I was asked to write and carry a speech on the solidarity rally for Syria and the other uprisings in the MENA region. I focussed on the terror regime from Bashar al-Assad trying to explain my fellows the dramitic situation. Here's the english translation of my original German recitation:
A small girl is struck by flying metal pieces of a splinter bomb and seriously injured. Screaming after her mother the blood-flooded child is lying on a couch and treated by first assistants.
The motionless body of a young man lies in the midst of remains on the asphalt. Screams and gun fire are to be heard. His friend ventures behind the protecting house wall out to rescue him. He is hit by a bullet and slumps beside the corpse lifelessly.
On a stretcher lies a small boy. A shot hole gapes in his neck. His far torn open eyes are wandering around the first aid helpers. After a little while he dies due to the massive blood loss.
Only a few hours after his little daughter was shot on the open road a man is run over by a tank and dies.
Descriptions we expect from reports about Somalia or Iraq. But this happens in Syria. In the towns and villages such cruel horror reports have become normality.
The culprits are by no means guerrilla warfares or terrorists. They are soldiers and special unities who act on order of the brothers Bashar and Maher al-Assad. Bashar is still the president of the land, Maher has the upper order about the armed forces. Both co-ordinate the actions of the Secret Services of the land, the Mukhabarat and the Shabiha, a bunch of mercenaries, among them also Lebanese and Iranian fight brigades.
Since beginning of the peaceful uprising against the regime in Damascus have fallen victim according to organizations of human rights and activists over 3,500 civilians up to now to the pitiless terror of the state apparatus, under them more than 250 children.
While the world community consults about action measures and has imposed economic as well as diplomatic sanctions, Russia and China still refuse to give up their support of the regime. No vigorous resolution could be dismissed up to now by the hard posture of both great powers on the part of the United Nations.
Also the Arab League is not able till this day to restrain Assad of his inhuman actions by a clear conviction and the necessary measures. The governments of Algeria and Sudan block with her veto urgently required measures for the protection of the Syrian civil population.
Furthermore the Syrian regime shows no signs which point to a dialog or a serious reform. Instead, contrived conspiracy theories as well as the myth of armed gangs are spread about the state-controlled media to justify the crude action against peaceful unarmed demonstrators.
Parts of the Syrian army have separated themselves already from the order and are submerged. Like the demonstrators and the activists in the land they are facing in case of her seizure the sure death. As Free Syrian Army they try sporadically to prevent bigger infringements on civilians. Besides, it concerns by no means provoked fightings, but exclusively pure defensive measures against the government-loyal attackers who not even shrink back from the use of internationally outlawed ammunition.
Every Friday the same tragic ritual recurs from Jisr Ashgour in the north to Daraa in the south: the mainly sunni population proceeds on the way in the mosques for the traditional Friday prayer. Soldiers and marksmen cover meanwhile position and surround the prayer houses. After the services the demonstrators form up in the streets to demand the resignation of the regime singing and chanting. While special unities of the Secret Services and the police carry out arbitrary house searches and shrink not even back from looting and devastation, the first shots fall. Tanks roll through the towns to intimidate the population. Injured can be rescued only at the risk of the own life. Dead people are buried in private property gardens. Minarets are shelled in pieces. Whole house fronts are littered from countless shot holes. The streets destroyed by the armoured chains are partly impassable. Hospitals are searched by security forces and the military systematically after regime opponents. Who performs first help to them, will be either detained or immediately killed.
All that happens in a land whose president is a qualified doctor. The Hippocratic oath is just a little worth like the supposed reforms in whose conversion the regime has no interest. Russia and China can still demand so often a dialog, Assad will continue without reduction with his variant of the policy which reminds of Shakespeare's Richard III: "Why, I can smile .. and murder while I smile!"
This week a counterdemonstration took place in Damascus arranged by the regime which should allow to give cheers to Assad‘s bloody. To both sides of the rally place gigantic Russian and Chinese flags were to be seen. While the national anthem was played, the camera of the Syrian state television turned about the crowd. Countless regime-loyal stretched their right arm to the fascist greeting up, under it many young women. A picture which should cause bewilderment among the Germans whether of their own past. Especially Munich and his inhabitants should put on a clear sign against such pictures because of their appreciated engagement against right-wing extremism of every complexion.
The motionless body of a young man lies in the midst of remains on the asphalt. Screams and gun fire are to be heard. His friend ventures behind the protecting house wall out to rescue him. He is hit by a bullet and slumps beside the corpse lifelessly.
On a stretcher lies a small boy. A shot hole gapes in his neck. His far torn open eyes are wandering around the first aid helpers. After a little while he dies due to the massive blood loss.
Only a few hours after his little daughter was shot on the open road a man is run over by a tank and dies.
Descriptions we expect from reports about Somalia or Iraq. But this happens in Syria. In the towns and villages such cruel horror reports have become normality.
The culprits are by no means guerrilla warfares or terrorists. They are soldiers and special unities who act on order of the brothers Bashar and Maher al-Assad. Bashar is still the president of the land, Maher has the upper order about the armed forces. Both co-ordinate the actions of the Secret Services of the land, the Mukhabarat and the Shabiha, a bunch of mercenaries, among them also Lebanese and Iranian fight brigades.
