Syria’s richest man promises massive charity giveaway

Opponents dismiss announcement by Assad supporter Rami Makhlouf as violence follows Friday prayers around Syria The announcement by Syria’s richest man, regime heavyweight Rami Makhlouf, that he will give most of the profits from his business empire to charity has been met with widespread scepticism in Damascus and beyond. Makhlouf has become a lightning rod for dissent against the Syrian regime as protesters again took to the streets in large numbers on Friday demanding an end to the excesses that they claim the 41-year-old tycoon represents and the ousting of the ruling family to which he is central. Makhlouf’s announcement is seen by some analysts as a sign that President Bashar al-Assad has become so concerned at the momentum of the protest movement that he is prepared to sacrifice his first cousin to retain power. Syrian opposition figures and some Damascus residents, however, interpreted it as mere window dressing. “What Rami is putting on the line is nothing new,” said opposition member Amr al-Azm, a professor at Shawnee University in Ohio. “This is not his fortune. He is the family banker and it was not their money to take in the first place.” A businessman in Damascus added: “This is a regime specialised in cosmetic change so I don’t believe anything they say and do. If they were sincere they would start real reform with changes to the constitution.” Syrian leaders are facing increasing economic sanctions from the US and Europe, which have indicated they may target Assad’s personal assets. “They have got rid of what assets could be grabbed [under sanctions] and are now clearing the decks of those that cannot,” said Azm. “They are trying to explain it in a way that is useful to them.” “It makes no difference to us,” said a Damascus office worker. “At this stage, people want the whole regime to go.” The announcement was made before Friday prayers, which for the past 12 weeks have been a precursor to demonstrations across the country. This Friday was no different, as security forces responded to protests with lethal force, reportedly killing at least 19 people. Demonstrations took place in Hama, the commercial hub of Aleppo and the north-eastern tribal area, including the town of Deir al-Azzor, which has been largely free of the violence seen elsewhere in the country. About 9,000 Syrians have now fled into southern Turkey in the face of the army’s assault on the town of Jisr al-Shughour and nearby enclaves. Turkish media reported that Ankara may deploy soldiers beyond its border in an effort to protect civilians, who continue to stream from north-west Syria. The rights group Avaaz said it had compiled a list of 73 residents in Jisr al-Shughour who had been detained this week when they returned to their homes. In a further sign that the instability in Syria is spreading, three people were killed in northern Lebanon on Friday as a standoff between Sunni Muslims and Allawites, who are from the ruling sect in Damascus, spiralled into violence. The Lebanese army sent in troops in an effort to calm the situation, which represents the most serious sectarian flare-up in Lebanon since the Syrian uprising began. In an interview last month with the New York Times, Makhlouf warned of instability in neighbouring Lebanon and Israel if pressure on the Assad regime continued. His unusually candid remarks are thought to have angered Assad, who has repeatedly characterised the most serious threat to the four-decade regime as a subversive plot from foreign-backed armed gangs. Assad’s reformist credentials have rapidly eroded over the past three months, in which security forces have repeatedly attacked protesters, killing as many as 1,400 people. The embattled leader has indicated he will soon deliver a landmark speech, which advisers say could change the tone of the past four months. An earlier speech he gave in late-March was poorly received outside of his power base and did nothing to quell the violence. Makhlouf’s purported move from the regime’s financial tsar to philanthropy is being seen as a preparation for the speech. “They needed to sacrifice something,” said Rami Nakhle, an opposition figure in Beirut. “So getting rid of Makhlouf was easy. But he isn’t really going. If they put him on trial instead that would bring a positive reaction from protesters. “So far it is just a new game, he was the symbol of corruption in Syria. He was managing the Assad family business. They need to prove to people through genuine signals that they are really moving towards reforms.” Nidaa Hassan is the pseudonym of a journalist working in Damascus Syria Middle East Lebanon Arab and Middle East unrest Bashar Al-Assad Nidaa Hassan Martin Chulov guardian.co.uk

Posted by on June 17, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.