Reflections of Baniyas Activists

Civil society and social life eight months after the massacre

The security situation across most Alawi parts of Syria continues to improve since the coastal massacres on March 6, largely a result of continued professionalization and centralization of the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense. However, social and political dynamics are much more varied. In Tartous, it is the mixed-sect city of Baniyas where social and political life remains at a near stand-still - and in some ways continues to worsen.

On a recent visited to the city I met with six Alawi activists. All are from Qusour Neighborhood, survivors of the massacre there which left more than 200 Alawi civilians dead between March 7 and 8. I have met regularly with one of these men, “J”, a well-known revolutionary activist from the city who helped organize some of the first anti-Assad protests here in 2011. You can read his description of the March massacre here:

On each subsequent visit since May, J has described a gradual return to life in the city. The question now is whether this gradual normalization reflects genuine social improvements and healing after the massacres, or if it is simply out of necessity, as people cannot live hiding in their homes forever.

On this visit, the six men discussed with me the current situation in the city, the challenges facing inter-faith dialogue and the absence of local government engagement with civil society. Each man presented a differing perspective on the challenges faced and path forward, with an interesting divergence of opinions on whether to prioritize reforms within the Alawi sect or inter-faith issues first.