No more hypocrisy! World and Syrian opposition
leaders should face the fact that the Syrian situation now requires international
intervention and that the Assads need to be stopped by any means necessary.
In Homs City, Khaldiyeh Neighborhood, a protester is shot dead by sniper as he tries to drag a body of a colleague from the street: http://youtu.be/LpSXfpzvC-c As he lay dying next to his already dead friend http://youtu.be/I8h-cWatOOM 2 of his colleagues rush and drag his body away http://youtu.be/4sEe0bVWg3I
Sunday October 23, 2011
18 protesters were
killed on Saturday in the continuing crackdown led by pro-Assad militias: 11 in
Homs City, 3 in Damascus Province (2 in Madaya and 1 in Kafar
Batna), 2 in Idlib Province (1 in Sarmeen and 1 in Ma’arrat
Hourmah) and 2 in Deraa/Hauran Province (1 in Abtaa and 1 in Jassem).
On Sunday, dubbed “Your
turn has come Doctor” in reference to the death of Gaddafi, 21 protesters fell
including 2 in Madeeq in Hama Province, 2 in Deir Ezzor City and 17 in
the town of Mseifrah in Deraa/Hauran Province.
Meanwhile, EU leaders
threatened Assad with more sanctions as they renewed calls for him to step
down, while Syria’s new military chief of the armed forces describes the
current crisis in Syria as a Zionist imperialist conspiracy.
Links
The
hypocrisy of it all is too glaring. Homs City is being bombed to smithereens under
our very eyes, and the world that was willing to bleed in pain for a Benghazi
that has not yet been attacked is admonishing patience and dialog, as attempts
at self-defense by locals get depicted as morally compromising. This has to
remain a peaceful protest, we are told, so the revolution can retain its moral superiority.
No one admonished the Libyans to do that and no one described their revolution
as immoral even though it turned violent within days of its start. And the
world rushed in to save Libya and the Libyans, even before the death toll
reached a 100.
Where
have the bleeding hearts of the world disappeared? If they are worried about the
cost of their intervention, they can rest assured that we can afford to pay them
just like the Libyans did: from the money already stashed in the safety of
their banks. If they are worried about the alternative to the Assad regime, I say,
what could be worse than having the country dragged into a civil mayhem, per the
plan and will of the Assads?
The
bravery and foolhardiness of the protesters in Homs, Idlib, Deraa and across
the country, should not fool anyone, the protesters are desperate and they are
hurting. All can still be lost because no one is doing anything to help our
brave people. And those we trusted to provide the needed leadership are failing
the test in every way. If the world is not responding to our plight the way we
need it to respond, this is in no small measure related to the failure of opposition
leaders, to their inability to rise above their personal narcissisms and their
ideological hang-ups to take a birds eye snapshot of the realities underneath,
and to respond accordingly. Our people more than want international protection:
they need it, and are desperate for it, even if it meant losing the moral high-ground
in the eyes and minds of some. After 50 years of celebrating illusory Assad-led
victories and fake popular revolutions, it’s about time we celebrated a real
one for change, led by the people for the people. Providing some international
protection and support to the people, who are already fighting against all
odds, will not take away from that. Just ask the Libyan people if they feel any
less for needing international support or if they don’t feel morally justified for
seeking it.
