Syria: Blood on the hands of Russia and China

The people of Syria are suffering under an increasingly unpopular repressive regime that preys on its citizens in a bid to cling to power. Inspired by events in Tunisia and Egypt earlier this year, Syrians took to the streets to demand political reform, freedom and respect for human rights. The brutal regime of President Bashar Al-Assad responded with disproportionate brute force - killing scores of protesters. The "bloodthirsty crackdown" in Syria has attracted international condemnation from human rights groups and free countries around the world, but China and Russia - two countries with questionable rights records at home - have shamelessly opposed any attempts by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to send a strong message to the Assad regime that using tanks, snipers, air-power and systematic torture against civilians is intolerable.

On 5 October 2011, Russia and China vetoed a UNSC resolution drafted to urge Syria to end the military operations against civilians or face diplomatic and economic sanctions, including an arms embargo.

Since the state started killing civilians in March, more than 2700 people have reportedly been killed, including a 13-year-old boy brutally killed in custody [WARNING: Very graphic video] of government forces.

In June 2011, Amnesty International published a report about the crackdown in Syria and expressed concern that crimes committed in Syria amount to crimes against humanity.

It is a shame that Russia and China have turned their backs on the people of Syria, despite overwhelming evidence of atrocities committed against them by an ally of the two veto powers. By opposing the UNSC resolution, the two "unfree" countries have sided with an oppressor against his people. Both counties, under the leadership of Dmitry Medvedev and Hu Jintao, have once again shown the world what they are made of.

Both countries have blood on their hands.

Mindful of allegations of possible crimes against humanity in Syria reported by Amnesty International and loud calls for help from the oppressed in Syria, Russia and China have failed in their "responsibility to protect" the people of Syria from a ruthless strongman.

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Systematic torture and killings in Syria: Where is the UNSC?

The rapid response of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to recent uprisings in Ivory Coast and Libya gave the UNSC a new face and sent a strong message to oppressors that the council would swiftly take "all necessary measures" to protect abused and violated civilians. The council did not take long to condemn violence in Libya and unanimously voted in favor of the historic Resolution 1970 (2011) that imposed sanctions (travel bans, arms embargo and asset freezes) on the Gaddafi regime and referred the situation in Libya to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Unfortunately, the UNSC has so far failed to condemn a similar situation in Syria - where systematic torture, state-sponsored murder and extrajudicial killing of civilians and pro-democracy protesters is the order of the day.

Since demonstrations erupted in Syria in February and picked up steam in mid-March 2011, rights groups have documented widespread and systematic violence against civilians calling for democracy and human rights. Amnesty International has championed the call for the UNSC to intervene, stop bloodshed and refer the situation in Syria to the ICC. The organization believes that crimes committed in Syria by members of the security forces amount to crimes against humanity.

On 6 June 2011, Amnesty published a new report - shining light on ongoing torture, extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detentions in Syria. Once again, more than two months after its initial call, the organization urged the UNSC to refer Syria to the ICC.

Last night, I read the 22-paged report. It documents the plight of civilians in Syria and highlights the need for the international community to act against Syria's heavy-handed crackdown on protesters.

According to the report, which focuses on violence in the western town of Tell Kalakh, the state uses snipers and heavy artillery against civilians. Security forces open fire on ambulances, destroy water supplies, loot and vandalize private property, arbitrarily arrest, torture and murder Syrians, including children. Victims include lawyers, electricians, construction workers, hairdressers, painters, shopkeepers and retired army officers. No one is spared!

Security forces use untold torture techniques, such as what is locally called "shabah" (ghost) and "dulab" (tyre).

After reading the report , titled: "Crackdown in Syria: Terror in Tell Kalakh", I'm convinced more than ever that the situation in Syria should be referred to the ICC. Those responsible for murder, systematic torture and other forms of cruel and inhuman treatment of civilians should be investigated and brought to book.

UNSC silence on the dire situation in Syria emboldens the brutal Assad regime and puts the council's "swift and decisive" intervention in Libya into question. Double standards undermine the reputation and credibility of the UNSC.

More than 1,350 civilians and 350 security agents have reportedly lost their lives in Syria since mid-March 2011. [Source].

*Photo: The FINANCIAL.

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Petition to help stop bloodshed in Syria

It's widely known that since 16 March 2011, security forces in Syria have continued to crackdown on protesters calling for political reform. Unfortunately, international response to the conflict has been muted, despite reports of the massacre of peaceful protesters in the Arab state and the perpetration of crimes which fall within the jurisdiction of International Criminal Court (ICC). Last month, United Nations Security Council (UNSC) deliberated and failed to issue a statement condemning the widespread violence in Syria - barely weeks after the council unanimously referred a similar crackdown on the right to peaceful assembly and free expression in Libya to the ICC. Media coverage of the violence against civilians in Syria is dwindling and there's a growing need for the international community and people of good conscience around the world to help stop the bloodshed.

