REFLECTIONS from an outsider as the Syrian Revolution Enters its Sixth Year

The Syrian revolution (along with other major conflicts like the civil war in South Sudan and the war in Yemen) - with its suffering of so many innocents - has taught me tough life lessons.  The very skin has been scraped off my normally optimistic view of the world, I’ve witnessed that human resiliency is more powerful and constant than the rising and setting of the sun, witnessed that a few people have more courage than I ever could have imagined and that collectively humans seem not to learn from our past.

In the scheme of things I’m not important. Not more important than any other average Josephine. I don’t have extensive training in the politics of the world order. I have a loving family, am competent in my profession as acting chief financial officer for a number of businesses and donate time where I can. Please take that into account when considering what I am about to share. What is informing my opinions and comments is that I’ve volunteered in a very remote, minor capacity in the wheel of aid with Syrian refugees in Jordan for nearly five years.

Further disclaimers – I’m American of French and Italian descent with no Syrian in my background. I’m not a professional relief worker. I simply chose to act by volunteering in a situation I found unfathomable, unconscionable and morally bankrupt all the while watching most of the world stand by doing close to nothing.

Serious aspects of the United Nations are failing horribly. Some are doing a standup job in the most trying of situations.

Specifically, the UN Security Council’s charge is “…maintenance of international peace and security…” (UN Charter, Chapter V, Article 24). The UN Security Council has failed Syrians abominably. One of the Security Council’s member states, Russia, is enacting war crimes on a regular basis since they joined Assad’s genocidal rampage at the end of September of 2015. Bombing hospitals, Red Cross/Red Crescent relief trucks and bombing residents with impunity, just like Assad.  Reform of the Security Council is needed now.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has dealt with the greatest humanitarian crisis of our generation being called to provide relief for 4.8 million externally displaced Syrian refugees and 6.6 million displaced within Syria (Syrian Refugees EU; http://syrianrefugees.eu/ ). That’s 11.3 million people thus far without homes in the Syrian conflict alone. Though the relief provided by the UNHCR hasn’t been perfect, considering the scale and immediacy of the crisis, I applaud their efforts.

I’ve seen firsthand the wonderful work of United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in al Zaatari Syrian refugee camp in Mafraq and other smaller camps within Jordan. They provide a lifeline especially for education within camps, albiet not on the scale needed.

Syria’s Assad has committed war crimes – documented war crimes being readied for the International Criminal Court – on an unprecedented scale before the entire world. Videos of bombing homes, dead bodies on prison floors, bombing relief convoys, etc.  I was horrified for the first year. Sick to my stomach horrified. In incredulous disbelief in the second year. Disbelief that the world knows what it knows and does nothing to stop it. Angry the 3^rd year and depressed the fourth.  Numb the fifth.  If a distant bystander such as I have felt these things, what on earth is happening to the minds and souls in Syria? And the medical staff that treat the never ending flow of horrific injuries?

           Caesar's photos of systemic torture and killing of detained persons by agents of the Syrian   government as displayed at the UN

The saying “Never again” in reference to the Jewish Holocaust is hollow. Because it’s been happening for over five years in full view of the world, documented, recorded and NO ONE has helped stop genocidal Assad. We humans like to live in a world of denial until crap hits us. The only thing we appear to be complaining about now is the influx of refugees. Well, dears, had someone had the moral courage to stop Assad years ago we wouldn’t be dealing with said refugees. They’d be home safe, tucked in their beds. Righteously blame the victims of the horror and whoever else you want. But the fact is we each hold a piece of the blame. Any and everyone who has looked at a picture, read a story about or witnessed the suffering first hand and has done nothing is blameworthy.

