The lukewarm international response to the plight of Syrians caught between the evil regime and the equally brutal radicals, forces one to believe that death caused by chemical weapons is perhaps more painful than the one caused by stabbing with a dagger. Observers may recall the swift international response when reports about use of chemical weapons against Syrian civilians had emerged. It was a commendable move but what is preventing the international community to swing into action against Assad’s evil regime now. Having said that, it would be important to mention that the result of that move has only given Assad a new lease on life.
The brute is using all dirty tricks in the book to prolong his reign. Torture, barrel bombs, besiegement of civilian areas leading to deaths due to hunger and what not! Is the world waiting for Assad to unleash nuclear terror on hapless civilians? Well, the world does not have to wait for that to happen. Assad does not need to do that. He is doing it the easy way (for him, of course)!
With the mention of the village called Yarmouk heart-rending images of babies freezing to death and people dying of hunger like animals come to one’s mind. Humanitarian aid was not allowed to reach the poor civilians. We thought now this will prove to be last straw on the camel’s back. Nope, people in Homs and some parts of Aleppo also had to endure the same hardships. Perhaps the world needs more to wake from its deep slumber. Hopefully, that happens before Syrians become extinct. God forbid!
The cease-fire agreements following the “failed” Geneva 2 conference were aimed at ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid into Homs but repeated violations of cease-fire have hampered the supply of aid.
A report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in recent weeks contains incriminating evidence that the regime is targeting civilians in Aleppo. According to Ole Solvang of the HRW, there is evidence that civilian regions had been “deliberately” targeted, particularly in airstrikes that had intensified after Nov. 23, 2013. Solvang, researcher and security adviser for HRW, said that many women and children lost their lives, particularly in aerial assaults between Dec. 15 and 18. Unfortunately, everybody appears to be more interested in the political aspect of the Syrian crisis. Analysts are extensively writing on Assad’s wickedness, the radical elements fighting each other and the ghost country that Syria has become.
This writer, however, intends to focus on the humanitarian aspect of the crisis. It is the civilians who always suffer the most from such dirty wars and power struggles. It is a fact that numerous aid convoys and UN aid teams are trying to supply aid to various regions through Turkey but the strategy, whatever it is, that the world powers have adopted in dealing with Assad is sending out a clear message: “We know you are doing all this without caring about the world, but we are not going to take any action.” As long as this attitude continues, the civilians will never be safe. If not today, they will be dragged into another drama tomorrow. Do not forget they are not just in a war zone; they are the prime targets. Human rights organizations act with the idea of “respect for those who wish to remain in their country.” Of course, respect must be shown, but the Syrian situation is different.
The inhuman conditions under which the Syrians are forced to live require a different approach. They cannot be left to rot in their hometowns at the mercy of state and non-state actors in the drama being played on the Syrian stage. Letting them stay only means sentencing them to death.
The keyword is evacuation. The US, the EU and the Middle Eastern countries seeking a solution for Syria can put forward a proposal to Russia: A corridor to be opened to the regions in question must be placed under the control of Russian and UN troops and the Syrians must be settled in neighboring countries without being registered by Assad. There is no logic in knowingly leaving civilians in areas where they are the sole targets. It is also pointless to expect to come to an agreement on this issue with the Assad regime. No matter how difficult, this problem can be solved with the help of Russia.Evacuation of civilians means a huge influx of refugees. We Turks have never referred to the Syrians who come to our country as refugees; we call them guests. We have built an immaculate refugee camp, referred to by Mac McClelland in a piece in the New York Times “How to Build a Perfect Refugee Camp.” We will, therefore, continue to embrace our guests. However, it would be wrong for the international community to ignore the situation of those countries assuming such a great responsibility. The UN, the US and the EU countries must raise funds for all such countries. The UN must chalk out a strategy to effectively deal with the situation.
• The writer is a commentator on Turkish tv & a columnist.
