by Marwa
So many thoughts have been running through my mind these past couple days. While most people my age right now are mainly concerned with final exams, research papers, and projects, I carry a heavier burden. To add to my struggle to attain a degree in my field of study, I am also faced with the war which is occurring in my country of Syria. The country that I am also from, the United States of America, the country which I was born and raised in, the country that taught me and provided me with my education, the country with all my memories, has been making it quite difficult for me to live a life free of guilt.
For the past 21 months, I have been declaring to the world that what is happening in Syria is not a mere revolution. Actually, it IS NOT a revolution, and never was a revolution. There is a much bigger plan for Syria which outside forces want to carry out. The “revolution” flag, which I despise with all my heart, was brought back and declared the flag of the Syrian people. Have the Syrians who carry this flag forgotten the history of this flag? Have they forgotten the colonization that the French imposed on us? The injustices that were brought down upon us? The plan to DIVIDE Syria into three different provinces, based on SECT!? Have they forgotten the struggle of their grandparents? Have they forgotten the blood of their great uncles and family members which have been soaked up by Syrian soil? Have they forgotten the oppression our people, MY people, were faced with under this flag?
The opposition argues that there is much oppression and injustice from the current government of Syria. The fact of the matter is that any government has oppression, corruption, and injustice; this is an inevitable fact. However, it is NOT a reason for any civilian to pick up arms against the government. Dialogue is always an option. For those who argue that there is no freedom of speech in Syria, I will argue that this is a lie! You are allowed to say and express how you feel, in a matter which is respectable, and which is neither VIOLENT nor threatening! If you speak and follow those requirements, you will be fine! Yes, I agree, there needed to be improvements made within the government and Syrian society, and the government was working on that! There was unbelievable progress made in Syria from the year 2005. The modernization of Syria was at an all time high, and Syria was SAFE!
In the past 21 months, all this work has been lost. The hope of the Syrian people is at a low, and there is no way to help. Food prices are soaring through the roof. The price of gas and oil is at an all time high, and due to the security situation, there is no work, and thus, the economy is failing. Due to the security situation, children are forced to stay at home and not attend schools. EDUCATION! SYRIANS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR EDUCATION! We are the ones who taught the Arabs how to read and write! We are the ones who lifted our Arab brethren when they knew nothing but their tribal affiliations! Yet, those who we have civilized are trying to argue that we are an uncivilized people and need to be “liberated”. Let me remind these leaders, that we are the ones who had liberated the Arab world from ignorance, and will continue to rid the Arab and Muslim world of this rampant ignorance so long as we roam the earth.
I had quite a few days to ponder on the US decision to raise the Occupation flag and recognize the “Coalition” as being the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. However, as far as I know and am concerned, the people who recognize the “Coalition” are a minority of Syrians, mainly expatriates and members of the Muslim Brotherhood who wish to impose some sort of Islamic law and society in Syria. Last I checked the majority of Syrians in Syria, recognize the current government as being their representative throughout the world, and recognize the FLAG OF SYRIA; the flag that currently waves throughout Syria, as being their representative. So, who is the United States to dictate who the representative of the Syrian people is? If they wish to give Syrians a democracy, why hasn’t the true voice of the Syrian people been heard? Why do they continue to suppress the truth and arm rebels in Syria whom are killing innocent civilians and children? These rebels plan their attacks thorougholy and carefully in order to kill as many civilians as possible, usually attacking in the early mornings when the streets are filled with people going to work and school. It is quite ironic that just one day before recognizing the “Coalition” as the representative of the Syrian people, the United States government had listed one An-Nusra group as being a terrorist organization. Did the United States government fail to realize and understand that this group works with the “Coalition”? The leader of the “Coalition” is begging the United States to take this group off the terrorist list. Is that not a red flag for the American people? That radicals are spreading throughout the Middle East? For me, as a Syrian, this information is nothing to me. If the United States decides to recognize the “Coalition” as the representative of the Syrian people, that is their prerogative, but they have no weight anymore, because at the end of the day, the United States has to deal with the SYRIAN GOVERNMENT. This government is the government of the country of Syria. This is the government which represents the Syrian people. I will not have a foreign source dictate to me who my representative is. Actually, to me that seem that it is a form of imperialism, IMPOSING A REPRESENTATIVE ONTO MY COUNTRY, when I have made a decision as to who I want to support.
I am Syrian as much as I am American. I am stuck in the middle trying to educate the people in the west about the truth in Syria. My word holds more weight than any member of the opposition. I have benefited a lot from the American government, and although I may criticize it at times, I would never advocate for its destruction. I am not one who bites the hands which feeds me. However, those members of the opposition, they are traitors to the country and to their homeland. While they live their comfortable lives, partying, eating and drinking, travelling to Dubai and enjoying new cars and new technology, Syrians suffer. The people they are sympathizing with, suffers. They have no compassion. They are doing all this not for the benefit of Syria or Syrians, they are looking for their own personal benefit, believing that they will take control and office of Syria and develop it as they please, in their vision. They took from the state free education and good lives, and they leave and then try to build a case and call on FOREIGN INTERVENTION, while they are safe away from harm.
I cry night and day for my people. I feel guilt when I eat, because I know that there are Syrians who do not have food right now due to the sanctions that the Syrians overseas had BEGGED their governments to impose. I feel guilt when I laugh, while I know that there are children in Syria who are cold and who could not enjoy Eid and Hanukah, and will not enjoy Christmas next week. I understand that those sanctions which are imposed on Syria do not have an impact on the Syrian government. Government members have plenty of food, and heat and they do not feel the suffering of the people. Those who feel the suffering are the PEOPLE, the innocent civilians of Syria. Every member of Syrian society is part of my family. I feel for all of them. I am suffering with them despite the almost 6000 miles between us. I live a comfortable life while my people suffer, the least I can do for them is fight for their right to LIVE. And while people in Syria try to run away from these problems and go to different countries, leaving Syria to fend for herself, I vow, and others like me throughout the world, vow to come back to Syria and build it from the ground-up. We were educated in the west and speak different languages which will benefit Syria, and we have seen the TRUTH throughout the world, and we promise, we promise that Syria will not fall. We promise to bring Syria back to where it was and beyond. There are many who say that it will take a minimum of 50 years to bring Syria back to where it was 21 months ago, I say that they are wrong! They do not know the will of the Syrian people and the love that the Syrians possess for Syria. We will work night and day to bring back the Syria we know and love, and it will not take us 50 years, I promise you that. We will not leave Syria alone, we’re coming back.
To the World: I am SYRIAN, and the COALITION does NOT represent me!
Friends of Syria 