In Opposition
The party was able to operate reasonably effectively at first, although it was never very large, and for some time it negotiated over conditions of joining the NPF. However, Syria's intervention on the side of the Maronite militias and the Lebanese government against Arab nationalist and leftist Lebanese and Palestinian rebels, caused a firm break in relations. The SCP (Political Bureau) publicly and strongly condemned the intervention, provoking a crackdown from the government of Hafez al-Assad. The party then engaged in active opposition to the regime, and in 1979 participated in the creation of the National Democratic Rally (NDG), with four other leftist and nationalist opposition parties; it also, while itself renouncing violence, advocated dialogue with the Muslim Brotherhood and other Sunni Islamists, who were then engaged in an armed uprising against the government. This led to a harsh campaign of political repression, culminating in 1980 with the arrest of al-Turk and numerous other party members. Turk was not released until 1998, and became known as one of Syria's most prominent prisoners-of-conscience.
Read more about this topic: Syrian Democratic People's Party
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