Inside their war-torn country and abroad, Syrians commemorate the 13th anniversary of the Syrian Revolution, the peaceful revolution that began in 2011, and which the Assad regime met with brutality that exceeded the crimes of all the thugs of history combined.
The peaceful popular movement turned from a parable of revolutions into the largest transcontinental tragedy, the most prominent witness of which was the continuous series of death and tents floating on a sea of blood and betrayal.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented in its annual report issued on the occasion of the anniversary of the popular movement towards democracy, the killing of 231,278 civilians, including 15,334 due to torture, the arrest of 156,757 people, and the displacement of nearly 14 million Syrians, pointing out that the Syrian people, who came out demanding a democratic political transition 13 years ago, were left behind alone in the face of the most powerful dictatorial regimes.
SNHR confirmed that the regime bombed civilian homes with more than 81,916 barrel bombs, 222 chemical attacks, about 500 cluster weapons attacks, and 181 incendiary weapons attacks. In defense of the president’s seat, the regime destroyed at least 897 medical facilities, 1,453 places of worship, and 1,675 schools.
Orphanhood Bitterness
“On the 13th anniversary of the Syrian revolution, it is not surprising that we feel the bitterness of the orphan at the tables of meanness,” says journalist Mohamed al-Owayed, explaining that the question of fate and outcomes is always present among the attendance of those commemorating the revolution in Paris, Washington, Berlin and other capitals that received the Syrian. Refugees on the one hand, and contented itself with the role of passively dealing with the transformations of the revolution, despite the centrality, role and basis of these capitals in consolidating a state of world peace, and helping peoples to achieve their freedom, dignity, and salvation from murderous, tyrannical and transgressing regimes outside their borders that threaten regional peace.
Al-Owayed added to Zaman al-Wasl, “On its 13th anniversary, the Syrian will not forget, even as he demonstrates in the streets of the capitals of the democracies, that the latter left him alone to confront his killer, perhaps even more so when he recalls the American WhatsApp messages about how they ended the southern front, dispersed it, and imposed a siege on it with the Russians and the Iranians.”
Despite the extent of the disappointment, al-Owayed believes that “the collective scene of the people, even if it is within the minimum limits of effectiveness and influence, restores the possibility of optimism, even if it is distant, but it establishes the basis of continuity, and correcting as much of the difficult path as possible opens up demonstrations, renewing the stability of rights even in the worst and cruelest of times: with the spectacle of mass demonstrations in the capitals, the Syrian proves his right to the future, and that he has no access to it, without paying his bill.”
United and international deficit
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, considered that an entire generation in Syria has paid a heavy price, stressing that the Syrians have suffered for 13 years of destruction, displacement, and serious violations of international law, and their demands for truth, justice, and accountability remain elusive, explaining at the same time that everyone has a responsibility to end impunity.
Guterres said that the number of people in need of humanitarian aid in Syria has reached its highest levels since 2011, as 3 out of every 4 people need relief, more than half of the population suffers from hunger, and entire communities are struggling to survive. This is happening at a time when funding for humanitarian efforts has decreased to lowest levels ever.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations stressed that nearly half of the population of the pre-war period in Syria are still displaced inside or outside Syria, pointing out that arbitrary detention, mass imprisonment, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and violence based on gender, torture and other ill-treatment all continue and represent an obstacle to lasting peace in Syria.”
Journalist Samer al-Miqdad said, “Today we stand on the anniversary of the Syrian revolution, as if we are standing on mountains of worries and problems. Half of the Syrian people are displaced throughout the earth, and the rest are in a large prison called Syria. Hundreds of thousands have been killed and a similar number of people are missing. Those who died and no one asked about them.”
Al-Miqdad added to Zaman al-Wasl that today we are talking about a criminal regime, international bodies and militias that have tampered with the Syrian body and left scars that will not heal for decades.. Each of us feels bitterness. There is no Syrian home that does not have a tragic story related to the events that took place since 2012.
“This one has a missing father and this one has a missing father, son was murdered, and this one has a bereaved mother. If we wanted to publish our stories, we would fill in sad books and novels,” he added.
Al-Miqdad believes that “the disappointments that befell Syrian society were very painful, as Syria became an arena for settling the accounts of many regional and international parties, from Iran to Hezbollah and Ansar Allah to the Al-Nusra Front, and the West with its historical hatred for the Arabs and America, which managed the conflict for its own interests and the interests of Israel, and did not care.” With the killing that took place, the blood that was shed, the chemicals that strangled our dream, and the country that was killed by the dreams of tyrants.”
The remaining dream
Journalist Abbas al-Deiri considered that "despite the long distances between us and Syria, we are still waiting for that day when it will be investigated and we will return to our homeland, to see our families, our loved ones, and the graves of those we lost."
Al-Deiri said: "On the anniversary of the revolution, our resolve has not wavered, and those demonstrations that spread across the capitals of European countries on this anniversary confirm that victory is coming, and the flag of the Syrian revolution, no matter how long it takes, will adorn the streets of Syria from south to north and from west to east."
According to Al-Deiri, “justice is coming,” as human rights organizations have been working for years to document crimes and take action before Western courts, explaining that the road is long, but in the end we must reach safety.
By Mohamed al-Hammadi
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.