On 26 April 2011, Amnesty International called on the UNSC to, amongst other things, refer the situation in Syria to the ICC. As of today, this call has not been heeded and inaction in Syria and other countries with a similar predicament screams "double standard" and validates arguments put forward by international law skeptics.

Today, Amnesty reiterated the call to stop bloodshed in Syria with a compelling tweet which read:

Only 30 hours left. Sign the #Syria petition now and help us to gather more 30,000 signs. Tell your friends to sign... Pls RT."

The above tweet is a desperate call to human rights sympathizers to help save lives in Syria by simply signing a petition calling on Bashar al-Assad, President of Syria, to stop the killing of civilians and respect the right to peaceful protests.

You're encouraged to sign the petition.

Signing the petition will go a long way to help stop bloodshed in Syria.

More than 400 people have reportedly died in Syria since protests erupted and thousands have been detained. We cannot look away. Take action now.

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Britain revokes Syrian ambassador's Royal Wedding Invitation

Since pro-democracy demonstrations erupted in Syria in March 2011, at least 500 civilians have reportedly lost their lives and many more have fled their homes. Security forces in Syria have heavy-handedly cracked down on protesters despite President Bashar al-Assad's promise to implement reforms. The brutal suppression of free expression and right to peaceful assembly has cost Sami Khiyami, Syrian ambassador to Britain, his invitation to the royal wedding at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011.

Earlier today, according to The Telegraph, Britain's Foreign Office issued a statement that included the following:

"In the light of this week's attacks against civilians by Syrian security forces, which we have condemned, the foreign secretary has decided that the presence of the Syrian ambassador at the Royal wedding would be unacceptable and that he should not attend."

It is worth mentioning that the withdrawal of the Syrian ambassador's invitation less than 24 hours before the royal wedding comes after human rights groups and people of good conscience around the world condemned the invitation.

I welcome the news that the ambassador's royal wedding invitation has been revoked. The withdrawal of his invitation sends a loud and clear message to repressive regimes around the world that unless they wash their hands clean, they would not dine with "kings."

Authoritarian regimes should not be represented in royal weddings and other high profile occasions in free societies. It is a shame, however, that a few countries with unenviable human rights records like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe, just to name a few, will be represented in Westminster Abbey tomorrow to watch Britain's future king marry his bride.

While it is unfortunate that the United Nations Security Council failed yesterday 27 April 2010  to issue a statement condemning violence against civilians in Syria, free countries like Britain should seize every occasion, including a royal wedding, to send a loud message against state-sponsored violence against civilians.

Speaking to the BBC earlier today, Sami Khiyami said he was "embarrassed" by the withdrawal of his invitation.

The brutal crackdown on civilians in Syria is unjustifiable and must be condemned in the strongest terms. The Syrian ambassador to Britain should be more embarrassed by the crackdown sponsored by the government he represents and the loss of innocent civilian lives

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Syria: Stop child abuse and torture by school teachers

A story on France 24 reminded me about the so-called "school corporal punishment" - institutionalized abuse and brutalisation suffered by pupils and school children in the hands of abusive teachers in many parts of the world. The story puts 2 abusive teachers in Syria in the spotlight, and resounds the urgent need to stop child abuse and torture by school teachers in Syria and beyond.

Two female teachers in Syria were caught on video - brutalising pupils entrusted to their care. As you'd expect in this age of information technology, the dramatic video was posted on the  internet and puts the Syria's educational system into question. WATCH...



Incidentally, tomorrow - 5 October - is World's Teacher's Day. Should this calibre of teachers be honored on this symbolic day?

Make no mistake - child abuse and torture by teachers is not only a Syrian problem. The ordeal prevails in many other countries. 

I'm no stranger to school corporal punishment. As a matter of fact, in high school, I was asked to participate in a debate. I vividly remember the debate question: "Should corporal punishment be allowed in boarding schools?" It's worth mentioning that at the time, there were people - students and teachers - who had very strong opinions both for and against corporal punishment.

Widespread occurrence by no means justifies child abuse by school teachers.

The Syrian Arab Republic is party to the Convention of the Rights of the child, which it ratified on 15 July 1993. The State therefore has a legal obligation under international law to protect children from all forms of "physical or mental" violence, including abuse and torture by school teachers. The 2 teachers caught in the above video should, by all means, be identified and brought to justice. Impunity in this widely publicized case would send across a wrong message.

*Photo of school kids in Syria: Gibbz Cadiz.

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