Programme Erasmus + Europe on the move : Migration Biographies
Theses
The stability did not last very long as “ military coups , revolts and riots ” 28 started again in the 1960s . One of the reasons for this was the union between Syria and Egypt which formed the United Arabic Republic . The union was initially welcomed by enthusiasm but quickly turned into dissatisfaction as a consequence of Egypt ’ s
29 30 31 dominant role , which led to the union dissolving in 1961 . The Syrian Baath party initiated this move .
In Damascus in March 1963 , a military coup , planned over many years and carried out by the Baath party , led to its absolute power in government . This act is also known as the Baath Revolution . 32 33 Another military coup occurred in 1966 by the radical wing of the Baath party against the moderate Baathists . This coup led to the separation of the Syrian and Iraq Baath party as a consequence of their ideological differences . 34 In 1970 the Minister of Defence , Hafiz al-Assad , revolted against the party leadership and overthrew the “ de facto leader of Syria ” 35 Salah Jadid , whose leadership was finally assumed by Assad in 1971 . Through the revolt the leadership of the Allawi ’ s , a religious minority , gained power and made it possible for other members of the Islam Alawite to inherit important roles in the party because of strategical reasons . These included the idea that a smaller group of the same religious belief would support each other . The Baath party passed acts ensuring general compulsory school attendance as well as a right to vote and be elected by others . The first constitution of the “ Arab nation ” was proclaimed in 1973 followed by revolts led by the Muslim Brotherhood because of its secularist passage , they wanted a more Islamic constitution . The revolts forced the Baath party to change the
36 37 38 39 constitution , for example that the president must be Muslim .
Between the killing of approximately 200 Baath party soldiers on behalf of the Muslim brotherhood and the oppression of the Muslim brotherhood , tensions rose considerably . This led to the eventual massacre of Hama in 1982 . Hama which was known as the centre of the Muslim brotherhood was besieged for around two weeks by Syrian troops as a response from Assad to their rebellion against his regime . This led to an estimated
40 41 42 number of 20,000 deaths .
The years between 1987 and1997 were marked by Syria ’ s participation in different wars and the first peace talks with Israel , as well as the reconciliation of the Iraq and Syrian Baath party . which was presented as a great
43 44 45 political move .
The death of Hafez al-Assad caused great sadness to many Syrians . His son Bashar al-Assad inherited his father ’ s post as a president , even changing the laws allowing him to become president at only 34 years of age . His marriage in December to his girlfriend Asma Fauaz al-Akhras was seen as an outstanding example that living together , regardless of which religion was possible , despite the fact that he came from an Alawi family and she came from a rich Sunni clan . In 2001 Bashar al-Assad gave the people something that they had never before experienced ; freedom of speech . This period is now known as the “ Damascus Spring ”. This led to demands from the population for democratic reforms , and in particular social justice . During this period , two manifestos were published , the manifesto of 99 and the manifesto of 1000 , both demanding new reforms . The rising demands stopped in January 2002 when Assad restricted the newly allowed freedoms , in a period
27 ( History . com Editors 2017 )
28
( History . com Editors 2017 )
29 ( Schweizer 2015 , 503 )
30 ( van Dam 2017 , 9-11 )
31 ( BBC 2019 )
32 ( Schweizer 2015 , 503 )
33 ( History . com Editors 2017 )
34 ( Schweizer 2015 , 503f .)
35 ( History . com Editors 2017 )
36 ( Schweizer 2015 , 504f .)
37 ( History . com Editors 2017 )
38 ( Bender 2012 , 197 )
39 ( BBC 2019 )
40 ( Schweizer 2015 , 505f .)
41 ( History . com Editors 2017 )
42 ( BBC 2019 )
43 ( Schweizer 2015 , 505-509 )
44 ( History . com Editors 2017 )
45 ( BBC 2019 )
[ 14 ]