Father Paolo of Syria, in NYC RECAP

Father Paolo concluded his 2-week North America tour with a short stay in NYC where the National Alliance for Syria had the honor & opportunity to host (along with friends) and coordinate his activities.

His whirl-wind schedule included community outreach events aimed at bringing the Syrian and Arab community together on the issue of Syria, a Press conference in front of the UN, and multiple events/ meetings with International diplomacy "Influencers" and Interfaith circles.

Here is a quick recap of images, video and media coverage his short stay in the area:

Iftar w/ Father Paolo and Danny Abdel Dayem in NJ, hosted by Syrian Americans for Democracy. Saturday August 5.

Interfaith Gathering at Salam Arabic Lutheran Church in Brooklyn, NYC. Sunday August 5.

An important event that brought together Syrian Muslims and Christians, along with friends from the broader Arab community to discuss the future of Syria.

Press Conference at the UN Millennium Hotel to International Press. Monday August 6.

Cosponsored by National Alliance for Syria, Syrian Expatriates Organization & Syrian Americans for Democracy.

Event Hosted by the International Peace Institute, Monday August 6.

Understanding the Syrian Puzzle: A Conversation with Father Paolo Dall’Oglio

“In Syria, where he lived since the early 1980s, Father Paolo led the restoration of a 1,000 year old Byzantine monastery—known as the Mar Musa monastery—that stands today as a spiritual and physical meeting point between Muslims and Christians.  Father Paolo was expelled by the Syrian government in June 2012 for supporting pro-democracy protestors in the country, including by addressing in May 2012 an open letter to Kofi Annan, the then UN-Arab League Special Envoy for the Syrian crisis, calling for greater international involvement.” Read more at IPI website.

Media Highlights: 

Out of Syria: An Expelled Italian Priest Calls for Peace and Reconciliation

“The Christians are a minority in Syria [for] centuries, so they have a minority attitude. It’s to be protected by the power,” says Dall’Oglio, gesturing to the historically close ties between Syria’s Christian grandees and the Assad regime. However, Dall’Oglio insists that the majority of Christians within the country are against the regime. “It is very clear that the opposition is not sectarian. Christians have been jailed, Alawites have been jailed, Jewish people have been jailed, Kurdish people have been jailed, obviously Muslims, Sunni and Shiites [too],” Dall’Oglio says. 

Read more at TIME. 

Expelled Jesuit Priest Calls for UN Peacekeepers in Syria.

“We need now U.N. forces - not U.N. permission for Western forces, but real U.N. forces - coming to separate the civilians that are fighting each other," said Dall’Oglio. "And the presence of the United Nations forces on the ground at the falling of the [Bashar al-Assad] regime will help the Syrian people to have a deal of negotiation, to have a constitution that will warranty rights for all the components of this nation.” Read more at VOA.

Jesuit Priest Exiled From Syria Says Assad’s 'Puppet State' Will Soon Fall. 

"It's very strong in my mind," said Dall'Oglio of the ceremony at Deir Mur Musa. "There were ladies dressed in black, Alawites, Christians and Muslim Sunnis crying together for their friend in one group. It's such an important image of the real, deep Syria." Read more at IBTimes.

"For now, I consider myself homeless, until I go back, and this will be soon, inshallah," he said, using the Arabic for "God willing." "And I will go back to my responsibilities. My aim now is the harmony of these people, for a friendly Syria."

Interview with Father Paolo Dall'Oglio on the Syrian Crisis.

“Syria is paying a high price for these tensions that have paralyzed the action of the United Nations that should have protected the Syrians from the wild repression of the pacific revolution of the Syrians. From the first day, the repression was of absolutely non-proportioned and immediately violent. The use of terror and torture has been systematic. The jailing of innocent people has been absolutely universal. And it’s not astonishing that soldiers that have been ordered to fight and to use their weapons against their own people just went away to create a free army to defend the revolution.” Read more at Global Observatory.

NYC Press Conference by UN.

“Reverend Paolo Dall'Oglio, an Italian Jesuit Priest who spent 30 years in Syria as a champion of interfaith dialogue spoke in NYC on Monday about the realities on the ground in Syria, the role of Christians and other minorities groups, and the expectations of a post-Assad future in Syria.” See Video at FirstPost.