Since beginning of the peaceful uprising against the regime in Damascus have fallen victim according to organizations of human rights and activists over 3,500 civilians up to now to the pitiless terror of the state apparatus, under them more than 250 children.
While the world community consults about action measures and has imposed economic as well as diplomatic sanctions, Russia and China still refuse to give up their support of the regime. No vigorous resolution could be dismissed up to now by the hard posture of both great powers on the part of the United Nations.
Also the Arab League is not able till this day to restrain Assad of his inhuman actions by a clear conviction and the necessary measures. The governments of Algeria and Sudan block with her veto urgently required measures for the protection of the Syrian civil population.
Furthermore the Syrian regime shows no signs which point to a dialog or a serious reform. Instead, contrived conspiracy theories as well as the myth of armed gangs are spread about the state-controlled media to justify the crude action against peaceful unarmed demonstrators.
Parts of the Syrian army have separated themselves already from the order and are submerged. Like the demonstrators and the activists in the land they are facing in case of her seizure the sure death. As Free Syrian Army they try sporadically to prevent bigger infringements on civilians. Besides, it concerns by no means provoked fightings, but exclusively pure defensive measures against the government-loyal attackers who not even shrink back from the use of internationally outlawed ammunition.
Every Friday the same tragic ritual recurs from Jisr Ashgour in the north to Daraa in the south: the mainly sunni population proceeds on the way in the mosques for the traditional Friday prayer. Soldiers and marksmen cover meanwhile position and surround the prayer houses. After the services the demonstrators form up in the streets to demand the resignation of the regime singing and chanting. While special unities of the Secret Services and the police carry out arbitrary house searches and shrink not even back from looting and devastation, the first shots fall. Tanks roll through the towns to intimidate the population. Injured can be rescued only at the risk of the own life. Dead people are buried in private property gardens. Minarets are shelled in pieces. Whole house fronts are littered from countless shot holes. The streets destroyed by the armoured chains are partly impassable. Hospitals are searched by security forces and the military systematically after regime opponents. Who performs first help to them, will be either detained or immediately killed.
All that happens in a land whose president is a qualified doctor. The Hippocratic oath is just a little worth like the supposed reforms in whose conversion the regime has no interest. Russia and China can still demand so often a dialog, Assad will continue without reduction with his variant of the policy which reminds of Shakespeare's Richard III: "Why, I can smile .. and murder while I smile!"
This week a counterdemonstration took place in Damascus arranged by the regime which should allow to give cheers to Assad‘s bloody. To both sides of the rally place gigantic Russian and Chinese flags were to be seen. While the national anthem was played, the camera of the Syrian state television turned about the crowd. Countless regime-loyal stretched their right arm to the fascist greeting up, under it many young women. A picture which should cause bewilderment among the Germans whether of their own past. Especially Munich and his inhabitants should put on a clear sign against such pictures because of their appreciated engagement against right-wing extremism of every complexion.
Yes, amongst others Bashar al-Assad and his followers are also radically right-wing. The regime maintains in neighboring Lebanon the Syrian-socialist national party whose flag reminds remarkably of those of the German National Socialists. Assad represents the perverted picture of an uebermensch, as man about life and death which feels in the right to classify others than of minor value. Besides, his brother Maher plays a central role as an executive organ. Mahers cold-bloodedness and indifference towards the human life is documented in a video which shows him after the suppression of a prison uprising how he takes photos with his mobile phone of the tattered corpse parts.
Asked, why he goes forward with such brutality against the people in his own land, Bashar al-Assad answered only recently: „The world lets me do this.“ We are the world. Can we let him really do this? Can our conscience answer for it that the much-quoted ,Fourth Reich‘ exists now and here in Syria? I say clearly no.. It is time to take our personal responsibility in the duty to demand from our officials to do all possible to stop to the mass murder and to support the revolutionary forces in Syria and the Syrian National Congress. The big majority is tyrannized by an unscrupulous sadistic minority, is kidnapped, suppressed to death and systematically tormented. Let us join to the right side and demand the end of the Assad regime. Here and today.
(Photography: screenshot from Dounya TV)
brilliant...! love the Shakespeare bit and the final paragraph... very well said over all... let's pray for Syria, the region, and the whole world!
ReplyDeletewhat a beginning !
ReplyDeleteyou have described the uprising very well ! actually, i wanna be honest with you, i didn't thought that there will be a western people act and share us our sadness like you did with syrians ! not because any specific reason, but i thought Arabs will show up their solidarity first strongly ! oh yeah how can i forget how they did really move for Palestine !!
and how can i forget that their is pro-regime is still living their normal life in Syria it selfs ! yes unfortunately they are syrians from our blood and flesh !!
but we Mundaseen syrians really appreciate your time,feelings and your activity for us, we will never forget our real friends, and sure you are one of them !
and yeah, of course you are so welcomed to syria after we take off this regime to come and celebrate with us our happiness and victory :)
Very well done. Good for you to speak out in your own community. Thanks for all your efforts -- I am confident that every bit of light can push back the darkness. Marvelous use of Shakespeare, more ...
ReplyDelete