DAMASCUS (SANA) — About 14,600,000 throughout Syrian governorates are eligible to participate in the referendum on the new constitution in Syria, Deputy Minister of Interior for Civil Affairs, General Hassan Jalali said Saturday.
Gen. Jalali added that 13,835 offices were devoted to the referendum, including offices opened on land borders and at airports to enable all citizens to practice their right to referendum.
He said the referendum will be held under the supervision of a central committee chaired by the interior minister and two of his assistants.
Ghossoun
Popular and Academic Figures: New Draft Constitution Meets Aspirations of Syrian People
PROVINCES, (SANA) – Several academic and popular figures across the Syrian provinces expressed confidence that the new draft constitution meets the aspirations of the Syrian society towards change, reform and development.
In Der Ezzor, Dr. Adnan Oweid, a lecturer at al-Furat University, said that the draft constitution forms another stage of Syria and its history, pointing out that the constitution covers citizenship, freedom of the individual and social justice.
Head of Deir Ezzor Lawyers Union branch Asaad al-Dandal said that the draft constitution is an evolution of Syria’s previous constitution and is much more sophisticated than any other constitution in the Arab World, while director of the regional office of the General Women’s Union Mufida Sfeif said that the draft constitution is a positive step that protects women’s rights and freedom which already exist in Syria.
Similarly, Dean of the Economy Faculty at Tishreen University Dr. Yosuef Mahmoud said that the draft constitution will allow for creating economic plans that improve the conditions of citizens and meet their needs in a realistic manner.
In al-Raqqa, lawyer Mohammad Issa al-Mustafa said the draft constitution reflects the accumulative state of the Syrian civilization and meets the needs of the Syrian people, while fellow lawyer Nadia Hilal noted that the draft constitution’s text meets society’s needs in all fields and that it will result in legislation that cover all aspects of life.
Housam al-Hamadah, a university student, said that the draft constitution will face the crisis taking place in Syria and will help Syria get out of it stronger, stressing that the most important thing about the draft constitution is its political pluralism and the fact that it doesn’t allow for establishing parties on divisive and discriminatory basis such as religion, sect, region, ethnicity, race and so on.
In Tartous, member of the Tartous Second Economy Faculty staff Dr. Madyan al-Dabet said that the draft constitution keeps up with the developments which took place in Syria during the past decades on the political, economic, social and cultural levels.
Head of the Tartous Lawyers Union branch Mohammad Kannaj said that the draft constitution is the culmination of national efforts working to build the future Syria, and that it’s peerless in Arab countries in terms of separating the aspects of political, social and cultural life and preserving personal freedoms.
In sweida, People’s Assembly member Abdullah al-Atrash said that the draft constitution signals a new stage of political life in Syria and develops the work of the Higher Constitutional Tribunal, giving it authority to make sure that laws and decrees are in line with the constitution.
In turn, retired teacher Michel al-Saho remarked that the draft constitution guarantees that education is free at all levels and considers education a right that the government is obliged to provide until the end of the basic education stage, while lawyer Salwa Thabet pointed out that the draft constitution allows Syrian women to improve themselves and take part in building the society.
Chairman of Shabha City Council Imad al-Tawil underlined the fact that the new draft constitution gives a bigger role to regional councils and is fair in terms of land repossession.
Director of the Family Planning Society in Sweida Iqbal Hamed said that the draft constitution underlines the important role of families as the nucleus of society.
Head of the Idleb Lawyers Union branch said that the draft constitution is fit to be an example of democracy, while Head of excavation department at Idleb Archeology Department Anas Zeidan said the draft constitution stresses the importance of archeological sites and preserving historic heritage.
In Aleppo, head of the reproductive health department at the Health Directorate Dr. Liqa’a Hallak said that the new draft resolution keeps up with the times, noting that it has new benefits for women such as allowing her to grant her children citizenship, while Assistant Director of Aleppo Health Directorate Dr. Lina Alouzi said that the draft constitution deals with several weak points in the old constitution.
F. Allafi/H. Sabbagh
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