SEO Thanks Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, The Italian Priest Expelled by the Assad Regime, For His Support of the Revolution and Message of Unity and Reconciliation Within a Post-Assad Syria.

“SEO expresses their gratitude to Father Paolo for sharing his insight on the realities on the ground in Syria, the role of minorities in the revolution and strategies to ensure national reconciliation after the fall of the Assad regime. SEO shares father Paolo’s vision on the reconciliation in Syria based on unity of “One Syria” and justice for the victims of Assad crimes, which relies mainly on the complete ouster of Assad regime, including the systems of security forces, and the death squads, who will be held accountable for their crimes.” Read more at PRWEB.

Will Syria have any Christians left? Assad exiles Syrian Catholic priest for joining the revolution.
“People will never go back to the dictatorship of Bashar,” he insists. “We want to have a Syria that can be fully democratic, a change from the past, a modern state. We cannot accept Assad anymore. For this, our people are dying.” "Dall’Oglio himself recently left Syria—but not by choice. An Italian-born Jesuit priest who arrived in Damascus three decades ago, Father Paolo was expelled from Syria in June after openly criticizing the Assad government. He says he supported the revolution from the beginning. Read more at Latitude News. 

Father Paolo Dall'Oglio Press Conference by the UN

Reverend Paolo Dall'Oglio, an Italian Jesuit Priest who spent 30 years in Syria as a champion of interfaith dialogue spoke in NYC across the street from United Nations on Monday August 6th, about the realities on the ground in Syria, the role of Christians and other minorities groups, and the expectations of a post-Assad future in Syria. 

Moderated by Sarab Al-Jijakli (@sarabny) the press conference was sponsored by the National Alliance for Syria, Syrian Expatriates Organization and Syrian Americans for Democracy.

For more perspective from Father Paolo, please also read his statement from NYC, on the occasion of his visit to the United Nations.

Is there reconciliation left in Syria today? A Statement from Father Paolo.

Statement from Father Paolo Dall'Oglio, in NYC on Monday, August 6, on the occasion of his visit to the United Nations.

Is there reconciliation left in Syria today?

Father Paolo at press conference in NYC

The answer is, quite clearly yes - however all of us Syrians must work in our hearts to keep reconciliation as the aim of our action, knowing there is no possible reconciliation without the pursuit of a pluralist democracy, and respect for human rights. These are the platforms on which future harmony will exist, through recognizing each other’s values.

Some of the Syrian people fighting for revolution have stayed consistently non-violent in their resistance over the past 17 months and have paid a high price for their faithfulness. They must keep their non-violent commitment in order to facilitate reconciliation in the country during the process of collapse and after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime. 

Reconciliation is also part of the commitment of the Free Syrian Army, who have clearly and officially advocated for restraint against actions that undermine human rights, even for actions that may target enemies who have acted against the human dignity of the Syrian people during the past 40 years, especially over the past terrible months and will face fair trials for their crimes. The free Syrian soldiers who commit to this pledge and are respecting human dignity in all conditions are the heroes fighting for the honor of an entire people, an entire country and of all humanity.

There is no contradiction between the actions of the Free Syrian Army, those of the Syrian revolutionary parties who are against the use of weapons and the positions of pacifist activists. All of them will become actors within the coming pluralist democracy, which will need the participation of all faithful and sincere citizens.

It is evident that this deep attitude of reconciliation is difficult and painful, especially for those who are directly victims of violence. Justice however will need to be re-established through internationally guaranteed fair trial and not through personal revenge. Everybody is aware that some mistakes are happening and crimes should be punished regardless of who perpetuated them. Of course, in the coming free Syria we will also need to rehabilitate those who have fallen into the practice of using indiscriminate violence to achieve their goals.

Regarding the role of minorities in a future Syria - the country is a nation of minorities, and all people regardless of faith, ethnicity or ideology are crucial to building a new Syria. We must also leave behind any collective guilt or place responsibility for the crimes of this regime on any one group, as the criminals and victims over the past 40 years cuts across all ethnic and religious groupings.

Women and men of a free Syria, both inside and outside the country, will need to promote "Syrian to Syrian" dialogue for reconciliation. The "one Syria" we are all fighting for will be a homeland for all of us regardless of our religious, ethnic or ideological belonging. Unity in harmony is our goal which will shape a project of justice and peace for the Arab nation and the Middle East region altogether.

