The Damascus Bureau

Real news and stories from Syria

How Clerics in Syria Help the Regime

State-appointed religious leaders used to manipulate fears of wider public By a Syrian Blogger It seems that the Syrian revolution is taking different a path from those that preceded it, especially that of Egypt - no matter how much the Syrians would like things to happen the Egyptian way. Tens of Syrians were killed just [...]

Conservatives mobilize against Syrian drama

SMN No. 10, October 18, 2010 A number of Syrian netizens launched an online campaign against a Syrian television programmes they accused of “corrupting young minds” and undermining social and religious values. Entitled “Boycott corrupting and corrupted Syrian drama and its supporters and funders,” a Facebook group claimed it wanted to improve the cultural tastes [...]

A Decade in Power, part 3: In Grip of Poverty and Religion. Social trends under Bashar al-Assad

Under Bashar al-Assad, Syrian society has undergone significant change. In addition to Islam’s growing influence, there is a widened gulf between the classes. While the staunchly secular authorities are becoming wary of the growing religiosity and fight it with determination, the state’s capacity to provide social welfare for the growing number of poor seems weak. [...]

Heated Debate Over Niqab in Syria

SMN No. 6, July 22, 2010 The Syrian education ministry has decided to prevent Niqab-wearing women students from attending both public and private universities in the country. This comes weeks after it sacked 1200 state school teachers for wearing veils that cover their entire faces (Social Media News No. 5) Both decisions have sparked a [...]

Spare me the sermon?

SMN No. 3, June 14, 2010 A heated debate on religious preaching in public places broke out recently on Facebook in Syria. It was sparked by the launch of a group in May, which posed the question, “Can I take a microbus (van) or a taxi without listening to Sheikh Nabulsi?”

Syrian students ask for values, not religion

SMN No. 3, June 12, 2010 A new group on Facebook is advocating the replacement of religion classes at Syrian schools with courses teaching “universal moral values”. The administrators of the group, which attracted more than 1600 members a few days after its recent launch, called for schools to remain secular institutions, arguing that religious [...]

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