Syria's journey to justice cannot wait

Syrian fighters inspect the site of a mass grave in Najha on December 17. Thirteen years of civil war that included violent suppression and forced disappearances left a macabre legacy that the new authorities and grieving families are trying to make sense of. ReutersShow less

When a country changes government as abruptly as Syria did less than a month ago, the nation’s new authorities are invariably confronted by a formidable list of problems. The crux of the challenge often comes down to prioritisation – what requires action now, and what can be left for later?

Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, Syria’s rebel militia-turned-government, currently faces such a dilemma as unrest breaks out in different parts of the country. On Thursday, Tartus, Latakia and Jableh were the scene of angry protests after a video purporting to show an arson attack on an Alawite shrine in Aleppo was circulated online, although some claim it was footage of an old incident.

A deadlier manifestation of Syria’s many divisions took place on Tuesday when at least 14 personnel belonging to the rebel-led government were killed in a shootout in Tartus by what Interior Minister Mohammad Abdul Rahman described as “remnants” of the old state loyal to Bashar Al Assad.

One Syrian woman’s search for her missing father

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If these are added to Syria’s many other challenges, such as its collapsed economy, looming ownership disputes over land and property confiscated by the Assad government, continuing clashes in the north-east and what to do with thousands of ISIS prisoners being held in Al Hol camp, it is apparent that the country is in a highly volatile state. Given this, some might argue that complex, longer-term issues of justice and accountability must wait until some semblance of stability is established.

However, if Syria’s people are to begin a new chapter, then such challenges must be confronted now. Foremost among these is the appalling collection of mass graves being uncovered in different parts of the country. Thirteen years of civil war that included violent suppression and forced disappearances left a macabre legacy that the new authorities and grieving families are trying to make sense of. On Wednesday, The National published an interview with Alaa Qasar, a Syrian woman searching between hospitals and mass graves for her father, just one of more than 105,000 Syrians who remain unaccounted for after the collapse of the Assad regime on December 8.

The process of identifying the remains of thousands of murdered citizens, let alone establishing legal accountability and justice, would be a formidable task for any government. Srebrenica, Europe’s only acknowledged genocide since the Second World War, is a prime example of such a challenge. In May, the Srebrenica Memorial Centre in the Bosnian village of Potocari opened a new facility to store the remains of victims who are still unidentified, almost three decades after the massacre of 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys.

Failing to lift the veil of secrecy that covered thousands of Syrians’ fates would only prolong many families’ suffering, and shore up grievance and frustration for another generation

Nevertheless, beginning to piece together these painful accounts from the previous era would be an important step towards building firm foundations for a better Syria, one in which the rule of law is well-established. It would be a concrete sign to the country’s people that the nation is turning a corner and is robust enough to handle the challenges that truth and accountability will inevitably bring. Failing to lift the veil of secrecy that covered thousands of Syrians’ fates would only prolong many families’ suffering, and shore up grievance and frustration for another generation.

As previous conflicts have shown, it can take years to establish an accurate account of the fate of so many. The process requires substantial funding as well as considerable legal, scientific and medical expertise. Countries that say they want to see a stable and prosperous Syria can play their part in offering practical assistance that is for the long term. Syria’s array of challenges are daunting, but justice is an important priority.