Hanadi Al-Samman is an assistant professor of Arabic language and literature; she occupies a pivotal position in both the University's Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian languages and its Arabic Program. As a University Teaching Fellow, Al-Samman looks forward to developing both her teaching skills and her course "Culture and Society of Contemporary Arab Middle East," to open it up to larger enrollment and utilize a teaching assistant.We contacted Dr. Al-Samman to discuss the increased violence in Syria and she replied to our questions in an exclusive interview to Gulan Magazine as the following:

* The violence of Syrian regime against its people is reaching the level of genocide; this comes after Assad’s promise to the Russian foreign minister to stop the violence, why Assad is applying genocide on its nation?
- Because there is no one to stop him, I think the international community has failed to take its role and its duty towards the people of Syria and the coverage to the regime that is offered by Russia and china, Iran as well allowed this to happen unfortunately.

* Assad's regime are attacking public services as you see water and electricity and this is a disaster for the people in this cold winter, until when the international community is going to accept this violence?
- We are obviously sympathizing with our people and Syria as all human being should, like I told you unfortunately Syria has been put as upon and for the benefit of all superpowers as we want from Russia to china to Iran to even US and Turkey. They give statements and they want to supposedly support either party or the regime but none of them really would care for the Syrian people everybody cares for their own political interest of which because of Syria’s geopolitical importance you know everyone has a stake in it and the concern of its people are the last on their minds unfortunately that is what happening and to various degrees people want to help them but I think most of super powers and international community care about are their own interests and the survival of the interests in this region.

* The international community wants to agree to let Assad to leave peacefully the authority, on the other hand Russia tries to persuade Assad to step down from the authority, to what extend Russia will be successful?
- I think that would be the most plausible option that hopefully would stop the bloodshed I'm sure that some people at the opposition of course I'm not speaking for them but as an outside observer I can say that some people may not agree to that however that might be the only option right now to stop the bloodshed if he would agree to step down that would be the ultimate hopefully the answer to provide a semi-peaceful exit and the way to start democracy hopefully.

* The whole world is reaching to the fact that the Syrian regime neither can make reforms nor can step down peacefully how is it possible to rescue the Syrian nation?
- The only way right now as I just mentioned is to negotiate a peaceful exit a peaceful exit were people can feel that they can exit without being executed probably. That might be the only option that is satisfactory for the both parties although what we are seeing on the ground is probably refusing to do that and of course some people at the opposition may not even like that but we also have to look at the people at the ground that they are dying on a daily basis by thousands and the situation really needed to be addressed.

* Do you expect international community to intervene by military means?
- I don’t think that anybody has occupied for the military means fortunately all of these countries are undergoing their elections and having their political and economic turmoil and because of that nobody has the appetite for international military intervention let’s not forget also that Syria doesn’t have enough oil so it’s a different situation from Libya however what we are liking in the Syrian people has liking in oil there is definitely making up for it in determination and sacrifice of their own blood and their own determination and they will hopefully reach the dream of democracy.

* Last Question: To what extend the changes of Assad’s regime may have reactions in the whole area?
- Syria is an important geopolitical player like it has been and always will be, there might be some initial shifts and changes but everyone will have justice including the people of Syria and its neighbors that hopefully will be for the better outcome.


Transcription: Mahmud Samih