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November 5, 1950

Untitled report on Communist activities in Aleppo

This document was made possible with support from Youmna and Tony Asseily

11B/10

 

From your colleague in Aleppo

 

Nov 5th, 1950

(Communism)

 

The police arrested today more than fifteen communists who were trying to incite public opinion to demonstrate in the name of “the Supporters of Peace.”  While they were questioned by the police, a demonstration broke out comprised of four hundred women in the Muslim neighborhoods in Aleppo at eight o’clock in the morning.  They were chanting for peace and to end war and imperialist countries that want war.  The police arrested seven women who turned out to be young communist women.

 

Also, seven of the delegates who went to Damascus representing the Communists of Aleppo in the General Conference of the Supporters of Peace had been arrested there and taken to the police station.

 

Certain groups had sent a telegram from Aleppo to the head of the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior seeking the release the imprisoned Supporters of Peace considering that being associated with that group is not considered a crime that requires punishment.


(The Syrian Ministry)

 

News came yesterday, Nov 4th, 1950, from Damascus to Aleppo to the head of the National Party, Ihsan Al-Sharif, indicating that the ministry of Nazim Al-Quds will be resigning soon and that he announced that he is ready to step down if that was the wish of the people.

 

The heads of the parties and their members have been trying for four days to reach an agreement with each other, to forget the past and to form a strong coalition government representing all parties.  Rushdi [illegible] and Nazim Al-Quds and their comrades in the leadership of the People’s Party showed great interest in this [illegible].  The news indicate that the parties have expressed readiness to negotiate, but Akram Al-Horani and Adeeb Shishkeli and army leaders have not announced their agreement and desire in this movement until this hour.

 

Sources from the National Party have confirmed that with no opposition from the army, Al-Quds’s cabinet will resign and a strong cabinet will be formed. The idea of new parliamentary elections is gaining momentum within all the parties to resolve the existing chaos and prepare for the dangers that the country is to face.

 

The idea that Riyadh Al-Sulh has boycotted the parliament is still hurting his position and causing him embarrassment.  As for Akram Al-Horani and the majority of the PM’s have asked the government not to rush to resume talks unless the condition were in line with Syrian hopes and demands.  Business groups are still losing due to the political-economic clash.  The outlook is not good and the public opinion is still tentative for fear of the situation and the general morale in Damascus, which is unusual.  The tension that the nation feels toward the army still warns of grave danger.

 

[signed]

 

 

 

The police arrest communists in Aleppo, a demonstration of 400 women breaks out, and the government is contacted regarding the release of prisoners. Chehab also gets word that the ministry of Nazim Al-Quds will be resigning.

Author(s):


Document Information

Source

Emir Farid Chehab Collection, GB165-0384, Box 10, File 11B/10, Middle East Centre Archive, St Antony’s College, Oxford.

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Original Uploaded Date

2014-04-21

Type

Report

Language

Record ID

119892

Donors

Youmna and Tony Asseily