HOMS CITY
Little Homsi girl hit by a shrapnel http://youtu.be/6wusmTrqO_A
In Homs City, Khaldiyeh Neighborhood, a protester is shot dead by sniper as he tries to drag a body of a colleague from the street: http://youtu.be/LpSXfpzvC-c As he lay dying next to his already dead friend http://youtu.be/I8h-cWatOOM 2 of his colleagues rush and drag his body away http://youtu.be/4sEe0bVWg3I
The 2 protesters who dragged away the body of
Hussam Al-Abyad of Baba Amr Neighborhood on October 21 were luckier:
they weren’t shot http://youtu.be/t7BEIvatWes
and they gave Hussam’s parents a body to bury on October 22 http://youtu.be/IPCVtpzg_3U , http://youtu.be/jtWxR9TeHAc
The impact of shelling on Baba Amr
Neighborhood (October 22) http://youtu.be/WMVwdO4O944
, http://youtu.be/fuXSXkxCKfk on the
residences http://youtu.be/TJArUrl2ajU
Tanks still in the streets http://youtu.be/NiDNUBgafYE
, http://youtu.be/rUrsy5WwVl4 A tour
of the neighborhood http://youtu.be/l82HeCdB-YI
Still the locals held a major demonstration on October 22 (banner: “in Syria,
there are only 2 sects: the people’s sect and the regime’s sect” http://youtu.be/60pb4zYVXXQ Despite all
of this, the locals at Baba Amr bury their dead http://youtu.be/oGkK-ovsYTE and take
back to the streets (October 23) http://youtu.be/MOkYoeQmR3I
, http://youtu.be/DbaywJeEDHg
On October 23, Bayadeh and Deir
Baalbah come under bombardment from tanks http://youtu.be/E7w1OqqWOt4 , http://youtu.be/76LrXPxjwlE , http://youtu.be/f_8Jp4OOtkU , http://youtu.be/sVi12_IDds4 A truck
catches fire in Bayadeh after being hit by a tank http://youtu.be/0B6PInmjhSY Burnt out
cars http://youtu.be/EQw9C60Vs2k , http://youtu.be/VPnBVD6qJ-s
Khaldieyh comes under attack as well http://youtu.be/ICvNwq5Q6ZM , http://youtu.be/BrT-zd1aMr4 , http://youtu.be/PXvctbHUzko , http://youtu.be/AOejLtO16GU , http://youtu.be/ZXi0iBwxboc , http://youtu.be/GtVAElDQRCA As a result
an apartment catches fire http://youtu.be/QFNwfCR2Y6g
, http://youtu.be/RAtFGvLvqKU And
another gets turned into rubble http://youtu.be/qMRHyP6SDGo
In Khaldiyeh, October 22, a funeral was
held http://youtu.be/02sy_C707ws for
Ahmad Al-Hamish http://youtu.be/2cFOScooucs
Other funerals in Homs City from October 22: Baba
Amr http://youtu.be/qSS-xb8uNT4 Qoussour
http://youtu.be/A_sl5ozBBHE , http://youtu.be/iis3gGdvaCE
Funeral on October 23: Pro-Assad militias take
over Insha’aat http://youtu.be/SnAwaWmhFyI
Other demonstrations in Homs City from October
22: Bayadah http://youtu.be/sfSzPR-pCCk
Wa’er “the people want international protection” http://youtu.be/uiHF7m1fGWo Khaldiyeh
http://youtu.be/k_JYkcCUJY8 Insha’aat
http://youtu.be/GdQmVThTdl0
And on October 23: Bayadah http://youtu.be/YSj5E_0B1Qo Wa’er
http://youtu.be/T8BWX8ntjLk Shammas
http://youtu.be/-yXPBYNGJZM Jib
Al-Jandali http://youtu.be/XMX-x3Jt8dU
Qoussour http://youtu.be/7CbPHmuqa5I
Karm Al-Shami http://youtu.be/C-oTH11eA-g
Ghoutah http://youtu.be/buU_DJcp5iY
Bab Houd “Homs is being destroyed and our National Council says let’s
stay peaceful!” http://youtu.be/RAry5evi2Cs
Insha’aat http://youtu.be/X4qqz2my1uU
Baba Amr http://youtu.be/DbaywJeEDHg
Other major demonstrations in Syria from October
