts with the national opposition forces to discuss the possibility of forging an extensive national coalition that works on a win-win basis and not on one team triumphing over the other’.
Such a coalition, Haidar noted, should be formed ‘with the view of building Syria’s future through a national progressive project that starts with mechanisms to get out of the crisis and ends up with the future of Syria that is sought by every Syrian hand-in-hand with President Bashar al-Assad.’
This project, he added, aims to lay the foundations for ‘a new Syrian charter’ that paves the way for political action in line with the upcoming national events under the title ‘the right of citizenship, responsible freedom and democracy for all’.
Facing the political matters and national and pan-Arab issues put forth on the political arena in a way that maintains the unity and security of the homeland also goes under the title of the project proposed by Haidar.
As he reiterated his party’s absolute rejection of all forms of tutelage and foreign intervention and persistence with resisting the US-Zionist scheme, Haidar affirmed that solving the crisis in Syria can only be through and among the Syrians.
• The Armed Forces on Monday commemorated Martyrs’ Day, with unit commanders and directors of training facilities giving speeches on the occasion. The commanders and directors said that May 6th is a symbol and of bravery and sacrifice, summing up Arab history and its honourable examples of martyrdom for the sake of defending land, dignity, and freedom.
The speeches said that the Syrian Arab Army personnel continue to offer martyrs for the sake of defending the country’s sovereignty, dignity and stability, underlining the great care shown to martyrs by the late President Hafez al-Assad which continues under the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, who is committed to caring for the families of martyrs.
They asserted that Syria’s steadfastness and the Armed Forces’ success in restoring security and stability to the country couldn’t have been achieved without the people’s solidarity and support for their army.
The commanders and directors vowed to keep making sacrifices, uphold their duties, pursue terrorist groups, and repel any who dare to tamper with Syria. On this occasion, military drills and parades were held, and commanders visited martyrs’ graves and wounded army personnel.
• Syrian Embassies around the world called on Syrian expatriates with valid residence permits to register their names on electors’ lists at the embassies’ headquarters.
Registration of names started on April 28 and will continue through to May 16. Syrians abroad can vote in the presidential elections at the embassies in the countries of residence on May 28 from 7:00am to 7:00pm.
The Presidential Elections Committee at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry noted in a statement issued Tuesday that registration of names on voters’ lists can be done by sending fax, mail or e-mail with the necessary ID information.
• Citizens of the occupied Syrian Golan commemorated Martyrs’ Day with two activities that took place in Baqaatha and Majdal Shams squares.
Syrian citizens laid wreaths at the statues of Martyrs in Baqaatha village, reading some verses of the Holy Quran for the martyrs’ souls. They also reiterated readiness to offer more sacrifices to restore security and stability to the country.
The participants moved to Sultan Basha al-Atrash Square in Occupied Majdal Shams, affirming their firm stances in support of their homeland, army and leadership. They stressed that the path of martyrdom represents the torch which will enlighten next generations.
