What the Assads and their loyalists are perpetrating right now in
Syria amounts, by certain international standards, to Genocide: they are
intentionally destroying members of a certain religious group.
Thursday February 09, 2012
Today’s death toll: 145. The Breakdown:
112 in Homs City including 3 women and 6 children…
But while all eyes are on
Homs City, the town of Zabadani continues to be bombarded with tanks and
howitzers, with locals saying that dozens of homes have been destroyed as a
result. More than 50 tanks and 5,000 troops equipped with heavy artillery are
now inching their way to the town. An invasion can take place any day now in
what promises to be a very bloody and violent affair. The town of Madaya
is already besieged on all sides.
Other communities that are
witnessing serious assault include Qouriyeh in Deir Ezzor Province
News
Op-Eds & Special Reports
What is happening in
Homs City and protest hubs across Syria today meets many of the legal elements included
in the definition of Genocide,
as specified in Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of
Genocide:
"Article
II: In the present Convention, genocide
means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy,
in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: (the intent can be established by using much of the discourse
and venom in state-run media, as well as proliferating expert analysis of the
sectarian motives of Assad core loyalists: Alawites fearing Sunni reprisals)
(a) Killing members
of the group; (check)
(b) Causing serious
bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (check)
(c) Deliberately
inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its
physical destruction in whole or in part; (check)
(d) Imposing measures
intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly
transferring children of the group to another group.
Even though, children
are being targeted intentionally, something that has been highlighted by
numerous human rights reports, and even though children died in incubators when
power supply to hospitals were cut intentionally, elements (d) and (e) of the
definition are clearly not met, and that is the only reason why some people
might refrain from calling the crimes being perpetrated by the Assads as
Genocide. However, according to Wikipedia, Genocide “can
simply also be known as the intent to destroy a group, in part or in whole.
Intent must be proven, otherwise the crime cannot be identified as genocide.”
By this standard, what the Assads are doing right now in Syria is genocide.
Homs
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Homs City
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Baba
Amr: the
pounding continues http://youtu.be/9r6eq9Hsj80
, http://youtu.be/yuXIZx466Bs , http://youtu.be/qz6hYj1ZC5M , http://youtu.be/7zBHZmWvoWE , http://youtu.be/2TqiIGqa3BY , http://youtu.be/gvjkDBpqf7I Impact of
pounding http://youtu.be/O4-PIHajFUM
Three bodies strewn in the rubble of collapsed homes http://youtu.be/nAspG2I1A2c Missile
strike http://youtu.be/iDfe9WerZFw
a house brought down http://youtu.be/h6O-kxhqYEQ
One of the local mosque was destroyed http://youtu.be/wKSZf0sQAag
Another mosque is hit http://youtu.be/80Pv1A7X6Z8
Houses on fire http://youtu.be/BmSSbaHaUo4
, http://youtu.be/E13jc4ln-ik Plane
flying overhead http://youtu.be/iRLfdrAa2-M
This one, local activists say, has taken part in he bombardment http://youtu.be/B-R8DpWjnSo Local
activists unable to get to this house where they believe a family is buried
underneath the rubble http://youtu.be/hYjTubDmbM0
Another demolished home http://youtu.be/_ZwT8OgfO4k
Activist
Danny Abduldayem surveys the destruction (English) http://youtu.be/9i7DFEwmoYw Removing
the bodies of the dead http://youtu.be/xNYzzfFjEG0
Women and children below the rubble http://youtu.be/maQXJlLkGR8
pulling more bodies from under the rubble http://youtu.be/qi_V9z8PrEA
Martyrs
