Thursday, January 15, 2015

WHERE STANDS SYRIA NOW? – APATHY OF WORLD MEDIA IN IGNORING FOLLOW-UPS REGARDING HOT ISSUES

ARTICLE


Whenever a new issue breaks out in the international arena, the media world seize the day - the old one however prominent is relegated to the background to the surprise and embarrassment of the news watchers. With the advent of Jasmine Revolution, rebellion broke out in Tunisia in the year 2011 citizens across the world over watched it with curiosity and apprehension. Close on the heels of Jasmine Revolution it spread as a catalyst to other Arab countries like Libya, Egypt, Yemen and a few other nations ruled by malevolent dictators, and citizens across those countries drawing inspiration from the Tunisian victory determinedly fought against those dictators like Col.Mohammed Qaddafi, Hosni Mobarak and Ali Abdul Saleh  were dethroned and new dispensations took charge for a while, yes for a while. After ousting Col.Qaddafi, Hosni Mobarak, Ali Abdul Saleh and other dictators Libya fell into the hands of anarchists, Egypt fell into the hands of leaders of Egyptian Brotherhood and ruler of Yemen Ali Abdul Saleh. Barring Yemen and Tunisia Libyan atmosphere turned into a shambles due to hundreds of tribes who fought against each other and by this time militant outfits like Al-Queida, Al-Shabab and other terror outfits. After Hosni Mobarak was forced to abdicate power after three decades in the saddle, imprisoned and underwent trial by the government led by Mohammed Morsi, leader of Egyptian Brotherhood. With him catapulted to power he turned audacious and arrogant and the demands of lakhs and lakhs of citizens to conduct democratic elections, he rejected their demands outright. Egyptian politics once again fell into a quagmire and citizens across the nation gathered at Tahrir Square protested and repeatedly demanded him to conduct elections thereby welcoming a democratic country. The army took the side of the citizens and warned Mr.Morzi to step down or face the consequences. Morzi was adamant and defiant. An exasperated military led by Al-Ataf Al-Sisi staged a coup and forcibly ousted Morzi and incarcerated him. In a sense the former army head after resigning from the post of army head assumed power as President of the country which means authoritarianism still prevails in Egypt. If and when a democratic election is conducted Egypt knows no peace.
Though the scent of Jasmine Revolution spread to Bahrain its rulers with the help of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia its authoritarian rulers ‘erased’ the hilarious smell of Jasmines in the beginning itself. Saudi Arabian rulers too apprehended the wrath of Jasmine Revolution and to prevent it the govt doled out millions of dollars as bonanza to its citizens as well as skilled and unskilled persons from abroad to gratify them, thereby plucked and destroyed the plants of Arab Spring and flowers at the earliest.
Likewise the citizens of Syria derived inspiration from the victory of Jasmine Revolution in certain countries took the plunge to oust its authoritarian ruler Dr.Bashar-Al-Azad tried to suppress the rebellion but the citizens were determined to force him out. The more Dr.Azad remained adamant the more the citizens stuck to their stand and intensified the struggle. Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of United Nations was entrusted by UN with the task of playing the role of mediator to prevail upon Dr.Azad and the leaders of the Opposition to reach an amicable settlement. Although Mr.Annan tried his level best to bring about a rapprochement between the two warring sides he miserably failed in his attempts and bowed out of the role of the mediator. In between these developments millions of innocents were murdered by the army and as many were displaced bringing the country into a mess. After Kofi Annan bowed out of his role, UN appointed Mr.Lakdhar Brahmi, the renowned mediator to intervene and appeal both the ruling junta and Free Syrian Army the opposition and despite his ceaseless efforts to avert the blood-shed too came a cropper.
Gradually Syria plunged into oblivion and nowadays we are not at all hearing anything about Syrian struggle.
In its place new developments were born like the Islamic State (IS) led by Aboobaker-Al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed Islamic State leader and he himself appointed as Caliph. US with the intention of wiping away the ruthless militant organization from the face of the earth started bombing and killing innocents as well as militants. Unfortunately the Islamic State remains still defiant.
Similarly in Russia developed crisis after crisis after Crimea was annexed by Russia with majority voting in Russia’s favour in the referendum held by Pro-Russian citizens. Then came Ukraine and there too clashes between pro-Russians and pro-govt citizens with the Ukraine govt led by Petro Porshenko, the iron-fisted chocolate king thereby reaching a collision course between the Ukraine govt and Russia. The western powers took sides with Porshenko and imposed somewhat ‘crippling’ sanctions against Russia and G 8 countries expelled Russia resulting in G 7 countries.
And in Pakistan terrorists belonging to Tehreek-E-Taliban Pakistan stormed into an army school at Peshawar and killed a number of children which invited the wrath of entire world.
Last week in Nigeria, Boko-Haram, a hard-core militant outfit, gunned down 2000 citizens and in the history of Nigeria these mammoth numbers are first of its kind.
With Syrian issue relegated to the background more and more developments all blood-chilling and blood-curdling are the order of the day in certain countries.
What I am driving home is the apathy of the world media to forge ahead ignoring to hold a follow up as to where stands Syria now where the civil war broke out in 2011. Similarly many other prominent issues nagging the world are aplenty which are thrown to oblivion like garbage.



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