Syria has joined an increasingly long list of countries whose citizens have decided to stand up to an oppressive government. Unfortunately, social justice is coming at a high cost to the people who are living in the midst of the conflict. It is said that ‘All is fair in love and war’ but we witness the atrocities every single day where a general love for humanity is sacrificed in pursuit of higher status. Justice and freedom are all well and good, especially if they are values you believe strongly in and you are willing and able to fight for them. However, war is very rarely fair and many innocent people get caught in the crossfire. For many people, peaceful lives have become no more than a wistful memory from earlier times. This harsh reality is especially true for the city of Homs in Syria. Through the intervention of other countries, the Red Cross has finally been given permission to remove and treat the innocents trapped in this potentially deadly situation. The anti-government rebels decided to retreat from the city and the surrounding area after 27 days of continuous government shelling. They reason they cited was concern for the civilians who had no access to safety or basic medical supplies and, of course, were under significant risk of death from government bombardment. It took the deaths of American reporter Marie Colvin and French photographer Rémi Ochlik on February 22nd to bring the attention of the world to this country’s conflicts.
The uprising began in late January 2011 in response to the current one party rule which has maintained complete control since the ascension of Bashar al-Assad to power in 2000 following his father’s death. After unrest broke out in January 2011, the Syrian army was dispensed to quell the protests. Soldiers who refused to fire on civilians were similarly executed. An atmosphere of fear and repression continues to be spread by the ruthlessness of the ruling party. The forces fighting in opposition to the Syrian governments have unified under the name of the ‘Free Syrian Army.’ In order to overthrow the current governmental regime in favour of greater civil rights and better humanitarian conditions, the Free Syrian Army relies heavily on international communities to increase sanctions and provide aid. Having the world aware of the plight of the Syrian people is incredibly important for the Free Syrian Army to continue its fight and is likely the reason the anti government rebels stayed in Homs for such a long time. In fact, the suburb of Baba Amr has become a symbol of rebellion. Currently, the death toll due to this conflict has reached 7,500 according to the U.N. For more information on the continuing struggle for freedom in Syria, check out the links below:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-02/russia-withdraws-support-for-assad-as-syrian-troops-attack-homs.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203753704577254712115662208.html
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-syria-opposition-20120302,0,3932337.story
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