After the Fall: Alawite Community's Struggle for Identity Post-Assad

As Syria transitions from the Assad family's authoritarian rule, the Alawite community that once thrived under the regime is now fraught with anxiety and calls for justice. The desecration of Hafez al-Assad's mausoleum symbolizes the shifting sentiments of the populace towards this once-dominant sect.

In al-Qardaha, the ancestral village of the Assad family, the mausoleum of the late President Hafez al-Assad has become a site of public resentment. Once a revered symbol of power, the grotesque graffiti and actions of angry civilians reflect years of pent-up frustration. With inscriptions like "Curse your soul, Hafez" echoing through its high-arched ceilings, the building stands as a stark reminder of the violent repression that took place during over fifty years of Assad rule.

Al-Qardaha is centrally located in Latakia province, a stronghold for the Alawite minority—around 10% of Syria's population and closely linked with the Assad dynasty. As the country begins to heal from the wounds of autocracy, cries for justice are being directed not just at the regime's former leaders but also at the Alawite community that benefited from their rule.

Dr. Fidaa Deeb, a gynecologist and an Alawite, expressed deep concern over the desecration at the mausoleum. "When they come in and curse and ransack, it doesn’t matter who he was. This is the grave of someone dead,” he lamented during a recent gathering. The urgency for protective measures for the mausoleum reflects a broader anxiety within the Alawite community, facing the uncomfortable reality of a changing political landscape.

As calls for accountability for atrocities committed under the Assad regime grow louder, the Alawite community must navigate its identity and position in a society that is still grappling with its tumultuous past.