I could continue to complain but I won’t because it’s pointless. I’ll be a microscopic piece of the clean-up crew sweeping away the dust of horrors committed by the powerful, continuing (in my fifth year) to make educational packs for Syrian refugee children in the Middle East. Because that’s what I can do. And I’ll continue to raise money for the Syrian American Medical Society, the foremost leader in rebuilding the medical infrastructure and medical underground in Syria because they save lives. And put the brutally broken pieces of humanity back together one suture at a time.   https://www.sams-usa.net/donate/

Video: Syrian American Medical Society: Supporting Medics, Saving Lives, Advocating to End Attacks on Healthcare and Civilians     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab5nWxPsuiQ

St. Patrick’s Day and the Inception of the Syrian Revolution

St. Patrick’s Day and the Inception of the Syrian Revolution share the same week. We all know St. Patrick’s Day, the day the patron saint of Ireland, is honored for his missionary work converting ‘heathens’ to Christianity. The three leaved shamrock which he used to teach heathens – symbolizing the Christian ‘Father, Son and Holy Ghost’ - is still used today to symbolize the Holiday.

Likely not as many know that the Syrian Revolution was born on March 14, 2011 when school boys wrote graffiti on a wall in Daraa, Syria which translates to “The people want to topple the regime.” Their simple written act of defiance was met by unspeakable cruelty, murder, rape, imprisonment, torture, bombings, chemical weapons and barrel bomb attacks by the Assad regime against millions. What was hoped to be part of the optimistic wave of Arab Spring – offering hope to millions – turned into a blood bath that continues today.

While we celebrate St. Patrick’s Christian missionary work, I hope we remember, too, those suffering in Syria and in surrounding nations who have fled for their and their children’s lives.

Blizzard of 2015 in the northeast of the United States. 

Journalists run outside, cameras aimed at the sky to catch snow falling as if we’ve never seen it before. Hurry! Show the snowplow heading down 5th Avenue as if it were Godzilla that has yet to be filmed!

While in Syria barrel bombs fall on children and no one is there to video…and when pictures are snuck out of the country no news outlets – or very few – dare show the pictures of children blown in half. I wonder why…

SAMS White Paper on Implementing UN Cross-Border Aid to Syria under Resolution 2165

The very first time the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) signed an MOU with an United Nations agency to deliver a shipment of aid under Resolution #2165, the delivery truck was destroyed in a targeted air strike shortly before the shipment of UN supplies was scheduled to arrive at a Syrian destination via the Turkish border.

Read SAMS White Paper on Implementing UN Cross-Border Aid to Syria under Resolution 2165 here: https://www.sams-usa.net/foundation/images/PDFs/SAMS%20White%20Paper-%20Implementing%20Cross%20Border%20Aid.pdf

Every child deserves the basic human rights: life, liberty and security...

Baby Jana, born of Syrian parents in Jordan, is lucky. She arrived on planet earth on May 7th in a country where her chances of survival far surpass those of her generation that remain in embattled areas of Syria.

UNHCR United Kingdom photo

Every day children are murdered in Syria. Every day. It's a good day when only 8 die like today.

Every child deserves the basic human rights: life, liberty and security. I pray that someday someone in the international arena will have the moral courage to do what is right by the innocent people in Syria who have experienced the unthinkable for years.

Blessings, protection and love to all.

IMPOTENCE OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL REGARDING SYRIA

United Nations Security Council is toothless…only able to gum out words of condemnation and not able to protect innocent civilians against the genocide happening in Syria at the hands of al-Assad.

Here is a simplistic approach proving the impotence of the UN SC using some of its own resolutions on Syria over a period of two and a half years:

·              4.14.12 UN Security Council Resolution 2042 – calling for cessation of violence in Syria. It’s December 2014. There has been no cessation of violence.

·              4.21.12 UN Security Council Resolution 2043 – calling for cessation of violence in Syria. It’s December 2014. There has been no cessation of violence.

·              5.27.12 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that acts of violence in Syria may account to crimes against humanity or other forms of international crimes…It’s December 2014 and the crimes against humanity and flagrant disregard for international law is still occurring by the Syrian Regime. Sure, other parties may also be carrying out similar crimes but nowhere near the scale of al-Assad.