As we stand in New York City, we ask the UN to work side by side with the Syrian people in the fight for freedom and harmony. UN soldiers from non-aligned nations should assume direct responsibility to protect the endangered civilians in those parts of the country where massacres are occurring and where inter-communal conflict is growing. UN forces are needed today on the ground, together with international unarmed peace promoters, to separate those Syrians being pushed by regional enemies to kill one another.

This approach will empower the Syrian people and allow them to rebuild the unity of Syria throughout negotiations and international warranties for all the components of this great civilization - a nation that must be preserved for the good of the world. 

May Allah have mercy on all of us, so we can show mercy to one another!

Activist Asylum Victory

We wanted to share with you the wonderful news of an asylum victory of a young Syrian activist that came to National Alliance for Syria (NAFS) for legal support upon his arrival to the US.

NAFS connected him with our legal team, who took on his asylum case. Tarek* (name has been changed to protect client’s privacy) is an inspiring 22-year-old Syrian activist who came to the United States only months ago from his native city of Homs.

Being in the epicenter of the revolution, Homs, Tarek took to the streets to protest the atrocities of the Syrian regime’s crackdown against opposition activists, which has claimed the lives of more than 15,000 Syrians, including women and children, since March 2011. At the first protest he attended, Tarek was shot in the chest by security forces with a rubber bullet. Because the regime targets wounded protesters at hospitals, Tarek was forced to seek treatment at a secret medical clinic in a family home to have the bullet removed without anesthetic. Tarek continued to protest bravely while watching his neighborhood friends being detained and killed one by one insisting that his life was no more valuable than theirs.

When his family learned that he was wanted by the Syrian intelligence, Tarek fled and came to the United States. He was forced to leave his parents and sister behind. After he left, security forces came to his parent’s home searching for him. Although he was fortunate enough to escape, there are sadly thousands upon thousands of Syrians that have suffered a different fate.

We learned last week that Tarek will now be permitted to remain safely in the United States as an asylee and has begun his path toward permanent residence in this country. Working with Tarek has been a humbling experience and we could not be happier for the approval of his case.

If you know anyone that needs immigration guidance or support, please contact us for a free legal consultation.

Why Demand Columbia University Rescind the Acceptance of an Assad Aide?

Assad aide Shehrezad 'Sherry' Jaafari

We are all outraged that a media adviser to Bashar al-Assad has been accepted into Columbia University’s School of International Public Affairs (SIPA).

There is something terribly wrong, when an individual who has been advising Assad on how to ‘spin’ and cover up massacres by the regime is rewarded for their ‘experience’ and accepted into one of the prestigious educational institutions in America.

To make matters worse, through a referral/ recommendation from Barbara Walters for helping her setup the now infamous Assad interview back in December 2011.

There is a petition being circulated online calling for Columbia to rescind their acceptance – please sign and share widely!

If you are a Columbia student or alumni, please mention your affiliation in the petition. And also contact the administration directly - they want to hear from you!

This is a human issue – people of conscious, regardless of background are all taking part in this effort.

This is not about personally attacking a 22 year old ‘student’. Rather this is a political issue where one of Assad’s close aides, has the opportunity to personally benefit (per her own statement) from her experience in advising a dictator on how to cover up massacres.

Additionally, another major concern is the informer role she can play at Columbia, informing on fellow Syrian students who are pro-revolution, risking their safety and the safety of loved ones back in Syria who are at risk (Assad regime spying on Syrians in the US is a major issue).

Many have mentioned that the unscrupulous characters connected to dictatorships have always been accepted to US universities – This is not acceptable in a post-"Arab Spring" world. There was a status quo before March 15 2011, before Mohamad Bouazizi self-immolation in December 2010, were this behavior may have acceptable. Not anymore – we cannot reward those who have an active role in assisting the regimes to cover up their tracks.

Finally, if Columbia University is interested in helping Syrian students, there are many languishing here, who cannot afford to pay tuition, and can’t go home due to the regime onslaught.

Please sign the petition and share!

