The first of ‘’Your Story Syria’’ conference series was held on February 28, 2022, at Azaz Yunus Emre Institute. The first of the guests of the conference series is the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Free Aleppo University and the former prime minister of the Syrian interim government, Prof. Dr. Jawad Abu Hatab.

Addressing the past and present of the revolution titled ‘’The Syrian Revolution Through the Eyes of a Doctor’’, Prof. Dr.  Hatab, in his speech, touched upon many issues such as the reasons for the revolution, the Arab League’s view of the revolution, the international response to the revolution, the work carried out by the interim government in Turkey, and the future of the revolution.

THE ROLE OF DOCTORS IN THE REVOLUTION

Jawad Abu Hatab started his speech with the question, ‘’Why was the revolution needed in Syria?’’, and explained the process Syrian Revolution as follows: 

‘’The Syrian Revolution started in Deraa and the countryside of Damascus on March 18, 2011, with the popular movement called, ’Great Friday.’ Of course, the regime initially assumed that it could have prevented actions by pressure, considering popular movements in Egypt and Tunisia would have not affected Syria. Just as they did not understand the freedom movement launched against the regime in Hama years ago, they could not understand us, our wishes, and what kind of Syria we envisioned. They regarded the people as terrorists. This point of view of the regime has caused millions of Syrians to migrate to other countries, and hundreds of thousands of them to be brutally murdered.’’

Stating that he clearly sees the economic problems of those who think about the future of Syria, bribery, and lack of merit in government departments, the priority is given to relatives in every field, corruption, and decaying state system, Hatab continued his speech as follows:

‘’We never wanted to be under this decay. During the war, twelve thousands of the thirty-two thousand doctors had to immigrate abroad. Unfortunately, the educated people of the country had to escape from this system. As a doctor during the Syrian Revolution, I worked with thousands of colleagues to ensure that our future would be good. In the execution of the revolution, our doctors did what they were supposed to do, and they made efforts to establish a new system, and to move away from this understanding that is destructing us and the state. ’’Saying that the Arab League suspended Syria’s membership when the Syrian Revolution began, Hatab noted that although the observers sent by the union were witnesses to the massacres in Homs, they remained silent about everything. Hatab described what happened during this period as follows:

‘’In 2012, with the proposal of the Arab League, it was decided that the regime and the opposition would come together and work for a period not exceeding two months in line with the establishment of a temporary government.’’ The United Nations subsequently joined this process. At times, a Syrian problem was occurring on the agenda of international organizations, but we were at the center of that problem, which some of them were avoiding.

‘’THE REVOLUTION IS THE FULFILLMENT OF WHAT WE HAVE PROMISED THE PEOPLE’’

Emphasizing that the Syrian Revolution was not built on a solid basis, Hatab said that instead of uniting under one roof, the groups that set out for the revolution continued on their way for different purposes in line with their issues.

Stating that there were problems in the management system due to weaknesses in unity, Hatab said:

‘’While promising a new system, it was pursued to provide general needs such as health, food, and shelter. Of course, it is so important to supply people’s basic needs, but since the different goals were pursued, we moved away from the revolution and the goal. The revolution is the fulfillment of what we have promised the people. ‘Where are we on these promises, what have we achieved, what should we strive to do better?’ questions concern all of us.’’

‘’SYRIANS SHOULD PUT FORTH THEIR WILL FOR THEIR FUTURE’’

Hatab summarized the impact of external forces on Syria as follows:

In the Syrian Revolution, the deviation from the goal was not only in the Syrians but also in the external forces that supported us. Russia’s support for the regime was not only verbal but also with the help of weapons. The fact that Russia and China made veto decisions in favor of the regime at the UN is among the reasons that keep the regime afloat.

Stating that they are striving for a free Syria, Hatab said, ‘’Syrians will be able to live in Syria, which they have longed for, when they put forth their will, rather than advice given us about the future by people who are deprived of humanitarian values.’’

‘’WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT EVERYTHING FROM TURKEY’’

Expressing that Turkey has always supported them, Hatab said:

‘’There have been countries that have always been with us during the revolution. Today, we have still received support from Turkey. This is meaningful and important for history. On the other hand, we should not expect everything from Turkey. We should evaluate the opportunities provided to us well and move forward to establish our future.’’

The program ended with the presentation of gifts.

‘’Your Story Syria’’ conference series will be held every month until December 2022, and the transcripts will be published in a book in Turkish, Arabic, and English at the end of the year.

ABOUT PROF. DR. JAWAD ABU HATAB

Prof. Dr.  Jawad Abu Hatab was born in Damascus in 1962. After graduating from the Faculty of Medicine of Damascus University, he specialized in general surgery. Hatab, who has books on cardiac surgery and cardiac anatomy, has published many local and international articles. Among his works outside his profession is the book ‘’History of the Local Assemblies from the Independence Period to the Syrian Revolution.’’

Following the start of the Syrian Civil War, he worked actively in ‘’Mobile Clinics’’ to overcome the obstacles that the regime put in the treatment process for the opposition wounded and war victims. He moved to Jordan in June 2012 and carried out his studies there. In September 2012, he took an active part in this process by participating in conferences held in Turkey to determine the local government system in the liberated regions. He is one of the founders of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, which formed a government and army in November 2012.

Hatab played an active role in the preparation of many law texts, became a spokesperson for the understanding of the Syrian Revolution in different countries, and carried out activities to complete the training of candidates for doctors and nurses whose education was disrupted due to the war.

Appointed as the Head of the Syrian Interim Government in June 2016, Jawad Hatab worked in many fields, from the preparation of educational curricula to the establishment of an administrative system, without giving up the fight, despite all the negativity caused by war and the martyrdom of his close colleagues.

Hatab, who has carried out many works for the success of the Syrian cause with his medical doctor wife, resigned from the Head of Syrian Interim Government in 2019 and has been continuing to train the doctors and health workers of the new Syria as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Free Aleppo University.

Haziran 2016’da Suriye Geçici Hükümeti Başkanlığı’na atanan Cevad Hatab, savaşın getirdiği bütün olumsuzluklara, yakın mesai arkadaşlarını şehit vermesine rağmen mücadeleyi bırakmadan eğitim müfredatlarının hazırlanmasından idari sistemin kurulmasına kadar birçok alanda emek verdi.

Tıp doktoru eşi ile birlikte Suriye davasının başarıya ulaşması için birçok çalışmaya imza atan Hatab, 2019 yılında Suriye Geçici Hükümeti Başkanlığı’ndan istifa edip Özgür Halep Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dekanı olarak yeni Suriye’nin doktorlarını, sağlık görevlilerini yetiştirmeye devam ediyor.