·              8.7.12 UN General Assembly Resolution 66/253 calling on UN Security Council to uphold is Resolutions 2042 and 2043 It’s December 2014. The SC still has not upheld it’s two 2012 resolutions

·              2.22.14  UN Security Council Resolution 2139 was passed by a unanimous vote of on February 22, 2014.Resolution 2139 called on all parties in the Syrian Civil War to permit free access to humanitarian aid. It’s December 2014. A meager attempt at allowing humanitarian aid into a few areas occurred and were immediately halted due to Assad regime not approving access to humanitarians.

·              7.16.14 United Nations Security Council Resolution 2165 was passed permitting humanitarian access and aid to Syria. It’s December 2014. A meager attempt at allowing humanitarian aid into a few areas occurred and were immediately halted due to Assad regime not approving access to humanitarians.

The UN made these resolutions all the while ‘reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic’.  While al-Assad is on a genocidal rampage. 

Did you see the man holding the sobbing child in Damascus on tonight's MSNBC's news program by Brian Williams highlighting the suffering of children in Syria‬?

How could you heart not be affected?  

As much as it tears my heart I have the honor of doing the same...and then playing with some of those very sad children. 

And I do it with so many of you behind me because it's your aid that comes with me. THANK YOU. 

Let's keep spreading the news and shame the international leaders into action on behalf of the innocent children of Syria!!

HELP US HELP OTHERS: 

http://linkis.com/fundrazr.com/campaig/VgSkI#.Uw-nseeUmZM.twitter

     P.O. Box 164

      Belchertown, MA 01007 USA

1,258 Syrians entered Jordan in a 24 hour period on Monday 3.3.14

I'm heading back to Jordan in two weeks with SCM Medical Missions. I hadn't checked on the number of refugees that have been entering the country of recent so decided to do so. 

A total of 1,258 Syrians entered Jordan in a 24 hour period on Monday.

Jordan is smaller than the state of Indiana and has about 6 million inhabitants - about the same as Indiana.

There are now over 600,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan heading towards a million by the end of the year. Can you imagine the state of Indiana growing by a million in a year and a half?????

The NEED IS IMMENSE. Thanks to all who help.

If you are interested in helping here's one of many ways: 

http://linkis.com/fundrazr.com/campaig/VgSkI#.Uw-nseeUmZM.twitter

11 Residential Districts in Aleppo city pounded by Assad Regime

Post by Dr. Abdulghani Sankari, 12.15.13, posted with permission:

Dear friends, 

Today is one of worst days on civilians in Aleppo city where my family still live in. Barrels of nails and TNT were thrown from military helicopters all day on 11 residential districts in Aleppo city (attached photo) resulting severe injuries and several dozens civilians killed including at least 12 children. The surgeons and ICU doctors are overwhelmed calling for help as they see people dying from their wounds and cannot do anything as all operating rooms are full. Dr Ammar Zakaria one of few anesthesiologists in Syria said today to Telegraph "what is happening in Aleppo is a massacre, my Intensive care unit is full of children" who is also part of ‪#‎Aleppo‬ City Medical Council http://t.co/3SBharZsxi

As American citizens we should ask the administration for not only disarming the chemical weapons as the killing continue using other ugly ways that are considered crimes against humanity by all means. With skepticism starting to loom about Geneva 2 before it is even started I suggest to request the following proposals to congress: 

1- Asking our administration to demand from Russia and other Syria regime allies to put pressure on Assad to stop immediately these massacres and human rights violations. 

2- To put pressure on neighboring countries Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq to control their borders with Syria to stop extremists from entering Syria including Hizballah, and ISIS . 

3- To put more pressure on the regime by more sanctions on every one involved in these crimes and refer them to the international criminal court. 

4- To demand humanitarian corridors to deliver aids and winterization items as a bitter cold weather just started to kill people. 

