Wissam Tarif

Last updated
Wissam Kassem Tarif
TARIF EN PARLAMENTO EUROPEO cropped.JPG
Tarif. Picture taken in 2008 at the European Parliament
Born (1975-04-10) 10 April 1975 (age 49)
Zahle, Lebanon
NationalityLebanese
OccupationDemocracy & Human Rights defender

Wissam Kassem Tarif (born 10 April 1975) has played a key role in the field of pro-Democracy and Human Rights work in Syria and Lebanon, as both an intellectual and activist. Currently Director of an influential Middle East human rights organisation, he continues to advocate open democracy and works on both a regional and international level to this end, focusing on the situation in Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia in particular.

Contents

The early years and South America

Born in Lebanon's picturesque Beka'a Valley city of Zahlé, (Arabic : زحلة; also transliterated Zahlah or Zahleh) [1] Mr Tarif and his family come from the small mountain town of al-Karaoun on the banks of Lake Litani in the same region. Known in Lebanon for their courage when faced with the occupation of their town (notably, the family was the first to have their home blown up by the invading army), their reputation for independent thinking in a country constitutionally constructed on sectarian interests, is well-established.

"When, at 12 years old, my friend Jude was run over by a military tank, I was splattered by his flesh. I can still taste the burning skin whenever I remember it. It was something that changed my life, made me aware of the importance of being human, being a person," Tarif recalls.

Having grown up with the sounds, smells and tragedy of continuous conflict all his life, at the age of 13, Wissam Tarif was sent by his family to South America (Paraguay and Argentina), where he joined elder brothers who had been sent ahead of him. From a very early age, though, he assumed and adopted a strong sense of responsibility towards himself and others.

Back in Beirut and then Syria

Immersing himself in civil society institutions in Beirut, Mr Tarif started by working for Greenpeace where he began to get a feel for the region's concerns at grass roots level, making his initial appearance on the opinion and analysis pages of well-known and respected Middle East newspapers and magazines, such as An-Nahar. Coming, as he did, to the attention of numerous politicians and leading intellectuals in Lebanon (as was the case with the redoubtable Samir Kassir, with whom a warm friendship grew), Mr Tarif soon became an integral part of intellectual life in Beirut. Anxious, however, to continue contributing to democracy and human rights values in the region, he eventually moved to Damascus, Syria, where he founded a cultural centre.

Parallel to this, Mr Tarif became a prime mover of the Opposition forces in Syria, working closely with well-known artist, [2] political dissident, prisoner of conscience and human rights leader Kamal Labwani, [3] [4] [5] (sent to jail in Syria on a 15-year term for his advocacy of democracy) to found the Liberal Democratic Union. Tarif worked to support and promote the values of a movement known as the Damascus Spring, which blossomed following the coming to power of the new President of Syria, Bashaar al-Assad. The tightening of the Syrian regime's grip on power led to the imprisonment of the majority of voices claiming freedom and democracy.

Working for democracy

Since then, Wissam Tarif has led a continuous campaign for the democratisation of Syria, Lebanon and the Middle East. Appreciated for his in-depth political and strategic published analyses, he has made a reputation not only among the diplomatic and political communities in Lebanon and Syria, but amongst intellectuals, communicators and thinkers.

Interrogated 17 times by the Syrian security police during his time in Syria, there have been various attempts on his life. Undeterred, he continues to campaign as Director of the Middle East human rights organisation, the Foundation for the Defense of Prisoners of Conscience (FDPOC). [6]

The Foundation for the Defense of Prisoners of Conscience (FDPOC) and INSAN

FDPOC (now superseded by the Europe-based NGO INSAN INSAN)worked in Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia in particular. It received daily monitoring reports from grass roots activists within its countries of focus, in order to ensure that the rest of the world heard about the violations of human rights the authorities preferred to keep silent.

The organisation and its Board of Trustees were also active at an international level. [7] [8] [9]

Wissam Tarif, however, argued for a wider, more global vision for the Organisation, as a result of which FDPOC took a strategic decision in 2009: to maintain its activists and workers in situ in the Middle East but to shift its centre of operations to the European Union in order to not only increase its operational effectiveness, but to ensure a framework of freedom which would better enable it to ensure human rights in the region were better and more immediately projected. The new organisation, under the name of 'INSAN' (www.insanintl.com) is a fully registered NGO with its headquarters in Spain. INSAN thus builds on the previous work done by FDPOC but, at the same time, expands upon it. INSAN's work, while focussing on human rights, also covers the broader fields of democracy and development issues across not only the Middle East but also throughout North Africa (MENA). It was in this wider context (and to facilitate its activist and campaigning work), that the Organisation's offices were transferred to Spain, which is strategically situated to service the logistic and campaigning needs of this already growing but well-established Organisation. This is especially the case with an eye to INSAN's centre of operations in the MENA region and to the closeness of influential EU institutions and politicians in Brussels.

