Social media exposes moral bankruptcy of Assad and allies

Echoing the catastrophic state of affairs of the Syrian people in Madaya (outskirts of Damascus), on January 6, a Syrian girl decided to write her will instead of writing a story about life and her future aspirations. She drew a picture of herself in a tomb and penned the following: ‘Please, my mother, keep remembering me. Remember my endless laughter. My sister, say to my friends that I died while I was hungry. My brother, please don’t be saddened because of my death. Remember when you and I used to cry out because of hunger, Oh Angel of death take my soul so that I can eat in Paradise, as I am extremely hungry. Not to worry everyone I will eat for you in Paradise as much as I can’. (Translated from a report in Arabic by AlArabi TV)Early last week social media networks, as well satellite TV cameras, unveiled the terrible reality in Madaya and other besieged towns in Idlib province. Over 40 000 civilians have been reportedly besieged by the Hezbollah militia and the Syrian regime, with no food or medical supplies getting through for months. The only humanitarian support residents of the town received was back in October 2015.

Ironically it was reported that among the parcels were expiring biscuits. So far 43 people died of hunger, and hundreds were admitted to hospitals for dizziness caused by the lack of food and drink. Scores of people have resorted to salt and water and the few and far between edible leaves of trees to stay alive!

The speedy development of social media networksduring the last decadehas opened up new avenuesfor marginalised groups,especially in conflict zones. The new forms of online campaigning for instance, which have been attributed various terms such as “Cyberactivism,” “Internet Activism,” “Electronic Advocacy,” “Electronic Resistance,” or “Electronic Intifadah” (in the Palestinian context) constitute facets of this development.

All of these emergent terminologies have signified the potential of the internet platforms for the circulation of information, organizing public relations campaigns, connecting members, calling for action and organizing protest movements. In the Syrian case, social media has certainly proven instrumental in exposing the regime’s atrocities since the beginning of the war. The world would not have been able to witness in details the crimes against humanity that the regime apparatuses have been inflicting on civilians if it was not for citizen journalists.

One may also refer to the dimension proposed by Manuel Castells, who anticipated that the rise of social media networks will contribute to a change in power relations within society. The fact that human rights or political/apolitical activists have tens of thousands of members as friends or followers on their Twitter and Facebook pages has meant that such individuals have become potential competitors to media organisations in spreading news content. The current campaign to report on the besieged Syrians started via social media networks but soon turned viral. Global support initiatives were then launched in Europe, US and various Arab and Asian countries. The campaigns revealed the ugliness of the war in Syria but also the moral and ethical bankruptcy of the Syrian regime’s power structure and its associates.

Overall, the reverberation of the appalling reality has shocked the world and uncovered the utter ugliness of what Sunni civilians in Syria have been going through,crimes perpetrated by a brutal regime and its allies. Instead of shielding civilians,the militia reportedly offers (or blackmails)Madaya residents into selling their land for very cheap prices in exchange for food.

According to Samir Ali, a member of the local council,civilians weregiven the mafia like option of selling their land for a pittance in order to buy their safety.

As of last week, the Syrian regime keeps denying its responsibility for this humanitarian disaster. However social media networks have proven these denials erroneous. Witnesses on the ground testify to the systematic siege that the regime and its allies are placing on their towns and villages, supported by the air cover of the Russian army.

Beyond the argument about why Hezbollah is interfering in the Syrian territory, what is taking place in Madaya will remain yet another stain on the image of the Bashar regime and the foreign militia aiding him. There is no pride in starving people to death in order to subdue them.It is rather a cowardly act to bring to slow death old people, women and children. Neither there is any pride when the militia supporters recently launched a social media campaign on Twitter titled in Arabic which reads ‘In solidarity with the siege of Madaya’.

In spite of all adversity, the Madyan people have shown a robust and courageous will in challenging their oppressors. Bashar Al Assad who accused his people four years ago of moral failure because they dared rise against him, is now himself displaying extreme moral failure for starving his own people to death.

However, beyond this tragic chapter in the history of the current war in Syria, the UN should enforce a long term solution that saves tens of thousands of civilians from further displacement or even demise. One hundred days of Russian bombardment have resulted in total destruction of whole quarters in various towns and villages. Most of the casualties are civilians, and the key target has been the Syrian opposition instead of ISIS; something which raises interesting questions about the real motive of the Russian military intervention as well as the capacity of the U.N. to stop this war-mongering from further destroying what is left of Syria and its people.

This article was first published on January 12, 2016 by thepeninsulaqatar.com.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.