5- To ask our administration to work with moderate opposition and support them before it is too late. Extremists are taking over opposition controlled areas and that pose a national security risk for United States and allies in the region.

Nelson Mandela, Syrian Revolution and Mother Justice

One man declares that a freedom fighter is a terrorist and look at the hell it creates. Nelson Mandela is an example. I can not imagine spending 27 years in jail for my beliefs. But he did – over a third of his life. He was on a ‘terror’ watch list for years. Yet he became the father of an era free of apartheid and the President of the very country for which he worked as a freedom fighter tirelessly and a great cost.

When a man (or men) in a state of denial uses words to decry something right as wrong, Mother Justice eventually steps in and sets all straight.

There are similarities in Syria. Innocent non-violent protestors were fired upon, raped, tortured and imprisoned and the hell continues – affecting so many innocents. Freedom fighters have been labeled as terrorist by their psychopathic genocidal leader. Be assured that Mother Justice’s wheels are turning and all will be set straight in her time.

Assad thugs DETAIN & TORTURE INFANT & CHILDREN from Daraa!!

Ramtha clinic – SCM Medical Mission – November 2013

I'm just back from volunteering with Syrian refugees in Jordan in collaboration with SCM's Medical Missions. I'll be sharing stories and photos. Here's the first and most horrible. 

Words don't come easy when listening to experiences like the one I'm going to share. You'd think it would get easier but it doesn't. My heart literally stopped beating for a few seconds as I was listening to Dr. Hamed Albiek translate the story this mother was telling us...I swear my heart stopped beating.

A Mom and her three children from Daraa, Syria - two boys ages 4 and 7 and an infant - came into the clinic in Ramtha.

Her husband is in the FSA (Free Syrian Army) fighting the brutal Assad regime. In order to find his whereabouts (as if the Mom would know EXACTLY where her husband was fighting) the Assad regime ARRESTED CHILDREN - her two week old infant, and her two other sons, as well as her mother-in-law and her sister-in-laws. You read that right.

The two boys were tortured and the Mom showed us scars on the back of the neck of the middle son from cigarettes the soldiers used the burn them. Unbelievably still, Assad’s thugs put heroin in the infant’s formula. 

The three children were imprisoned for three months. Mom went to the UN and other organizations in an effort to get help getting her family back - especially her children. She got the attention of Al Arabiyaa TV who interviewed her. With that and the help of the UN she got her children released on the condition that she leave Syria. But her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law are still imprisoned. Prayers for their safety for I can not imagine the horrors that likely are being visited upon them.

The two older brothers are now understandably acting out. The older brother accidentally punctured the left eye of the younger brother with a Sharpie while they were fighting. This amazingly strong woman - who took on the Assad regime to get her kids back and was successfully in doing so - was now looking for psychological support for her tortured children. Thanks to SCM's Medical Missions they will get it.

US Position on Syria = Change Central

News from GP, Global World network.

I'm confused. First the US is outraged by Assad's use of chemical weapons. War drum beating happened building into a crescendo in a weeks time. 

All to be deflated on a Saturday by the POTUS saying he'd wait for a vote from Congress this week. 

Then whirl wind meeting with members of Congress in the interim. 

Then massive news interviews today - likely the most in one day ever by a President. 

And on my way home from picking up medical supply donations I hear that Congress WON'T vote on Wednesday????? I'm so confused. 

Signing out until the next hairpin turn, this is GP.

Dr. Zaher Sahloul on the CW Attacks in Syria

There are still some people who believe that the chemical weapon massacre in Ghouta was not perpetrated by Assad regime! Some believe that it was done by the rebels themselves to fool the "West" so it come to their aid. Some believe that it was a plot that was orchestrated by Israel and Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Some believe that it is the US that has manufactured that massacre in order to intervene and base its intervention on fabricated evidence. Some believe that the number of those died in the massacre is much less than the reported 1429, and that it is only few hundreds. Some believe that the rebels have killed their children and families to lure the US in order to attack Assad. Some believe that it is Iran, Israel and the US who have orchestrated this plan against "us". And of course, Bothaina Shaaban believes that the children who were killed were children brought from the villages in Latakia by the rebels in trucks to the Ghouta area that has been under suffocating siege for the past year.