22: Idlib/Idlib City http://youtu.be/TkDON2rCGAA
Idlib/Sarmeen http://youtu.be/UgZ8PVT7eXg
Deraa/Da’el http://youtu.be/Whp8P1_Qg80
Deraa/Abtaa http://youtu.be/ouD6CWbIdCw
Hama/Taybat Al-Imam http://youtu.be/0jpKXYLdGuI
Damascus/Saqba http://youtu.be/760ajT0hvD4
Damascus/Dmeir http://youtu.be/hmXeOL5K8JA
Damascus/Madaya http://youtu.be/1BHEw29pJ8A
Aleppo/Anadan http://youtu.be/nJk-6FVccyM
Heavy gunfire in Hama City on October 22 – an
attempt to keep control of a restless city http://youtu.be/B43hfN13DPE
Elsewhere in the province, in the town of Madeeq, a local was hot killed
then set on fire by pro-Assad militias http://youtu.be/z_09lZJNbL8
A Funeral takes place on October 23 for him and another colleague http://youtu.be/t_72hER2JoU
In the Damascene Suburb of Douma on
October 23, dozens of local women gathered near the local police station
released of detainees http://youtu.be/VGya65OiQMA
In the suburb of Qadam, locals carry banner saying “we want international
protection and a no-fly zone, we salute the Free Syrian Army, the SNC
represents us” http://youtu.be/xWcQF7yZnX0
Still, in Damascus, a child plays on the tomb of
his father http://youtu.be/C7sYMURDELI
Will he live to see the day when Syria is free and his father’s sacrifice is
rewarded? And this is a Syrian activist killed in the Lebanese town of Orzal
where he was pursued by pro-Assad militias http://youtu.be/qsXrol_L_3A
More defections: Jabal Al-Zawiyeh (Idlib
Province) http://youtu.be/Klm2JZ5gOBM
Rastan (Homs Province) buried a defector http://youtu.be/FObpHb-x6NM
The Free Student Movement in Sahem/Golan
declares that its members will not attend Assad’s schools until fall of the
regime http://youtu.be/7xdC5JS-vjg
October 23:
HOMS PROVINCE
Student demonstrations: Houleh http://youtu.be/C5h0En3MtYM And major
demonstration at night http://youtu.be/rFZufPpixj4
, http://youtu.be/oazBEEEmXN4 Tadmor
(Palmyra) http://youtu.be/MZIHTkLS9u0
, http://youtu.be/G-LayCCBWjs Qseir
http://youtu.be/dmEvHgxCh04
DERAA/HAURAN
Town of Jassem comes under heavy gunfire
at night http://youtu.be/QiYTJ--s88w
Most communities in the province observe a call
to a general strike on Sunday Deraa City http://youtu.be/GVkyMW0E5LQ
, http://youtu.be/i47rkFQZ2bo Sanamein
http://youtu.be/_VJcMs5uKP8 , http://youtu.be/SaUtpJ6Pqys Khirbet
Ghazaleh http://youtu.be/UB4iu_aXqbA
Da’el http://youtu.be/m9DHGGtHH1s tanks enter
city to intimidate the locals http://youtu.be/uPrd8EXmgP8
Basr Al-Harir http://youtu.be/2VSDYj795sM
Bosra http://youtu.be/URYLDtpquOo
Mleihah Sharqiyeh http://youtu.be/-74HpnrsQxA
Nawa http://youtu.be/ri9L00jQ_ew
Ankhel http://youtu.be/xaBpmjFA75w
Hraak http://youtu.be/EoKWQ9ptk0Q
Nasseeb http://youtu.be/-A33HfFCucM
Kafar Shams http://youtu.be/eKwusCTW1QE
Ghariyeh Shargiyeh http://youtu.be/q3GU7M-rGF4
Izraa http://youtu.be/QjMLbYp0r7E
Major demonstrations took place in: Sourah http://youtu.be/e5WuNB8DWPg Sanamein
http://youtu.be/Ru5aUNJTrW4 Nahteh
http://youtu.be/m5bYPfY7eM0 Ankhel
http://youtu.be/WMxNqJwkuzc Da’el
http://youtu.be/NlmwWuqa-6Y Jizah
http://youtu.be/9dQ1BDCmQZg Nasseeb
http://youtu.be/Tihv2wGfQGY
In Ataman, locals held a funeral http://youtu.be/wOpIcZJig98 for Youssef