Thank you,

National Alliance for Syria 

Recent news coverage on the issue:

 CNN

 CNN (Arabic)
FOXNews.com

NYPOST

NYPOST ('Sherry' response)

CBS

GOTHAMIST

FOXDETROIT

ALLVOICES

DAILYMAIL

AL-ARABIYA  

 Syrian Expatriates Organization (SEO) Press Advisory 

Petition Link:

http://www.change.org/petitions/sipa-school-of-international-and-public-affairs-rescind-admission-of-assad-aide-sheherazade-jaafari-to-columbia-university

Kidnapping for Profit. Law and Order Breaking Down in Damascus

Contributed by Nizar Halabi (name is changed to protect authors family in Syria)

Blindfolded and being driven away by armed men from a residential district of Damascus, Omar (not his real name) thought of his three children and wondered if he would live to see them again. It was only hours ago that he was trying to go about his life as best he could under the present circumstances. But despite his best efforts, Omar was now a kidnapping victim—a witness to a growing and unnerving trend that has become more widespread across Syria, even in the heart of Damascus.

The cruel carnage and loss of life all over Syria and especially in Homs, Hama, Deraa is awful and criminal. Absolutely inexcusable for a government to be massacring its own people. But for many Syrians in Damascus and Aleppo, while there is no ongoing assault in the heart of these cities, there is a sense of fear and anxiety that would have been unimaginable only two years ago. The increase in criminal activity, including kidnappings, is intensifying an already tense situation close to a breaking point.

The most recent kidnapping drawing international attention is the abduction of Hadi Alshamaa, a 16 year old American citizen who is feared to be taken by Syrian government security forces. He is still missing. Although impossible to verify, there are as many as 200,000 Syrians currently incarcerated by the Syrian regime for “crimes” against the state that include blogging or voicing their right of dissent. In many cases, when the accused perpetrators cannot be found, family members including mothers, fathers and siblings are detained by the Syrian regime in an attempt to force the accused to turn himself or herself in.

Further illustrating this new reality facing everyday Syrians is the situation Omar found himself in. He was confronted in Damascus by men identifying themselves as government security forces (الأمن). The men showed Omar their government IDs and accused him of participating in anti-regime protests. Despite pleading that he was never involved in any politics, let alone any protests, Omar was blindfolded and taken away. Driven to the Syrian Mediterranean coast, he was put into a room and tied to a chair. He realized he was not unique: Each room in the building he was in had other kidnapping victims in similar predicaments. Thankfully though, his kidnappers seemed more interested in money than killing him. They placed a call to his family and demanded a ransom of over 1 million SP ($20,000+). Any police involvement and not only would Omar be killed, but the kidnappers threatened to hunt down and execute Omar’s family as well. After spending one freezing cold night tied to a chair, Omar was released unhurt when his family was able to gather the money ransom money and make the exchange with the kidnappers.

What are the implications of this worrying incident? As with most things in Assad’s Syria, the lack of information leaves one to speculate on a number of possible scenarios. Could these men actually be security forces as they claimed? Or simply criminal gangs taking advantage of the breakdown in law and order?

In either scenario, the situation is frightening. If these kidnappers were indeed regime security forces or linked to regime security forces, it would mark the rise of a troubling, but potentially highly effective regime tactic. By kidnapping seemingly random people and holding them for ransom, the regime achieves two things. First, they provide a form of payment to buy the continued loyalties of the men perpetrating the kidnappings. Second, they intimidate the extended social circles of the kidnapping victims, effectively ensuring their continued avoidance of anti-regime protests. And if the kidnappers were not affiliated with the regime, but rather opportunistic thugs, it would simply confirm the ineptitude and inability of the Assad regime to provide for and protect its own people during this trying time.  

For 30 years the Assad regime maintained a “deal” with the people of Syria: Stay out of politics and in return, we will keep the country safe. The vast majority of Syrians accepted this deal, especially when viewing a region plagued by violence in nearby Lebanon and Iraq. So the regime prospered, while Syria itself fell behind the nations of the world in nearly all measures of socioeconomic indicators: Syria has ranked in the bottom 10^th percentile of nations in terms of accountability and the bottom 20^th percentile of nations in controlling corruption according to the World Bank. Less rigorous metrics point to a failing education system, a failing banking system, and a failing judiciary.

Yet despite these failings and the stagnated and backward society that resulted, for many years the Syrian regime got a free pass for the simple reason it kept your average middle class family in Aleppo and Damascus safe from violence and persecution.

