Amid the mountain of speculation and analysis that has followed the fall of Syria’s Bashar Al Assad and the government he led, the human face of such abrupt and profound change resonates more deeply than geopolitical fallout. While there are very tangible concerns about the next period of time, the tumultuous sight of thousands of prisoners being freed, convoys of exiled Syrians returning home and the tearful reunions of families separated by once-frozen frontlines reflect an irrepressible will among the country’s people to live.
This outpouring of emotion reflects the reality that many Syrians suffered from years of civil war and an incredibly heavy-handed state security apparatus. On the other hand, there are concerns of chaos and extremist groups seizing power and destroying what remains of the state. These are mistakes that the new authority taking shape in Damascus simply cannot afford to repeat. Behind the flag waving, speeches and celebrations, there is the unglamorous but vital business of making the country work again.
That means groups like Hayat Tahrir Al Sham ensuring that transport is restored and that schools and hospitals are open and functioning. HTS’s experience as de-facto administrator of the province of Idlib has given it some basic understanding of the challenges of governance. The question now is whether it can learn productive lessons from that experience. There are many Syrians rightly fearful of a national administration led by a battle-hardened fighting force with its roots in the extremist ideology of Al Qaeda. So far, HTS has, to its credit, promised that lawlessness, disorder or mistreatment of Syria’s minorities will not be tolerated. However, it is deeds not words that matter here. It remains to be seen whether the militants will be able to enforce their promises among their ranks.
The path to a better, stable future runs through managing the political and social mosaic that is Syria. The country is not just ethnically and religiously diverse, it also has a range of opinion the includes socialists, Islamists and those who were invested in the previous government’s survival. Including these voices will be critical to building a state that can command the allegiance of all Syrians.
There are some welcome indications that this may be possible. Syria's rebel coalition seems set to try and revive a stalled UN-backed political process. Aymen Al Asmi, a representative of the Syrian opposition has told The National that a transitional governing body, according to UN Resolution 2254, will take over the administration of the country for up to 18 months. “In the meantime, work is being done to call for a national assembly to write a new constitution for the country and an electoral law to vote on the constitution,” he added.
Such state-building is vital given that Syria is rife with problems that have compounded over the past decades. These have created several postponed crises that will not go away simply because there has been a change of power in Damascus. The country’s would-be rulers must demonstrate leadership, accountability and a willingness to work in partnership with all sections of Syrian society. Most importantly, they must show that revenge or vigilantism will not be tolerated.
No-one should underestimate the scale of the challenge that lies ahead. Establishing a competent and stable administration is just the first step in building a new social contract in Syria. A longer-term political system will be needed, and much-needed healing among Syrians will rest on how they live, work and recover together from years of war and devastation.