Al-Mahameed, a soldier that refused at fire at unarmed protesters http://youtu.be/-7EHR9lLiFo In Abtaa
another one http://youtu.be/p8FWJ9GnPpc
, http://youtu.be/fdkmCmgW1S4
IDLIB
Funeral took place in Failoun http://youtu.be/R5FwbtspyJw , http://youtu.be/Z35poD7ex9k
Student demonstrations Kafar Nabbel http://youtu.be/wRsX0bMY7hA Haass
http://youtu.be/IWa81HYFyfU Hbeit
http://youtu.be/TqZhw6NsZpA Sinjar
http://youtu.be/wWXbBFuq9cY Heesh
http://youtu.be/1Rs0nkR38RE
Ma’arrat Al-Nouman http://youtu.be/mEU6bnFD-gQ Saraqib
http://youtu.be/I9iNLJgDHTg Binnish
http://youtu.be/51VwRt1Bht0 Talmans
http://youtu.be/AovTjc-Po3c Sarmeen
http://youtu.be/hqAljPGn4g0 Idlib
City http://youtu.be/1SK6yXyvnRI
DAMASCUS
October 22: security and militias take over
Moadamiyah Neighborhood http://youtu.be/2Jyi0sok1hs
In Arbeen, snipers took control of the local water tower to terrorize
the locals http://youtu.be/dkol-5tJER0
But people come out at night http://youtu.be/7skeeEzQMz0
Student demonstrations on October 23: Douma http://youtu.be/UZUy2RK1N4s Grade 1
students http://youtu.be/5CkglesQIY4 Moadamiyeh
http://youtu.be/_k-6Xv7Czww Barzeh
http://youtu.be/N9kww-sLAQA Daraya
http://youtu.be/3Eu2fb7xPC4
Major demonstrations also take place in Harasta
http://youtu.be/UavW64y8shE Kafar
Batna http://youtu.be/b_CdtfknkEA
A funeral for the brothers Muhammad and Ali Nammous in Madaya http://youtu.be/M_xS91Le9Rk , http://youtu.be/V7p0rAU84yY Zamalka
http://youtu.be/ef-G6sMvI9U Hamouriyeh
http://youtu.be/lvY_qEFf8b0 Zabadani
http://youtu.be/vW0vJy_xumk
Other demonstrations: Zahira Neighborhood
http://youtu.be/Tm_sVCFZbCI
HAMA: Ellatamneh http://youtu.be/rjiMNmmlwlo Kafar
Zita http://youtu.be/3iqulMsnaYc Karnaz
http://youtu.be/_KSOy1FV6Kk , http://youtu.be/CeKFWuzZpQc Hilfaya
http://youtu.be/pSyOckym3oo Taybat
Al-Imam http://youtu.be/8eP5HPS_Abw
DEIR EZZOR: Qaraya http://youtu.be/MZvgvg2J0wQ Into the
night http://youtu.be/Rjst_yq5Toc
HASSAKEH: Amoudeh student demonstration http://youtu.be/c3AkLMkrWbo Qamishly
http://youtu.be/FZQZXnkUfAU
Some might wonder why I was invited to speak at
this event, well here is the “secret”: The Tharwa Foundation, which I have
quietly established with my wife and colleagues back in Syria in 2003, has
helped over the years train some Yemeni activists and our friend Munir Mawri,
the official representative of the Yemeni National Council, who organized this
event, remember that very well as he was involved in helping us in contacting
these activists. He also remembers a conversation we had few years ago, in
which he asked me what was the best scenario I envisioned for dealing with our
totalitarian regimes, and I told him: “popular revolutions of course. I believe
they are coming, I know our societies are ready for them, but let’s hasten
their arrival anyway, and support them when they come.” Well, the revolutions
are here, and activists like Tawakkul in Yemen, and Razan Zeituneh, Suheir
Atassy and Muntaha Al-Atrash in Syria, are emerging as the heroines leading our
way towards a better future. We need to do a better job supporting them and all
our revolutionaries http://youtu.be/JuFm65EqJ5U
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