CAMPAIGNING began on Sunday for Syria’s June 3 presidential election expected to return Bashar al-Assad to power, as the regime marked a victory with the exit of ‘rebels’ from Homs.
In Damascus, campaign posters lauding Assad hung on shopping streets and in public gardens, in the run-up to the country’s first multi-candidate presidential vote. Voting will only be held in territory under government control, excluding areas held by rebels.
Assad, who is competing for his third seven-year term, came to office in 2000, after the death of his father and predecessor Hafez al-Assad, who had been in power since 1970. He faces two competitors, both largely unknown, who qualified from a pool of 23 who sought to run against Assad.
Maher Abdel Hafiz Hajjar is an independent MP and former communist party member from the country’s second city Aleppo, and Hassan Abdullah al-Nuri is a Damascus businessman who was a member of the internal opposition tolerated by Assad’s government.
In the capital, a few posters for Nuri’s campaign could be seen, calling for a ‘battle against corruption’ as well as a ‘free economy’ and the ‘return of the middle class.’ His campaign reels have also been aired on state television.
Assad’s campaign posters dominate the landscape, with dozens showing the Syrian flag overlaid with the word ‘together’ and his signature. In a public garden near the commercial centre of Salhieh, photos of the president hung alongside pictures of Lebanon’s Hezbollah chief and Assad ally Hassan Nasrallah, and Hafez al-Assad.
In the Sabaa Bahrat neighbourhood, one billboard hung ‘by citizens of Syria’ proclaims: ‘We won’t close our eyes until we have said yes to the ophthalmologist,’ a reference to Assad, an eye specialist by training. We vote for you, 2014,’ it adds.
Elsewhere, posters read ‘Our Bashar, we will not accept a president other than you. We have chosen you, you have our loyalty.’
Outside the capital, posters declaring ‘with our blood, we elect Bashar al-Assad’ are hung at the country’s border with Syria, and his campaign billboards line the highway leading to Damascus.
Assad’s campaign has also began online, under the slogan ‘Together,’ with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram accounts all set up to promote his run.
Over the weekend, the army swept the evacuated area in Homs for explosives and began clearing streets filled with rubble from homes and other buildings destroyed in the fighting.
Residents, some of whom had not seen their neighbourhoods for nearly two years, began to stream back in, many finding their homes destroyed.
On Sunday, state news agency SANA said crews were removing earth embankments in parts of the Old City and residents were continuing to return, albeit temporarily, to inspect the damage and retrieve belongings.
At the Church of the Belt of the Virgin, in the Old City of Homs, the faithful gathered for a mass and prayers of thanks for ‘the return of security in Homs,’ state television said. Homs saw some of the worst fighting so far in the country’s conflict, which began after a regime crackdown on anti-government protests in March 2011.
• Syrian children have given vent to their feelings through art.
Putting into play their dreams and visions for the future, the participating children in ‘Little Dreams’ exhibition turned the white sheets of paper into colourful theatre on whose stage they gave expression to their inner feelings and aspirations.
Thirty works of art achieved in an expressive style brimful of spontaneity and beauty gave voice to a number of kids allowing them to articulate whatever simple dreams or great expectations they have.
The exhibition was organised by the SOS Children’s Villages International in cooperation with the ministries of Culture and Social Affairs and Syria SOS Children Villages Association.
Explaining their drawings and sculptures, the children, who were trained and supervised by professional artists, voiced deep yearning for the kind of joyful and hopeful life they once enjoyed before the terrorist war was waged against their country three years ago.
‘We are committed to support all children-related activities and this exhibition is part of those activities,’ said Wassim al-Dehni, Deputy Minister of Social Affairs.
‘Little Dreams’ exhibition reflects a belief in the ability and creativity of our children which we are now most proud to showcase,’ Rasha Mihrez, Representative of the Regional Director at SOS Children”s Village International, said.
She added that the SOS organisation works to create all actual conditions to shed light on the issues of children in Syria given that ‘protection of children’s rights and demands of a happy safe life lies at the core of the organization’s goals’.
It is high time to devise solutions and initiatives aimed at supporting children under the current circumstances they have found themselves faced with. While depicting a bittersweet longing for their past days, the children seemed to maintain great hopes about post-terrorism Syria where they said they will be able to go back to their favourite habits of play.
‘I feel sad about what happened, but I will always love Syria no matter what,’ one of the children said.
‘I know for sure that Syria will soon be back as it was,’ he added cheerfully. The exhibition was a bid to provide children with an outlet to vent their feelings, according to Samar Da’boul, Deputy Chairperson of Syria SOS Children’s Villages.
‘What a child can’t articulate in words, he/she can easily and frankly give expression to through art,’ she added.
• Around 3 million students from all grades except 9th and 12th began their final exams on Sunday, despite the repeated terrorist attacks on educational establishments.
Earlier, the Education Ministry finished all preparations for conducting the exams, with Minister Hazwan al-Waz reporting that education directorates in all provinces are fully prepared to hold the exams and provide suitable environments for them.
Al-Waz said that school attendance for the 2013-2014 school year reached 72% for students and nearly 92% for teachers and staff members.
Regarding preparations for the 9th and 12th grade exams, the Minister said that they will be held on schedule at centres designated in coordination with governors and heads of education directorates, wishing all students the best of luck in their exams.
The Ministry also thanked parents for cooperating with it which ensured the success of the current school year.
Reporters met a number of students’ parents who were satisfied over the preparations for exams, saying their children are fully prepared for them.
