Syria: Desert monastery founder says Syrian's have 'little interest' in upcoming elections

Chicago Tribune ^ | May 4, 2012 | Adnkronos International, Rome

[SunkenCiv]

Syrians have "little interest" in next week's parliamentary elections, said the Italian founder of a Catholic community in the overwhelmingly Muslim country.

"There isn't the climate for a mature political confrontation," Father Paolo Dall'Oglio, said in an interview Friday with Adnkronos International.

Dall'Oglio -- a Jesuit activist for inter-religious dialogue -- in 1982 founded the Deir Mar Musa Al Habashi Catholic monastery in the desert around 80 kilometres north of Syrian capital Damascus.

According to Dall'Oglio, the international community doesn't believe the elections will be fair in view of the absence of independent monitors.

Hassan Abdul-Azim, head of the National Coordination Body - Syria's main opposition coalition -- has called for a boycott of the election due to be held on 7 May.

Dall'Oglio said the elections will "bring an end to the Baath party regime" that has governed Syria for 40 years. But the Bashar al-Assad regime will remain, he said.

[SunkenCiv]

[RitaOK]

what does this cover photo mean? I am ignorant here.

[SunkenCiv]

That’s the founder of the monastery.

[KarlInOhio]

Syrian's with an apostrophe? Really? Doesn't the Chicago Tribune have any weekend editors? I might brush it off on a one-man blog, but confusing plural with possessive is just sloppy for a newspaper's website.

[SunkenCiv]

I'd have changed it, but changing the headline's a no-no.

[Hunton Peck]

Jesuit activist for inter-religious dialogue

Is there a Pulitzer for writing the clause with the highest density of red flags?

[SunkenCiv]

He’d be in the running.

That award should be changed to Pullmylegitzer.

[RitaOK]

I was not clear, but wondering about the title, “...love of Islam”? Perhaps it is too much.

[SunkenCiv]

Y’think?

[RitaOK]

Huh?

Nevermind. You don’t get it either, I take.

Thx for your patient response.