[ad_1]
With the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for the first half of 2021, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is using cultural heritage as an advocacy tool, to embody himself as the only option to replace chaos, according to a report. from the Institute for Middle Eastern Studies.
The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), which is affiliated with the regime, promotes Assad by publishing reports on the presence of the army at archaeological sites and sites to protect them, in addition to publishing photos of organized trips to the ancient city of Palmyra under the slogan ” Preserving the Syrian heritage “.
The greatest damage is the responsibility of the regime
On the other hand, the Institute for Middle Eastern Studies revealed that the greatest damage to historical monuments could be the responsibility of the regime, noting that 90 percent of civilians and 95 percent of medical workers also died at the hands of this. .
The report noted that when it comes to actual reconstruction on the ground, it is rarely the Assad regime or its Russian or Iranian allies that are in command, explaining that the main fundraiser to rebuild Aleppo markets is the Aga Khan Development Network, an apolitical institution that really cares about heritage.
As for the restoration of hotels in Aleppo, such as the Mansouriya Palace and Salihiya House, they are funded by wealthy Syrian expatriates, and people with sufficient funds have restored their war-torn homes without government support, according to the institute as well. .
The report noted that in Idlib, the northwestern province outside of the regime’s control, the Medina Museum reopened in 2018 after a five-year closure, with foreign-funded work continuing to document and record cuneiform tablets from the Ebla de the Bronze Age ”, adding that it has always been recognized by UNESCO with the valuable input of many of these volunteer groups.
Misleading accounts of the regime
Regarding the archaeological areas affected by the “ISIS” attacks, especially after its capture of Palmyra in 2015, the institute explained that “no one spoke about the damage caused by government forces earlier in the seizure, as they installed a multiple rocket launcher at the Diocletian Camp, and they led heavy tanks and military vehicles through the archaeological site and bombed the Temple of Bel, causing several columns to collapse.
The report noted that “ISIS bombings of major landmarks during the summer of 2015 have erased all evidence of abuses by regime soldiers.
The same was done by the Syrian Air Force at Al-Hosn Castle, when it dropped bombs inside, then the regime again blamed the terrorists, presenting itself as one of the most correct problems, not the cause of them.
The regime described the damage to the Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo as the work of “terrorists” despite earlier video footage of “Free Syrian Army” soldiers at the time helping volunteers dismantle and transport valuables such as a pulpit from wood dating from the 13th century to a safe place. Also according to the institute.
Source: Free
