Regime teaches People a Lesson

The Syrian regime has finally let the army in to Hama to commit a massacre on the people that hasn't seen brutality in the past month due to the fact that there hasn't been any army or security personnel in the city. For an entire month people gathered and protested the regime and went back home peacefully with out causing any trouble and without people being killed. Today alone and so far, 88 people have been killed in Hama alone.

One wonders what the aim of the regime is. Is this some sort of warning that the regime won't stay quiet during the month of Ramadan? or is it its attempt at scaring the people and deterring them from protesting further or to deter them from escalating the protests during the month of Ramadan?

What ever the reason it is nothing less than being barbaric and desperate attempt to gain something, what it is exactly I have no idea. It has lost legitimacy in the eyes of its people, and the Syrian people see nothing more than a bunch of murderous gang running a country.

Rambling about Syria

I was reading Abu Fares' recent blog about his recent visit to Istanbul, where he put forth a question most of us thought about during the past couple of months a lot:

"What if we had democracy in Syria and in the rest of the Arab countries?"

During my last visit to Istanbul I thought the same thing. Why is it that a neighbouring country to Syria can thrive on all levels yet we are still so far behind. I was eager as soon as I stepped foot on Syrian land having just come back from Istanbul and witnessing how magnificent Istanbul is, to be able to make a change in Syria. I queued in a line waiting for my turn in the passport control section to get my passport stamped thinking about all the things I can do to contribute to the development of society in Syria.

I was very excited and everything I thought about seemed real and achievable, until the moment when the person in front of me gave the passport control person 50 syrian pounds to let him pass quickly, my enthusiasm died just as quick as that person passed the passport control section. and I quickly remembered where I was. Not to mention how another person went by the baggage inspection also quickly because his "cousin" apparently works there, or how another person paid a worker in the baggage area to go and get him his bags from behind the conveyor thing. These things just kill your motivation to do things you believe will benefit others and your county.

When I used to travel abroad and come back to Syria I used to feel depressed at the situation the country is in. We all know that the country could be much better than it currently is at. I don't have to travel far to feel that depression, sadness and anger at the way things are in this country, just go to Lebanon and walk in the downtown area. I know that this area of Lebanon is not a reflection of the entire country but even that glimpse of economical/real estate development is not present in Syria.
 
I know that most people think "what can one person do", I don't hold that view, because in my opinion if I move and do something, others will see that someone is trying to do something that they previously thought couldn't be done, they just need someone to prove to them that some things can be done if we put an effort in to it. And then they will move and attempt to contribute. Just like what is happening with all the demonstrations in Syria. We all thought it would be impossible to show dissent to the regime in such a public way until some people decided that this situation cannot remain and decided to take matters in to their own hands.

Until the current demonstrations, I thought that society in Syria was used to being corrupt and materialistic which made individuals in this society that are well off arrogant and egocentric. It is amazing to see how many people go out in demonstrations in Syria to denounce all those sickening attributes of our society. They are not only putting in an effort, but have sacrificed their lives, for the sake of a better future not only for themselves but for Syria. That I think, is the biggest contribution anyone can give to the development of this society.