Massacres in Syria; Turkey Disappointed, US Appalled, Others Silent

Massacres in Syria; Turkey Disappointed, US Appalled, Others Silent

Freedom and Justice Party leader, Dr. Gamal Heshmat was adamant as he slammed the Syrian government  for its repulsive military operation against its own people.

Syrians have been protesting since mid-March in an attempt to oust Assad’s brutal and corrupt regime. Their efforts have resulted in the deaths of more than 1,640 civilians with more than 25,000 people arrested  and thousands still missing.


Many Arab countries have their own hands full as they make the transition to democracy, but there remain a number of Arab states who are doing nothing to support the people of Syria as their government turns on them in bloody warfare.

The International community has voiced its ‘disapproval’ of the murder of countless civilians, but as yet, has done nothing to help rectify the problem and protect civilians.

 International and Arab silence as the massacres continue reinforces the idea that the people of the Middle East are right in taking matters into their own hands.


 
Historically , the Syrian regime is known for brutaly murdering its own people. In the 1980’s an estimated 20,000 people were killed in Hama when the regime ordered the army to crack down on dissent.

The day before the month of Ramadan nearly 140 people were killed at the hands of Syrian forces in Hama, the site of the 1980s crackdown by the Syrian regime. Half a million people had rallied after Friday prayers responding to a cleric who told worshippers that the regime must go.

Assad has been warned by the west that he faces sanctions against his regime if the violence persists, however, the bloody attacks continue.


In a show of solidarity, US President  
Obama praised protestors  calling them ‘courageous’ and noted that Syria will be better off if it makes the transition to democracy. While indicating that Assad no longer has legitimacy, the US did not directly state he should step down. With the US and its allies currently engaged in a military campaign against Libya’s much-hated leader, Qaddafi, as well as long-term commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, it looks as though there is little left  to help Syrians. Meanwhile, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now distancing himself  from his once-close ally, Syria. About 3,000 Syrian refugees  have fled the Syrian regime’s brutality to Turkey in the wake of anti-regime protests, forcing Erdogan to make a stand.

Not wanting to lose Turkey’s support, Assad insists that the trouble in Syria is thework of terrorist groups  Unconvinced, Turkey will be indirectly making its stance in the way it responds to refugees flooding over the border.