12.04.2025, Moscow.
The question of the role of the Alawites in the Syrian conflict was raised by the leader of the Essence of Time movement, political scientist and philosopher Sergey Kurginyan on March 21 on the program Conversation with a Sage on radio Zvezda.
According to Kurginyan, the fact that this minority keeps out of the hostilities suggests deeper reasons behind the current events in Syria.
The political scientist noted that the Alawites, a small religious group, governed Syria over decades due to the hard line policy of Hafez al-Assad and his son, Bashar al-Assad. This minority could keep control over the multi-ethnic society using its resources and connections.
“Syria, with its mosaic structure, needs a governance, and it was the Alawite minority, which held it in an iron grip under al-Assad’s father, and this was the only thing that kept Syria’s integrity,” Kurginyan noted.
The political scientist stressed that it was the Alawites that kept the country together, and they used really tough methods. Today, their behavior raises many questions.
“Can this minority only cry? What happened to it?” Kurginyan wondered.
Kurginyan indicated that the Alawites not only were part of the ruling elite for a long time, but they also had a powerful military structure. Today, the situation looks like the Alawites, who previously demonstrated their power, seem to be passive victims.
“Will it (the Alawite minority – Rossa Primavera News Agency) just cry over the terrible processes happening to children (which are actually killed)? Will it cry wiping its tears and reaching for the international community – and that’s it? Is this all it can do? Has it suddenly become so incapable? Do not I remember what al-Assad’s father did to the Sunni majority?” Kurginyan asked.
The analyst explained that despite they have compact living areas and access to arms, the Alawites today fail to show any active position.
“Do not they have arms? Is there anyone in Syria who has no arms? Is there any single man without arms there?” Kurginyan rhetorically asked.
The leader of Essence of Time stressed that this is not just a story of helplessness, but the situation is much more complicated and multi-layered.
“This is not a story they are trying to tell. This is a much more insidious story, much more mysterious etc.,” Kurginyan concluded.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