Ok, let us consider these options. If the regime is not responsible for the chemical weapons attacks in East and west Ghouta, let us imagine how it would, or should, have reacted and compare that to what actually happened?

1.     The regime should have held a press conference next day blaming the attack on the rebels, the terrorists, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Turkey as it has done after Khan Alassal CWA attack in Aleppo in April 2013. This is a great chance for the regime to discredit the rebels once and for all. Instead the regime denied the attack completely as if it did not happen for the first 3 days.

2. SANA and Aldonya and Alakhbareyya would have had seized the moment and had continuous coverage of the massacre by the terrorists and blaming it on Alnusra. Instead there were very minimal or no reporting on the attacks. There were no reporting to blame the rebels until 3 days after the massacre with the stupid coverage of barrels of chemicals that were found somewhere and Syrian army personnel wearing masks. 

3. Syrian TV and its affiliates would have continuous coverage of the victims and their families and how they condemn the rebels and Islamists who committed this heinous crime. Instead the TV had not even one interview of children and families who live 20 minutes from the center of Damascus.

4. The Syrian Ministry of health and all ministries would have announced disaster area and implemented a contingency plan in Damascus hospitals on chemical weapons decontamination and how to deal with potential future attacks by the rebels. The plan would have included training of doctors on dealing with CWA, stocking up hospitals with antidotes and protective gears and educating the public on what to do when the terrorists fire the next chemical weapon barrel. Instead not one hospital in the areas under the regime control including military hospitals have done anything to prepare against such disaster. Let us bare in mind that the first chemical weapon attack blamed on the rebels according to the Syrian regime happened in April in Khan Alasal in Aleppo!

5. The regime would welcomed instant investigation by the UN team that is only 20 minutes away from the fabricated attack. Instead the UN investigators were only allowed after the threat of military strike was clear.

6. The regime would have preserved the "evidence" that will show to the world that Israel and Saudi Arabia and Alqaeeda committed an attack with WMD. Instead the regime fighter jets and artillery continued bombing the area for 5 consecutive days after August 21 as if they want to erase any evidence remained.

6. Assad would have appeared on Syrian TV next day addressing the Syrian people about the heinous crime committed by the terrorists and declaring national day of mourning and conveying his heartfelt sympathies to the children who were killed and their families ( whether they were from Latakia or Ghouta). Instead Assad's first interview was to Russian newspaper about one week after the massacre after the threat of military strike became reality. 

7. Assad would have denied in clear terms that the regime or its troops have ordered or committed the chemical weapon attack. Instead SANA and Assad used vague statements initially like " It is political suicide to commit such massacre while the UN team is in Damascus" or " It is not logical for us to do it" or " We would not need to use chemical weapons because we don't need them to beat the rebels". 

Now any reasonable person after reading this piece will be convinced that the regime is the culprit for the chemical weapon attack that lead to the death of 1429 people including 426 children, except those who chose not to.

Dr. Zaher Sahloul, Chicago Pulmonary Specialist and President, Syrian American Medical Society

Syria and the 4 Geneva Conventions

There were 4 Geneva Conventions - the set of universally ratified "rules of war" governing the conduct of armed forces and protecting non-combatants- the results of which the world powers agreed to abide by in times of war. 

Who is to enforce the rulings to be sure warring parties are abiding by these Conventions???

The Red Cross in July of 2011 declared the obvious: that Syria is engaged in a civil war. This declaration was imperative because that statement proved the crossing of an international legal threshold and the Syrian regime (and all others) would now be held to the Geneva Conventions.

