AI: Neil Sammonds: "I have not seen a people so brave as the Syrians"

[tabatha]

Neil spoke Sammonds three days ago with a witness of the massacre in the village of Hula Syrian. It is the researcher at Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa and maintains a network of informants spread across the country to re-enter banned five years ago. The witness told him the first attack against a demonstration opposing the regime of President Assad that caused several deaths, to the retaliation end "of the militia loyal to the dictator and the secret service" against the population, caused, for the most part , murder of children and women, through the bombing of the Army into a neighborhood. Sammonds argues that there are more bodies from the 108 counted in the rubble of demolished houses.

"It's the worst massacre since the town began to take to the streets demanding their rights [in 2011]," says the London cooperating 42, who has worked for Amnesty or as an English teacher in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Egypt , Bahrain, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Eritrea. "I have not ever seen a people so brave as the Syrian, who is taking to the streets demanding their rights. And faces a harsh repression at a rate that has more than 40 years supporting his country in a state of emergency , a dictatorship of Bashar and his father, supported by one of the major world powers like Russia, a highly trained army ... ", describes Sammonds.

Most are against the Syrian regime, said. According to AI handles the calculations, the Government of El Asad has a backing of between 20% and 25%. "These people still believe the lies he tells the government and that the killing was the work of Hula terrorist groups. Most do not, but fear for his life or being tortured. In a 1987 report were already collected 38 methods of torture. Everyone there knows it, "explains Sammonds at the University of Valencia, hours before participating at the close of the campaign can not repress the spring.

http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2012/05/30/actualidad/1338392817_576660.html

[marybourg]

1. Is this from google translate?

[tabatha]

2. Yes.

There are some things not quite right. I think the link goes to the original.

[pampango]

3. They are quite impressive to keep up large scale protests for this many months in the face

of the type of repression that the military, police and security services have brought to bear.

Kudos to the Syrians. I hope this ends well for you. Not just in getting rid of your current dictator but in replacing him with a government that better respects your rights.