Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dictators maintain their position through repression of one form or another. However, the
smarter ones, to consolidate their power, seek to balance repression with social reform. As-
sad was no exception. He brought stability, which benefitted the country economically, ac-
companied by various social reforms and infrastructure projects that increased living stand-
ards.
Syria was also a heterogeneous country made up of many competing social, commercial
and religious interest groups that reduced the prospect of any one group generating suffi-
cient support to threaten the regime.
The government's secularism also meant that many members of religious minorities, such
as the Alawites, Druze, and Christians supported Assad as the preferred choice when com-
pared to the historic persecution that had occurred under those previous governments dom-
inated by Sunni Islamists.
But this didn't stop the repression, and Assad was responsible for extreme violence against
dissidents linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and the ordering of the Hama massacre in
1982, which resulted in the deth of between 20,000 and 40,000 men women and children.
The massacre was conducted personally by the Assad family and their associates; all of
whom are loyal members of the Alawite group who occupy all the key positions in the mil-
itary and secret police.
When Assad died in the year 2000 after 29 years of rule, the baton of leadership was passed
to the second son, Bashar, who after taking over the presidency has continued his family's
Ba'athist regime.
Human rights groups have stated that Bashar's secret police routinely tortures, imprisons,
and kills political opponents, and those who speak out against his regime.
Internet censorship has been tightened with laws forcing Internet cafes to record all the
comments users post on chat forums. Websites such as Wikipedia, Youtube, Facebook and
Amazon have also been blocked.
In the circumstances, it was no surprise when, on 27 May 2007, Bashar was approved pres-
ident for another seven-year term, with the official result of 97.6% of the votes in a refer-
endum, without the inclusion of any other candidate.