Wissam Tarif is currently Executive Director of INSAN.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patriotic Union of Kurdistan</span> Political party in Kurdistan

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a political party active in Kurdistan Region and the disputed territories in Iraq. The PUK describes its goals as self-determination, human rights, democracy and peace for the Kurdish people of Kurdistan and Iraq. The PUK is currently under the leadership of Bafel Talabani. The PUK was founded in 1975 by Jalal Talabani, Nawshirwan Mustafa, Fuad Masum, Adel Murad, Ali Askari and Abdul Razaq Feyli Dawood Mohammed Ali. All presidents of Iraq under the 2005 constitution have been from this party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bashar al-Assad</span> President of Syria since 2000

Bashar al-Assad is a Syrian politician who is the 19th and current president of Syria since 2000. In addition, he is the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed Forces and the secretary-general of the Central Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. He is a son of Hafez al-Assad, who was President of Syria from 1971 to 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walid Jumblatt</span> Lebanese politician (born 1949)

Walid Kamal Jumblatt is a Lebanese politician who was the leader of the Progressive Socialist Party from 1977 until 2023. A Druze and former militia commander, Jumblatt led the Lebanese National Resistance Front and allied with the Amal Movement during the Lebanese Civil War. He worked closely with Suleiman Frangieh to oppose Amine Gemayel's rule as president in 1983. After the civil war, he initially supported Syria but later led an anti-Assad stance during the start of the Syrian Civil War. He is still active in politics, most recently leading his party, the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) in the 2022 Lebanese general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syrian Democratic People's Party</span> Political party in Syria

The Syrian Democratic People's Party is a centre-left, democratic opposition party in Syria. It is a member of the Syrian opposition, a member of the National Democratic Rally, and a participant in the Damascus Declaration.

The Damascus Spring was a period of intense political and social debate in Syria which started after the death of President Hafiz al-Assad in June 2000 and continued to some degree until autumn 2001, when most of the activities associated with it were suppressed by the government. It started with the Statement of 99 and the establishing of the Committees of Civil Society, then the Statement of 1000 was issued carrying the signature of 1000 Syrian intellectuals in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rifaat al-Assad</span> Syrian general and politician (born 1937)

Rifaat Ali al-Assad is the younger brother of the late President of Syria, Hafez al-Assad, and Jamil al-Assad, and the uncle of the incumbent President Bashar al-Assad. He was the commanding officer of the ground operations of the 1982 Hama massacre ordered by Hafez al-Assad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human rights in Syria</span>

Human rights in Syria are effectively non-existent. The country's human rights record is considered one of the worst in the world. As a result, Syria has been globally condemned by prominent international organizations, including the United Nations, Human rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the European Union. Civil liberties, political rights, freedom of speech and assembly are severely restricted under the Ba'athist government of Bashar al-Assad, which is regarded as "one of the world's most repressive regimes". The 50th edition of Freedom in the World, the annual report published by Freedom House since 1973, designates Syria as "Worst of the Worst" among the "Not Free" countries. The report lists Syria as one of the two countries to get the lowest possible score (1/100).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ammar Abdulhamid</span> Syrian-born author

Ammar Abdulhamid is a Syrian-born author, human rights activist, political dissident, co-founder and president of the Tharwa Foundation. Ammar was featured in the Arabic version of Newsweek Magazine as one of 43 people making a difference in the Arab world in May 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military Intelligence Directorate (Syria)</span> Syrian intelligence agency

The Military Intelligence Directorate is the military intelligence service of Syria. Although its roots go back to the French mandate period, its current organization was established in 1969. Its predecessor organisation was called the Deuxième Bureau. It is headquartered at the Defense Ministry building in Damascus. The military intelligence service, or the Mukhabarat in Arabic, is very influential in Syrian politics.

Kamal al-Labwani is a Syrian doctor and artist, He was released from Adra Prison, near Damascus on November 15, 2011, according to state media. Before his release, Amnesty International called him a prisoner of conscience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haitham al-Maleh</span> Syrian human rights activist

Haitham al-Maleh is a Syrian human rights activist and former judge. He is a critic of the current Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad and has been imprisoned by the Syrian government because he was calling for constitutional reforms. Maleh became an important opposition figure in the Syrian Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syrian National Council</span> Syrian opposition government

The Syrian National Council, sometimes known as the Syrian National Transitional Council or the National Council of Syria, is a Syrian opposition coalition, based in Istanbul, Turkey, formed in August 2011 during the Syrian civil uprising against the government of Bashar al-Assad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdulrazak Eid</span> Syrian writer and dissident (born 1950)

