Thursday, August 22, 2013

SYRIA – GOVT SAVAGES KILL THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN


Be it Syria, Egypt, Tunisia or Libya and for that matter any nation, it is always the civilian population who bear the brunt of all riots or civil wars raging across the countries. With Egypt grabbing headlines for quite sometime now what most of us displayed was a criminal apathy in the case of Syria, Tunisia or Libya.
The demonstrations broke out in Syria in March, 2011 has as on date claimed 100000 people most of them civilians. It is reported that almost 300000 civilians are reported to have crossed the borders  as refugees and entered Iraq seeking asylum fearing loss of life. And the flow of civilians shows no signs of  stopping.
With the Bashar Govt still firmly in the saddle inspite of the determined opposition, the nation is sitting on a powder keg.
Yesterday’s news of the Bashar govt’s forces launching chemical weapon agent, deadly Sarin gas has reportedly claimed 1300, most of them women and children it was the dastardly attack ever by the forces loyal to the Bashar govt. It is learnt that the govt possess 1000kg of the nerve agent Sarin which was first launched in the world wars I and II.
What is most disturbing is the positions taken by both America and Russia which are at loggerheads on the matter of the civil war raging across Syria. If these nations could bury their false prestige and sit around a negotiating table on a cordial atmosphere in the larger interests of the helpless civilians, it would certain;y pave the way for a durable solution. As of now, Russia provides all out support for Bashar govt and US takes sides with the opposition.
The regional nations who could find a way out to end the crisis themselves are in the throes of deep trouble in the form of civil war like situation, if not civil wars. Take for example, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, Libya and Tunisia. All these nations are in one form or other deeply in trouble. Thus the question of a regional solution is out of question.
UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is still very much in the picture but he too has failed in his earnest efforts to bring about Bashar govt and the adamant opposition to sit across a table, discuss threadbare the contending issue and thus find out everlasting peaceful solution. With Bashar-Al-Assad firm in his position of no stepping down and the determined opposition never willing to scale down their position ie. nothing but the abdication of Bashar Assad, Brahimi is in a bewildered state. Whether he too will go the way of Kofi Annan who tried his level best as Arab-UN envoy is the question staring at us as of now. It is near unlikely that Bashar-Al-Assad with his large pile of arms and ammunition and loyal forces by his side is still in a safe position otherwise firmly entrenched, stepping down from the saddle even in the face of organized opposition (they are not organized as of now). The end result will be the continuing bloodshed across the country resulting in the carnage of civilian men, women and children who want nothing but a peaceful atmosphere and better living conditions. The sight of innocent ones especially children falling prey to the nerve agent Sarin is blood-chilling and appalling.
Now the people wait for a Messiah to rescue them from this pitiable situation. Now that nearly three years have passed by with almost 100000 dead and still counting, it is nothing but a hopeless situation. The hope of some observers that, India as a prominent member of NAM (Non Aligned Movement) and BRIC countries could play a greater picture seems to be ill-founded in a volatile situation like this. It is true that India is acceptable to both Assad and the Syrian opposition when it comes to the core of the issue. It’s effort may prove futile.
It is hightime UN entered into the picture and deploy its forces across Syria to stop further damage, otherwise the whole process would go haywire.   


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