Special to WorldTribune.com

NICOSIA — The Syrian opposition has been examining the feasibility
of offering amnesty to Alawite members of the regime of President Bashar
Assad.

Opposition sources said the Syrian National Council and the Free Syrian
Army have been discussing a strategy to bring about the collapse of the
Assad regime over the next few months. They said a key proposal was to offer
amnesty to any Alawite who deserts the regime or its military.

“The Alawites feel their backs are against the wall and that’s why they are fighting so hard,” an opposition source said. “We want to reach out to them and persuade them that we will distinguish between those who stayed with the regime and those who defected.”

The sources said nearly 30,000 members of Assad’s military, security forces and government have already defected. But they said very few Alawites were among those who joined the opposition.

Under the proposal, Alawites who defect would be guaranteed safe
haven. The sources said the Alawites would also have to join the opposition against Assad to be eligible for protection against Sunni retaliation.

The sources said FSA has sought to significantly increase the flow of desertions from the Syrian Army and security forces. They said Alawites were regarded as a key target as their defection could undermine the regime more
than the departure of any other ethnic group.

Assad has turned to the Alawites and Kurds to bolster his flagging
military. The sources said young Alawites were being forced into militias
while the Kurds were being allowed to organize their own pro-regime force.

“The regime is investing everything into the effort to end the revolt
over the next two months,” the source said.

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