Religious Charities on the Rise

As a result of government restrictions in Syria over the last 25 years, most charities and civil society groups have been forced to close, according to a February 12 report on the website Syria Tomorrow.



Yet while social and cultural associations have floundered, religious charities have flourished, said journalist Suha Mustafa, who noted that extreme poverty contributed strongly to the growth of these groups, which provide people with food and other support.



As of 2007, the ministry of social affairs and labour reported that of the 422 registered associations in Syria, 158 are charitable organisations, 53 are scientific associations and 30 are literary groups.



The website asked readers to be on the lookout for extremist religious associations, citing sources who said that a few religious-based charitable organisations had funnelled money to those responsible for a car bomb detonated in Damascus in September.



The bomb, which exploded near a Syrian intelligence agency office in Damascus, killed 17 people and wounded at least 14 others.