"People Are Dying"
"We discussed this several times and I can't think of anything that I would have done differently from him. It is definitely a very, very difficult mission." Lakhda Brahimi, Algerian diplomat, UN envoy to Syria
His predecessor, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan spoke to his friend Lakhda Brahimi, recently appointed by the UN to take over the role of envoy to Syria, of the "brick wall" that he faced in attempting to bring peace between the Alawite regime of President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian rebels. "I'm standing in front of the same wall. I don't see a crack", said Mr. Brahimi in an interview.
The prospect of intervening between the regime and the revolution is one he finds most daunting, a fearsome outlook. Although he agreed that he would try. As a public duty. He has had similar experiences as an envoy to Iraq and to Afghanistan. As an Algerian, after all, living right next door to Syria, relations between the two countries have always been firm and mutually supportive.
Perhaps no longer, not now.
"People are already saying, 'People are dying, what are you doing? Indeed, we are not doing much. That in itself is a terrible weight."
Even as he spoke in the BBC interview, Syrian warplanes were bombing targets in Aleppo and surrounding areas. A car-bomb exploded near Damascus. Violence is never-ending, capturing and ensnaring the civilian population. Sixty-two people died in Aleppo, killed when al-Bab and other neighbourhoods were under serial attack. Another 57 died in Daraa. A mass grave with 43 bodies was discovered in al-Hirak.
And in the south-east of Damascus where large Druze and Christian communities live, supportive of the Alawite regime, and fearful of their fate should the opposition Sunni come to power, a car bomb exploded. There is no end to the slaughter, to the incessant attacks, to the disaster that is enveloping Syria, as tens of thousands of desperate civilians leave their homes to become refugees in over-burdened Jordan, Iraq and Turkey.
And, of course, it hasn't helped Lakhda Brahimi that he has refused the Arab League's position that President al-Bashar must step down to leave room for negotiations leading to a cessation of hostilities between the regime and the opposition.
Labels: Arab League, Conflict, Political Realities Middle East, Syria, Tragedy, United Nations
posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, September 05, 2012
<< Home