Well, the deal with the devil is over. The Assad regime is now failing across the board: A failing economy, a failing education system, a failing judiciary, rampant corruption and zero accountability. The Assad regime cannot keep the Syrian people safe nor provide basic services such as electricity or fuel oil. The Assad regime, now an international pariah, will soon be up for international trial for crimes committed against the people of Syria in Homs, Hama, and other communities. And despite all these failings, the Assad regime is still attempting to kill, kidnap, and intimidate the Syrian people into submission.

The time has come for every Syrian man and woman to make a choice: Either give in to this campaign of fear or chart a new course for Syria—a prosperous Syria that fulfills its potential free of the atrocities and ineptitude of the Assad regime. 

U.S. Immigration Options for Syrians

U.S. Immigration Options for Syrians

Learn about potential US immigration options for you and your loved ones. Download the PDF of the following FAQs here.
 

*Frequently Asked Questions*

• Q: Is it possible for Syrians living in Syria to travel to the United States?
• A: Despite the dangerous conditions in Syria, there is currently no special visa or emergency/humanitarian immigration option that allows Syrians to travel to the United States. Standard visas (such as tourist, business, or student visas) and family- and employment- based green card applications are still permitted for eligible applicants; however, processing at the U.S. embassy in Damascus may be limited and even temporarily halted.

** UPDATE: On February 6, 2012, the U.S. embassy in Damascus, Syria officially closed and halted all operations.  The embassy stated that the Polish Embassy in Damascus will assist U.S. citizens remaining in Syria by providing limited consular services. Other processing may be available through the U.S. embassy in Amman, Jordan or other posts in the region.  **

• Q: Are Syrians in the United States who are out of status or who have visas that may soon expire eligible for asylum?

• A: Possibly. Asylum is a form of protection extended to certain foreign nationals who are in the United States and who cannot safely return to their home countries. Asylum seekers must prove that they have a well-founded fear of persecution/harm based on their particular personal situation relating to their:
  
  • (1) political opinion/activity
  • (2) nationality
  • (3) religion
  • (4) race, and/or
    
  • (5) membership in a particular social group

Given the current situation, examples may include a Syrian national in the U.S. who attended protests in the U.S.; a Syrian national who is an active member (or closely related to an active member) of opposition-related organizations; or a Syrian national whose family member was harmed or killed by the Syrian government during a protest, etc.

Generally, the law does not apply to individuals who fear returning to their home country due to generalized violence, civil wars, criminal prosecution, harassment and/or discrimination, and economic or environmental reasons.

However, even these reasons may suffice if they can be connected to one of the five listed reasons.

Asylum seekers are generally required to apply for asylum within 1 year of their arrival; however, given the unprecedented country conditions in Syria, exceptions may apply. 

Persecution must either be carried out by the government or a group the government cannot control. A person who is granted asylum may remain in the U.S. indefinitely and may apply for the green card after one year. Individuals who do not qualify for asylum may be eligible for withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture.

• Q: Has the U.S. government designated Syria for any special immigration protection based on the current situation?
• A: No. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is not available for Syrians. TPS is a temporary immigration status granted to foreign nationals of certain countries who are in the U.S. and who cannot safely return to their home countries. Currently, the United States has not extended TPS protection to Syrian nationals. Various organizations, have recently made requests to the Obama administration to extend TPS to Syrian nationals. However, TPS, which currently only applies to 6 countries, is rarely made available to other countries.

• Q: Are there any other immigration options for Syrians in the United States?
• A: Standard family- and employment-based options remain available for eligible applicants. Other forms of relief may be available for individuals in deportation proceedings, such as cancellation of removal, or for individuals with outstanding deportation orders, such as deferred action or potential reopening of their cases. Other options may be available based on particular circumstances.

• Q: Do you need additional information?
• A: If you would like to discuss potential immigration options for you or a family member, please send us an email and, if available, we will connect you with a qualified attorney for a free initial consultation. Please include your name, phone number, email, city/state, and as much detail as possible about your situation and why you believe you may qualify for immigration relief. All inquiries are confidential and are sent directly to the attorney.

** DISCLAIMER: The information in this message provides general information only. This information does not constitute legal advice and does not take the place of consulting with an attorney. We do not warrant that the materials in this message are completely accurate, error-free or comprehensive. **