http://youtu.be/uoVE9017KL4 , http://youtu.be/CpJwR29eXSA Woman
martyr http://youtu.be/FppZhD6765c Another
http://youtu.be/UG2KyHz8VAs Man
taking his last breath as his brother cries for him http://youtu.be/f1R-hoOOH54 Treating
the wounded http://youtu.be/p_TSjZOGzGc
, http://youtu.be/3awN2900qZM
Treating
5 wounded children from the same family http://youtu.be/OOwwVDmQ9U0
This baby needs an incubator, but none is available http://youtu.be/l9KOLqVwNPg An injured
little girl http://youtu.be/dBHteiRvyQg
A little girl takes her last breaths http://youtu.be/Zf5FZRZP8KY
Local
activists call for intervention saying that their neighborhoods are being
wiped out http://youtu.be/AClpWehGDiU
Children
cry in a local shelter as the neighborhood is pounded http://youtu.be/F2mEl6YwWic
Insha’aat: this body of this
man was left in the streets after he was kidnapped by loyalist militias. He
was shot in the back several times, and dogs were chewing on his arm when he
was found http://youtu.be/TQNHOgNwQ6Y
Karm
Al-Zeitun:
a man killed by a sniper while he was buying bread http://youtu.be/KnL-GYwvQ3M Another http://youtu.be/gFIXsiErCno Man taking
his last breaths http://youtu.be/C7zuJ-SgDHY
Bab
Dreib:
the martyrdom of a local activist http://youtu.be/PFA2mUxpUBg
the grieving and angry family http://youtu.be/UWWsOuAjWEI
Khaldiyeh: A martyr http://youtu.be/c0ULdag4OGs Another http://youtu.be/u7DSS-eN39s A small
hasty funeral http://youtu.be/eJEsAM31Kmw
Martyred little girl http://youtu.be/PdAKLcL3BWM
Impact of pounding http://youtu.be/X3O35zkD9fQ
Bayadah: wounded http://youtu.be/8c9D5XLDopE The local
doctor shows us three martyrs and complains of lack of proper supplies and
equipment http://youtu.be/gLWbQWVw_J8
Asheerah: a house catches
fire due to pounding http://youtu.be/fMc_Ae-a3b4
Loyalists carrying out a raid of the neighborhood http://youtu.be/nt0a6MvVPEA
Bab
Al-Sibaa:
the wounded http://youtu.be/ildBFKiuISA
A man hit in the head by sniper http://youtu.be/GrSxSk34ZjI
Qarabees: a body thrown in
the street http://youtu.be/qrJyLUpUGgM
Karm
Al-Shami:
pulling a body from the street http://youtu.be/w4k7kL0NgSY
Al-Rabei
Al-Arabi:
A tank shoots its way through http://youtu.be/y1qiuf5OLI8
Deir
Baalbah:
An operation by local members of the FSA http://youtu.be/W35AUCoNnPg
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Daytime Rallies
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Qoussour http://youtu.be/R-DKt8FuLFg
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Nighttime Rallies
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Bab
Houd http://youtu.be/9l25imZQV0E Qoussour
http://youtu.be/TBkLLGnYJIo Ghoutah
http://youtu.be/0jZ8l2zWLcU Bayadah
http://youtu.be/a0CCjxS17ws
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Homs Province
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Rastan: The pounding of
Rastan with rockets http://youtu.be/fbyDOd1Qoo4
, http://youtu.be/CUG8N-kszvE The
dead and the wounded fill the streets in the aftermath of a heavy bombardment
http://youtu.be/I9jdKexXwjc A local
father describes how his children were killed when a mortar round hit their
home http://youtu.be/CmKmyEAOWF8 a
wounded young lady http://youtu.be/Qi6b4XGicSc
A your of the local clinic http://youtu.be/7cor0vDRH6I
Two martyrs http://youtu.be/eYOPZ16Ti_0
Impact of pounding http://youtu.be/MhO-P-RrUqI
Members
of the Men of God Brigade declare that after the city was liberated, loyalist
troops pounded it killing 1,000 residents. They declare if the bombardment is
not stooped they will blow up the main bridge near the town and begin
targeting oil wells as well as villages supporting the regime from where
loyalist militias are recruited and housed http://youtu.be/cF7CtLKVgvQ Let’s hope
that this is an idle threat borne out of anger, for this is exactly the
tit-for-tat that protest leaders are trying to avoid, and have been
successful in preventing it so far, despite all the violence on the part of
Assad loyalists.
