Bahjat Hajjar
ON THE RECORD · 8 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“During the war, when institutions were absent, civil society appeared and took on many roles,”
Bahjat Hajjar · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Hajjar noted that civil society took on many roles during the war when state institutions were absent.
“The relationship with civil society is one of the most important joints in the reshaping of the state itself,”
Bahjat Hajjar · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Hajjar, a former co-founder of the Local Administration Councils Unit now serving in Syria's transitional government, described civil society's role in state-building to Al Jazeera.
“There was no minister who passed through this ministry without security intervention or approval.”
Bahjat Hajjar · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Hajjar described how, under Assad, civil society regulation was controlled by intelligence services.
“In countries that pass through transitions, civil society does expand and multiply. The more important question is what role it will actually play.”
Bahjat Hajjar · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Hajjar discussed how civil society expands during transitions but questioned what role it would play.
“And civil society cannot be a permanent substitute for the state. What is required is neither tutelage nor conflict, but partnership.”
Bahjat Hajjar · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Hajjar said the state-civil society relationship should be one of partnership rather than substitution or control.
“But we should not fall into the idea that opening the door to registration automatically means we have a strong civil society,”
Bahjat Hajjar · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Hajjar cautioned that easier registration does not automatically mean a strong civil society.
“We do not want to return to the model of the past, where the state saw civil society as something to be controlled,”
Bahjat Hajjar · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Hajjar said the state does not want to return to controlling civil society as before.
“Today, with the institutions returning, that experience should not be cancelled. It should be turned into energy that builds the new Syria.”
Bahjat Hajjar · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-20
Hajjar said civil society's wartime experience should be channelled into building the new Syria.