We all know THERE IS NO international body in Syria monitoring events, assuring that civilians are protected and that medical facilities and personnel are protected. We know the Syrian regime is actively and consciously targeting civilians, children, that 50% of the countries hospitals have been destroyed effectively destroying the medical infrastructure of a COUNTRY, etc. I could go on and on. 

The United Nations, the Arab League, the International Red Cross, and the super powers of the world are complicit in what is happening in Syria for all sit by, watch and are not stopping the horrors that are occurring. I continue to be heartbroken, to plead that something be done, and do my entirely small almost immeasurable part in trying to alleviate suffering. 

PLEASE WORLD…GROW UP. HAVE A BACKBONE. DO WHAT YOU KNOW SHOULD BE DONE.

Photo courtesy of Mohamad Ojjeh. Taken July 2013, Camp Zeitouna, Refugee Camp, Atmeh, Syria

Video - Beginning of the Syrian Revolution March 18, 2011

Video footage of the beginning of the Syrian revolution. Protests in Daraa resulted in Syrian regime soldiers firing upon and capture of protesters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uPzkoQW_X2A

Syrian revolution beginning & today

Syrian youth’s response to the Arab Spring in Daraa unknowingly sparked the beginning of the Syrian revolution. The graffiti on the building and wall in this picture are slogans written by a number of youth that translate "The people want the fall of the regime". 15 year old teens - inspired by events in Tunisia & Egypt and after years of oppression - wrote those words. Despite their tender age, they were arrested & subjected to torture for several weeks by Assad regime security services. Families, friends and other citizens of Daraa came out in droves to protest. 

March 18, 2011, during peaceful protests, regime security forces fired on the massive, peacefully protesting crowds resulting in the first murders by the regime. The violent, explosive response by the government to peaceful protesting caused more Syrians to protest and soon spread through cities all over Syria. Two years later, over 71,000 deaths, hundreds of thousands detained, 1.2 million refugees scattered throughout the Middle East and at least 2.5 million internally displaced and the world still watches and allows the Assad regime to snipe, murder, bomb and torture his people. 

When will humanity mature and demand that violence enacted by a government against the majority of its people not be tolerated? We’ve seen this happen in other parts of the globe and in our not so distant past…yet it continues… 

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it -- always.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

VIDEOS - Tent fire in Zaatari March 8, 2013

Tents on fire in Zaatari caused by gas heater leak. - Fortunately no one was injured and the fires successfully extinguished.

During:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ESqFtScv7wI

After:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MLiJMGBwKjI#!

Resilient, resourceful women at Zaatari Syrian refugee camp

Look at these resilient, resourceful women. They are Syrian refugees in Zaatari camp in Mafraq, Jordan. With support they've formed a women's knitting & crocheting cooperative to help support their families! I was honored to be able to sit and talk with them.

Syria - Why do I care?

Because of my deep passion for the Syrian situation I have been repeatedly asked if I have a Syrian background, have loved ones in Syria or if I once lived there. The answer to each of those questions is no. 

I love people and abhor injustice. What is happening in Syria (and other countries) is beyond unjust. We live in a time when we should have matured beyond our current limited global political development. We should not stand for a leader of a country imprisoning, torturing, sniping, bombing and targeting civilians with SCUD missiles. Spiritual and moral bankruptcy is all that comes to mind.

Quantum physics shows that we are all one. What separates us are our beliefs, egos and fears. Nothing physical. What patch of the earth we are born on doesn’t change our human status.

We are humans first above all else. There’s so much more that binds us than separates us. We are global citizens of planet earth. When one human suffers we all suffer. How one can especially view children being sniped, tortured, bombed, and in agony and not be moved is beyond my comprehension.

Syrians are some of the most loving people I have ever met. They are my sisters and brothers. What happens to them happens to me. That is the foundation of my passion.

Gina Panzieri

ginasp@charter.net

http://ginanickjordan.blogspot.com/

In collaboration with:

Syrian American Medical Society

http://sams-usa.net/sams-launches-save-syrian-lives-campaign-sslc/