Abdulrazak Eid, Abdul razzak Eid, Abdul razaq Eid, Abdel razzak Eid, Abdul razzaq Eid, or Abd al Razzaq 'Id is a Syrian writer and thinker and one of Syria's leading reformers. He helped to found the Committees of Civil Society in Syria, drafted the Statement of 1000 and helped to draft the Damascus Declaration. Because of his opposition writings and political actions, he was arrested many times in Syria, banned from working and traveling, kidnapped by the Syrian intelligence forces, and was threatened with being assassinated. He fled Syria in 2008 for exile in Europe where he was elected president of the National Council of Damascus Declaration in exile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Modern history of Syria</span> Period in history of Syria

The modern history of Syria begins with the termination of Ottoman control of Syria by French forces and the establishment of the Occupied Enemy Territory Administration during World War I. The short-lived Arab Kingdom of Syria emerged in 1920, which was however soon committed under the French Mandate, which produced the short-lived autonomous State of Aleppo, State of Damascus, Alawite State and Jabal al-Druze (state); the autonomies were transformed into the Mandatory Syrian Republic in 1930. Syrian Republic gained independence in April 1946. The Republic took part in the Arab-Israeli War and remained in a state of political instability during the 1950s and 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syrian Observatory for Human Rights</span> Information office documenting human rights abuses in the Syrian Civil War

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, founded in May 2006, is a United Kingdom-based information office whose stated aim is to document human rights abuses in Syria; since 2011 it has focused on the Syrian Civil War. It has been frequently quoted by major news outlets since the beginning of the war about daily numbers of deaths from all sides in the conflict and particularly civilians killed in airstrikes in Syria. The SOHR has been described as being "pro-opposition" and anti-Assad, but has reported on war crimes committed by all sides of the conflict.

The Battle of Zabadani took place in January through February 2012, during the Syrian civil war. During the initial stages of the battle, the rebel FSA took control of the town. However, less than a month later, the Army retook control of Zabadani, forcing rebel fighters to withdraw towards the Lebanese border.

The Jabal al-Zawiya massacres took place on 19–20 December 2011, in the Idlib province of Syria during the 2011-2012 Idlib Governorate clashes between the Syrian Army and opposition forces, within the larger scope of the 2011-2012 Syrian uprising. Human rights and opposition activists said that some 200 people were killed by Syrian security forces in the hills and villages of the north-western province of Idlib on 19 and 20 December 2011. The Syrian state news agency claimed that 1 terrorist was killed and several more wounded.

From 1964 until 2011, the State of Emergency Law in Syria allowed government forces to arbitrarily detain political suspects at will for unlimited duration of time. During this time, tens of thousands have reportedly been arrested, tortured, and held in isolation for months to years without charge or trial. Although the state of emergency was lifted in 2011 at the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War, arrests continue. Civil society activists, media workers, and medical and humanitarian workers have reportedly been targeted by government forces, pro-government militias, and increasingly by non-state armed groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Syria</span>

The history of Syria covers events which occurred on the territory of the present Syrian Arab Republic and events which occurred in the region of Syria. Throughout ancient times the territory of present Syrian Arab Republic was occupied and ruled by several empires, including the Sumerians, Mitanni, Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Hittites, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Arameans, Amorites, Persians, Greeks and Romans. Syria is considered to have emerged as an independent country for the first time on 24 October 1945, upon the signing of the United Nations Charter by the Syrian government, effectively ending France's mandate by the League of Nations to "render administrative advice and assistance to the population" of Syria, which came in effect in April 1946.

Wissam is a given name. People with the name include:

References

  1. ↑ "Lebanon Map / Geography of Lebanon / Map of Lebanon - Worldatlas.com" . Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "LABWANI PAINTING 1". Archived from the original on 12 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "Message".
  4. ↑ "Kamal Labwani: A political prisoner of Bashar al Assad's regime". Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  5. ↑ Pechter, Adam (1 September 2007). "Dissident Watch: Kamal al-Labwani". Middle East Quarterly. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  6. ↑ "アルガンK2シャンプー：激安通販ナビ～実際に使ってみました…すると!!" . Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "LOBBYING" . Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  8. ↑ "La UE estrecha lazos con Siria: Comisaria europea acusada de "dejadez de conciencia" por organizaciones de derechos humanos!". InfoMedio. Archived from the original on 21 March 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
  9. ↑ "ข้อมูลของประเทศซีเรีย และประเทศอื่นๆ – อยากรู้เรื่องราวข่าวสารของซีเรีย และประเทศอื่นๆติดตามได้ที่เว็บไซต์นี้" . Retrieved 28 April 2017.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.