Talbisseh: a martyr http://youtu.be/ude3Tdl52NE
Qusayr: an injured child http://youtu.be/lBoMaZE7lhc Another http://youtu.be/9ehVmsVJU1E A third http://youtu.be/F1HkBu_sxWk A martyr http://youtu.be/b-Vf_YjuGuI Another http://youtu.be/rBj0ZLh9mXg
Tadmor: loyalist troops
patrol the streets http://youtu.be/KF5SBD_vKc4
A house demolished by the pounding http://youtu.be/dk-ojwzZUD4
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Nighttime Rallies
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Tadmor http://youtu.be/L_l0OyQdOoI
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Damascus
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Damascus City
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Daytime Rallies
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Nighttime Rallies
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Eastern Ghoutah
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Douma: The local hospital
is set on fire at night, and fire trucks are nowhere to be seen http://youtu.be/nwK6wemRoN0
Arbeen: loyalists patrol the
streets http://youtu.be/tDH0n9rp3k4
, http://youtu.be/s75VxcoB18c
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Nighttime Rallies
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Douma http://youtu.be/7MY1nes4NXs Sbeineh
http://youtu.be/XoNtcefC9rE
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Damascus South
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Daytime Rallies
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Mqeilabeh (student rally) http://youtu.be/5ern2GYqxZs Qatana
http://youtu.be/KLrsPi2VIbQ , http://youtu.be/4Y06fr87aSM Al-Hajar
Al-Aswad (student rally) http://youtu.be/QChEk7wU0rw
, http://youtu.be/LyM0_A5whuQ Artouz
http://youtu.be/iH3OI46xRVQ
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West (Zabadani and Wadi Barada)
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Zabadani: Of course the
siege of the town is coupled with continuous shelling http://youtu.be/7VvSP48whWM , http://youtu.be/vltNZg0izVc , http://youtu.be/ueXH-UqUDkY More tanks
on way to Zabadani http://youtu.be/OHGL1H1Ga88
A martyr http://youtu.be/zNlFYFpnrsQ
Eight more martyrs http://youtu.be/wgOP2EpA66s
Treating the wounded http://youtu.be/jxhiAdWX-9s
Locals are suffering from shortage of bread due to ongoing siege http://youtu.be/WcFZKz_zE0M
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North (The Qalamoun Region )
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Nighttime Rallies
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Qarrah http://youtu.be/fxytyUryUiI
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Hama
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Hama City
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Nighttime Rallies
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Hama Province
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Daytime Rallies
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Taybat
Al-Imam
http://youtu.be/S7GAGEihjH8 Karanz
http://youtu.be/LBfw7o86SAc Ellatamneh
http://youtu.be/D4-W2ycyVEA Breidej
http://youtu.be/LhojNjpOb2g
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Idlib
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Khan
Shaikhoon:
a martyr http://youtu.be/FlhaeSwcu1E
Sarmada: A martyr http://youtu.be/bvQ4hAQzF3Y
Ma’arrat
Al-Nouman:
tanks invade the city http://youtu.be/MPACjrxe9ho
The pounding begins immediately http://youtu.be/f8jR2tuB6pk
, http://youtu.be/Iv525h6rXcE , http://youtu.be/XJ-hzwL3RWk Impact of
shelling http://youtu.be/sVA1t8sGz1w
, http://youtu.be/ODxL8yc4w4g Funeral
for a martyred woman http://youtu.be/J7LkUGkgLTQ
Idlib
City
comes under fire http://youtu.be/uu-B0_Ta9lY
More
defectors http://youtu.be/UvqrI9hIK5A
, http://youtu.be/wL1_dLrOEVk
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Daytime Rallies
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Binnish http://youtu.be/MUrkhM8Sims Kafroumah
http://youtu.be/cBrgIWA4Ldk Courine
(funeral) http://youtu.be/Pbl6Zi5kPO4
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Nighttime Rallies
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Deraa/Hauran
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Deraa City
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Daytime Rallies
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Mahatah (student rally,
all girls) http://youtu.be/f0sJdl_aGIo
, http://youtu.be/J-a1tgovD0M
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Nighttime Rallies
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Mahatah http://youtu.be/UHre-Rh2Q7U Al-Balad
http://youtu.be/WBe7rONc3fw
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Deraa/Hauran Province
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Tseel: Martyr http://youtu.be/X8YhNEKMsHA Another http://youtu.be/f7XYbnoGSIw Houses and
shops set on fire by loyalists http://youtu.be/X585zCHE7TA
Ankhel: protesters come
under attack http://youtu.be/oHEabqGStME
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Daytime Rallies
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Nighttime Rallies
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Mseifrah http://youtu.be/TCKNmLvoe6U
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Aleppo
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Aleppo City
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A
nighttime sit-in by a local police station demanding release of detainees http://youtu.be/kbWIJcCPzqk
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Aleppo Province
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Kobani: a funeral for two
martyrs http://youtu.be/R6lSUL_vrns
Elbab: a funeral http://youtu.be/OvNixXxedsA
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Daytime Rallies
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Alatareb http://youtu.be/UNTeYm8tP9I Akherteen
http://youtu.be/H9qGHHVm6fs
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Deir Ezzor
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Qouriyeh: tanks invade the
town http://youtu.be/4b0X47Hx1iE
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Hassakeh
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Daytime Rallies
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Amoudeh http://youtu.be/IBMKR6OkA7Q Hassakeh
City (Mufti) http://youtu.be/PhTKs-YcOEk
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Nighttime Rallies
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Suweida
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Suweida
City:
loyalists militias attack protesters http://youtu.be/ZySmhX71txc
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Hey Ammar,
ReplyDeleteThis is a Syrian citizen who loathes the family mafia regime in Syria and believes that they should end. I must say, you and your ilk are actually no better.
Your sensationalist sectarian-infused propaganda does not help the real, brave protesters on the ground in this intifada.
Please stop acting like a fool and at least start apologizing for working for your American and Zionist pay masters.
And please...pretty, pretty please stop writing. You are hurting us more with your stupidity.
