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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 May 2000 Issue No. 483 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 May 2000 Issue No. 483
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Shots in the dark
By Atef SaqrOne week after denying reports that former Syrian Prime Minister Mahmoud Al-Zohbi attempted suicide, the Syrian Interior Ministry released a brief statement on Sunday, saying that the 65-year-old former premier shot himself to death. Al-Zohbi's alleged attempt to commit suicide had followed immediately after he was accused of corruption and was expelled from the ruling Baath Party.
These events led observers to speculate that the first leaked report was aimed at preparing the public for such a development. Yet, opponents of the Syrian regime, mainly the Muslim Brotherhood and exiled human rights activists, expressed scepticism about the official version of events.
The Interior Ministry said Al-Zohbi fired twice in the air before turning the gun on himself when he learned that policemen had come to his house to seize his possessions and to serve him notice of the date his trial was to begin. The biggest question so far is how Al-Zohbi had gotten hold of a gun while under house arrest since charges were made against him three weeks ago.
For its part, the Syrian opposition is speculating that the man who filled the premier's post for 13 years was killed by partners in corruption who feared he would name them while being interrogated. "The question we ask ourselves is: did Mahmoud Al-Zohbi commit suicide or was he slaughtered at the hands of the 'mafia' which was afraid of what he might have revealed during his trial?" said a Muslim Brotherhood statement. The group urged the Syrian people "to take the lead in a real fight against corruption and the corrupted, without exceptions."
But the Brotherhood's theory was vehemently denied by Syrian authorities who stuck to the official version: Al-Zohbi committed suicide due to feelings of remorse. Syrian officials pointed out that the campaign against corruption was an ongoing one, noting that former transportation minister in Al-Zohbi's cabinet, Mufid Abdel-Karim, was arrested on the same day news broke about Al-Zohbi's death. Other figures in Al-Zohbi's government were also expected to be charged in the course of the investigations.
Al-Zohbi was buried at his birthplace at Kirbit Ghazali in Daraa governorate some 100 kilometres south of Damascus on Monday. Neither government nor Baath Party officials took part in the funeral. Al-Zohbi's coffin was whisked in an ambulance from Damascus to his burial place where nearly 4,000 people were waiting to pay their last respects.
Official sources were quoted by news agencies as saying that Al-Zohbi's sons, Miflih and Hammam, who were also accused of taking advantage of their father's position to amass considerable wealth, were under protective custody. Yet both men, along with Al-Zohbi's widow, were allowed to attend the funeral.
In addition to memories of Al-Zohbi's tenure as prime minister, many Syrians recall that last summer, in the midst of one of the worst droughts in years, the former prime minister raised their ire by having his motorcade of nearly 50 luxury cars washed with water.
The measures taken against Al-Zohbi and other Syrian officials coincided with preparations for the Baath Party's ninth general conference, the first in 15 years, which is due to elect a new regional command.
The five-day conference will open on 17 June. Syrian President's son, Bashar, who is leading the anti-corruption campaign, is expected to be elected to a new 20-member regional command, political sources said.
