'It's also a musical revolution.' Those words of my brother Hammad are always surrounding in my ears thinking about the Syrian resistance. The spirit of the chants, slogans and battle rhymes is in the meantime floating over the whole world where Syrian expats organize solidarity rallies as a tribute to their brothers and sisters in a country strangled by faithless representants of evilness, the regime.
Even Germany, generally not known for empathic and emotion-loaded demonstrations - go to France, Italy or Greece and witness there a rally, then you know what I mean - experiences the new Syrian self-awareness. No demonstration, rally or charity event without chants and choreography. Might appear bizarre for the average German who's associating protests with an upset crowd marching from a to b holding up some banners and listening concentratedly to the guest speakers. For sure, guest speakers are also attending Free Syria rallies but the heart-piece of each event is chanting together.
Since the uprising in Syria began more than one year ago the solidarity protests all over the world widened increasingly. Beginning with small groups some of the events are reaching nowadays a few thousand participants. But it didn't matter the size of the rally. Chants and music were from the beginning a main part of the expression. Flash mobs and freeze mobs followed later trying to raise the awareness among the locals; North American Syrians have become kind of famous for their choreographies in malls or on public places.
In the period from middle to end of March I took part at two protest events in the Southeast and in the North of Germany. Two completely different regions in our country; two different metropolises, one often titled as the most northern city of Italy, the other one known as the port to the world. Could there be a difference imagining that a Levantine expats' community is rallying together with their Middle East & Northern African brothers and sisters and some residents breaking their own wall of fear in the matter of participating on a demonstration?
But judge by yourselves:
Munich, 15/3/2012
Hamburg, 31/3/2012
Common task of all those events is above all empowering the uprising Syrians inside. As a reminder: generally protests here in stable nations have to be officially announced and admitted by the local authorities. Try that in Syria and you receive as admission in the best case a bullet in your head (only exeption is announcing a rally for the regime but no clearminded one would do that). On the other side no rooftop snipers are expecting you when you turn with the protesting mass around the corner here in the stable nations. It wouldn't wonder me if one of the Syrians is heading towards a German policeman shaking hands and thanking for not shooting at him.
Having the chance to rally in a safe haven is a privilege. Therefore it's self-evident that all the activities here are an appreciation of the courage, the creativity and the will power the Syrians inside are carrying in their hearts and minds. Noone of us who had ever witnessed the circumstances of an ultra-authocratic regime is able to comprehend what the people there are going through.
'We won't be silenced. The silence of the world is shame enough. Our voices will raise until our last breath.'
Our thoughts are with the martyrs and their families. Our prayers are with the detainees and the protesters.
Baba Amr, Idlib, Kafranbel, Al Khaldiyeh, Hama, Zabadani, Roknaldeen, Daraa, Sweida, Deir Ezzor, Hreetah, Lattakia, Midan, Al Sham, Jisr Ahgour, Rastan, Qamishlo, Bab Sbaa, Halab, Al Bayada, Darayya, Zamalka, Kafar Sousa, Raqqa, Binnish, Al Job, Al Qusor, Al Bokmal, Douma, whole Syria in our hearts.
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