The Free Spirit of the Syrian People Will Prevail

[UndertheOcean]

By: Rafif Jouejati
Published Friday, December 9, 2011
He lay in the street, bleeding to death, wondering if anyone would – or could – come to his rescue. All around him, he could hear the screams of men, women, and children as they took off running. A sniper was firing from a rooftop nearby. The deafening rat-tat-tat of gunfire from the troops surrounding the city was fading in and out. His lips moved, as if in silent prayer. His body finally relaxed as he began a new journey.

Did I witness this with my own eyes? No. But watch any video clip of the uprising in Syria, and you’ll see something very similar. It could have been Ghiath Matar, the young non-violent activist who offered flowers and drinking water to soldiers minutes before they arrested him. Or perhaps it was Ibrahim Qashoush, the performer who delighted Syrians around the world with his Yalla Irhal Ya Bashar (Get Out Bashar) song, now a hallmark of the revolution



Alas, Ghiath Matar’s lifeless body, subjected to unspeakable torture, was returned to his family 3 days after his arrest. Ibrahim Qashoush’s larynx was cut out. Their crimes? Protest. Free expression. A loudly stated desire for change. In Assad-speak, the charges are “Undermining the morale of the state.” “Unlawful protest.” “Armed gangs.”

The initial protests, back in March 2011, were about restoring dignity to the Syrian people. Since then, protesters’ demands have grown in direct proportion and response to the regime’s brutality.


Remainder at Link : http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/free-spirit-syrian-people-will-prevail