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Shabiha behind pro-Assad rally in Hatay, daily claims
Several political parties and unions held a rally titled “Supporting Peace and Syria” as part of celebrations for Sept. 1, World Peace Day, in Antakya, the capital of Hatay province, which is home to thousands of Syrian refugees, to show their solidarity with the Assad regime.
Led by a coalition of groups under the banner "Platform to Say No to Imperialist Intervention in Syria,” unions such as the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DİSK), the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK), the Turkish Unions of Engineers and Architects' Chambers (TMMOB) and the Turkish Doctors Union (TTB), the Labor Party (EMEP) and several other organizations took part in the rally. Nearly 1,000 people attended the demonstration.
According to Sabah, Muhaberat, the Syrian secret intelligence service, also supported the pro-Assad rally.
One of the prominent opponents of Assad, activist Muhammad Rahhal, in remarks to the daily said the demonstration was “the complete work of Muhaberat and Shabiha.”
During the rally, demonstrators carried posters of Assad and chanted slogans in support of Assad and his deceased father.
Sadettin Molla, a spokesperson for the Turkmen in Hatay's Yayladağı refugee camp, said he is of the belief that Saturday's rally took 10 days to organize in order to achieve its aim of causing trouble in Turkey.
“There are many people who have the same origins as Assad. They were making preparations for this demonstration for about 10 days. The Shabiha are trying to stir up conflict in Turkey. Mihraç Ural, a Turk, was the leader of this demonstration,” he said.
Two Syrian refugees, Shihab and Abu Ahmad, who spoke on behalf of Arab opposition groups, told the daily that Saturday's demonstration took place due to the provocation of Alevis and Nusairis in Hatay by Shabiha militants.
“Shabiha militants are sent to Hatay by the Assad regime for them to create conflict between Antakya residents and Syrian refugees. We are very pleased with the Turkish people and the government. They meet our every need. Our only request from the government is for the reopening of the border,” they said.
In the meantime, allegations of a conflict between the Alevis and Sunnis in Hatay have prompted some private banks to stop extending loans to businessmen in the province as they have put Hatay on the list of regions that carry a risk.
Chairmen of several business organizations in the province have told the Turkish media that some private banks have stopped giving loans to businessman in Hatay.
Hatay Young Businessmen Chairman Aydın Toksöz said the banks that used to give loans worth millions of dollars in the past now refuse to do so and that they ask businessmen to repay their outstanding loans as soon as possible.
“I asked for a letter of guarantee from the Hatay branch of a private bank. Bank officials told me that they cannot provide the letter because the bank's headquarters will not agree to it. I fear going bankrupt soon,” Toksöz said.
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