A silent sit-in in Istanbul protesting chemical massacre

The General Secretary of the National Council suspended its meeting today to participate in a silent sit-in was organized in front of the American Consulate and the United Nation's building in Istanbul.

The sit-in was organized by the National Council where most of the members of the General Secretary participated along with George Sabra, head of council. however, some of the Syrian activists joined and participated in the sit-in.

Head of National Council, George Sabra confirmed during the sit-in, they started in front of the American Consulate to remind the American President, Obama, that redlines which were set for the Syrian Regime were transgressed by Assad more than 80 times through striking Syrian revolting areas with gases and poisonous chemical materials.

In a private talk with Zaman Alwasl, Head of Tribes Council in the National Council, Salem Musalat, stressed al-Ghouta massacre is not the first massacre the regime does to the Syrian people, but the size of the crime is bigger for the world to be silent about.

Al-Musalat continued: if Syria had friends they should prove today to the Syrian people they are true friends, and he added wondering, how do they invite to Geneva Conference as if the children who died today are from another planet. Who can sit with a criminal and torturer like Bashar al-Assad?

Al-Musalat described the sit-in as a message from National Coalition, and National Council, to ask what is the justification for being silent until this point after what the regime is doing.

He concluded that after today we are not going to wait for charity from other countries, but we are to address the public opinion to inform them of what is happening.

According to Musalat, the council and coalition delivered a message to United Nations and to Friends of Syria.

Also, Zaman Alwasl  met with Dr. Abdul Basit Seda during the sit-in who confirmed the numbers of the victims of Ghouta massacre threatens of more catastrophes because the regime goes on along with the International World ignorance and goes on killing the Syrian People.

He continued saying, today United Nations mission started investigation the use of chemical weapons in Syria; nonetheless, the regime challenged the mission and made a strike with chemicals on Ghouta.

When we asked if there is a point doing sit-ins, Seda responded with toppling the regime is a continuous proves and every human being has to do his/her duty.

He added what we are doing today is symbolic in order to stress that what is happening in Syria is unacceptable.

Regarding the condition the regime put to the mission in order to start work which states the mission must not say who did the strikes of chemicals. Seda commented: this is our problem with the International Community since it raises a lot of questions because shelling and killing Syrians always comes with a cold response from the International Community as if killing of Syrians is licit.

Lama Shammas