(Translation by Yusra Ahmed)
Tuesday 3rd of June, the presidential election day in Syria, pro-Assad people painted their faces in the colors of the official Syrian flag near polling stations in Damascus, shouted, sang and danced, while holding up pictures of Assad.
Other drivers blasted songs glorifying Assad. "We are your men, O Bashar!"
In the same time, the mortar’s shells hit many neighborhoods around Damascus and their sound was heard to some polling stations.
Aleppo city in its both East and West parts had terrible day, as the liberated areas were heavily bombed with explosive barrels, and the pro-regime parts had many mortar shells, which was criticised by the Islamic front.
In Hama, people woke up on songs glorifying Assad and its regime like “Got safeguard you Assad, we are your men, O, Bashar”. The city was almost empty, till many sound of explosion torn the quietness. It was discovered that FSA had destroyed 4 gathering points for regime, and destroyed Addonia TV channel’s van, besides attacking the airport.
The election was only held in regime-controlled areas, and the opposition called for a boycott. It is estimated that 40% of Syrian land under the Syrian army control, and 60% of Syrian people live there.
Many social networks shared an open conversation of one of Assad supporters, in which she generously offer a service to vote for people who are abroad or cannot attend to polling station, and all they need to do was to send her a copy of their ID card via whatApp, and she would vote for them all. Even things expanded to offer voting for non- Syrian people if they were keen to do so and felt they have Syrian blood.
Many cities witnessed actions aimed to force people to vote, as all employees, teachers and Universities’ lecturers were force to attend to work with no permit for any leave whatever the reason. Moreover, all Universities’ students had had their ID cards kept away till they voted. Pro-regime forces and Shabiha checked people’s hand to see the trace of the election ink to be a proof for voting. Moreover, they forced people in bus station to attend to polling station to vote.
In the middle of this surreal situation, Bashar al-Assad and his wife, Asma attended a polling station in Maliki neighborhood smiling and confident to vote for himself.
As Assad tries to show himself close to people and loved by them, he posed for a selfie along with a group of youths at the polling station where he voted, and the photo then was sheared on social networks.
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