About the Syria programme

Why set up a Syria Programme? 

Caabu started a specific Syria programme in 2011 to highlight events in Syria, improve the understanding of the uprising and protests in the country, raise issues of human rights, and international law and the humanitarian situation. 

It stems from the conviction that the situation in Syria poses a significant threat to the country, to the region and international peace and security. 

Caabu's position on Syria

For the last year, the events in Syria have horrified us all. Caabu’s position has been based our principles about supporting human rights, democracy and international law. Caabu has taken a steadfast and resolute position against the brutality of the regime, worked to get its leading figures and institutions sanctioned, raised major issues of human rights abuses and condemned those countries such as Russia and China who have protected the regime at the United Nations. Caabu’s director, Chris Doyle has played a leading role speaking out at rallies, in the media and other events. The Assad regime should be held fully accountable for its crimes. 

Wary of pushing the international community into making matters worse, Caabu has not called for a military intervention into Syria, which would risk escalating a civil war and increasing fatalities. Caabu has pushed for targeted sanctions but not the broad based sanctions that decimated Iraq’s civilian population for 13 years leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths. This is a position that has been taken up by most governments around the world including the UK.

Advocacy
 

Since the start of the uprising Caabu has been actively engaged with all relevant government departments on a regular basis. Chris Doyle had a one hour meeting with Alistair Burt, the Foreign Office Minister responsible for the Middle East. He also addressed an internal FCO seminar on Syria. 

Events 

Caabu has been in holding events in Parliament, press briefings and its staff have been speaking at events about Syria.  On 12 September, we held a major event in the House of Commons looking at the future prospects for Syria addressed by Dr Samir Seifan and Dr Samir El Taqi.  Chris Doyle also addressed a New Statesman panel on Syria. Other speakers have included Haitham El Maleh, Catherine El Talli, Bassam Ishaq, Samir Aita and Dr Talal Al-Mayhani.

Caabu also hosted a BBC Radio 4 panel debate on Syria as well as helping to arrange programme for three visiting opposition activists from Syria that included a Caabu/LSE meeting with Louay Hussein.

Media and Communications

There is an active media and communications programme.Chris Doyle, Caabu’s Director has been in high demand in the media, interviewed on nearly all domestic news channels including Newsnight, BBC Ten O’clock News and Channel 4 News. He has been quoted in nearly every major news paper on Syria during the crisis. 

Syrian Development and Human Rights Network

Caabu has also set up a Syrian human rights network and a Syrian Development Network, the latter with the kind support of the Asfari Foundation.

Who?

The programme is headed by Caabu's Director, Chris Doyle, who is a regular visitor to Syria and an expert on the country and its politics.  The journalist Michael Goldfarb wrote "he knows the Syrian situation as thoroughly as anyone outside official channels in Britain does"

Martin Jerrett co-ordinates Caabu's Syrian Development Network, which is kindly funded by the Asfari Foundation.