TIA.
W.L.S.
P.S. If I wasn't clear: It's a massacre in Syria, not a "genocide". We don't need lies.
ReplyDeleteSo bugger off, your time is done.
Let better, much more principled people work to undo the damages your retard-ness is inflicting, while trying to overcome this horrible regime. Like we don't have much to handle already.
I am describing realities as they exist on the grounds in Homs City and many other communities, it's these realities that are infused with sectarianism, not my writing. This is not something of my creation, I hate it as much as you do, if not more, but ignoring it will not make it go away.
ReplyDeleteI stated my case, I cited the legal basis for it, I acknowledged where elements have not been met, and I can martial enough evidence as to "intent" from the regime's own propaganda machine, videos showing how protesters are referred to and abused by loyalist militias, and how certain religious symbols have been targeted from the beginning of the revolution. The point was to show how close we are to disaster and why we need international protection. I stand by my assessment.
As for buggering off, thanks but no thanks. I am a Syrian citizen too, and many of the protesters on the ground support what I say and do, irrespective of your approval or disapproval, pleasure or displeasure, belief or disbelief. We're here to stay.
You know very well that the regime targets all Syrians, regardless of sect. Alawis get the worst of the treatment for protesting or daring to break rank.
ReplyDeleteAgain, before you decide to throw around a term "genocide" think, man. These sensationalist acts by you are fodder for the regime and its supporters.
The protesters are indeed here to stay. But I don't count you as one of them, you used to be but something happened when you went to the states.
Listen Ahmad Chalabi, you aren't going to last long when you get back despite the compliments, support, and money you get from your American paymasters.
In Homs City, the situation has acquired strict sectarian overtones, and that's very dangerous,and denying it will make the situation worth, and the contagion could easily spread.
ReplyDeleteThese warnings are coming from activists on the ground. What I and they are trying to say is very simple: the regime is slowly succeeding in transforming the situation in Homs City into a Sunni-Alawite conflict, and is succeeding in transforming many Alawite supporters into killing machines driven by blind hatred of their Sunni neighbors, as evidenced by increasing cold-blooded massacres of entire families. This is not an indictment of the Alawite community, nor their beliefs, but a description of an emerging trend in their midst, fueled by regime propaganda.
Describing realities as they are is not meant as an endorsement nor incitement, nor is it some cheap propaganda, but a warning of things to come.
If you have been following my writings with any consistency, you would note that this is what I do on my blog: I monitor emerging trends in the hope of encouraging adoption of right policy vis-a-vis the situation by international policymakers. If regime supporters end up distorting things, I cannot help it, that's what they will always do. And if people like you end up misunderstanding me, I'll try to explain as much as I can, ignoring the insults and accusations you throw at me, and keeping focus on the issue at hand.
However, it is obvious that your understanding of my analysis is tainted s well by your anti-Americanism. You're entitled to your views of course, as I am entitled to differ.
Also, since I have no intention of ever running for public office, anywhere in this world, your Chalabi comparison is misplaced.
Apologizes, o wise Fouad Ajmai.
ReplyDeleteEven the UN office for the Prevention of Genocide does not go that far in terming the horrible events in Syria as 'genocide'. Possibly 'crimes against humanity', but not genocide.
The only individuals calling it a genocide since the summer are you, the MB (and, boy, are they credible), and some hysterical members of the SNC. I wonder...why is it only you folks, and in fact certain Zionist groups not surprisingly, using this term and not actually international legal authorities?
This is the classic case of sensationalism in order to encourage an external intervention (and here we both know you are only interested in an intervention by the US or Europe). Which would only bring more violence to the Syrian population, who is already dealing with enough.
Your analysis is tainted your need to influence and lobby interests in Washington. It's quite clear. This will not help us in the long-run (and even, in the short-run).
Sad Eye, Could You please share with us the solution to preventing the ongoing "genocide" without International Intervention? I don't get the point of your accusations. Ammar is doing an astonishing work and his analyses are anticipating a lot of things, as for example: A month ago or so He said an alternative action to a possible Russian Veto should be for the US to create an International Conference about Syria. A couple of days ago We get the announcement by Turkey in which It wants to create such an International Conference (We can imagine encouraged by who -when it comes to Syrian affairs, Turkey is dependent to the US-).
ReplyDeleteIt still looks syrians apply themselves the "divide yourselve and You will loose". Enough of envy. Enough of protagonism. Enough of egoism.
By the Way, Fantastic Work Ammar. I'm reading You since the beginning of this dream-turned-into-nightmare and I have shared with Barcelona media (my homeland) some of Your (in my opinion) right analyses.
Keep this fantastic work up, please.
Azad Kanjo
Barcelona