Article by Hind in Omega News

Syria

http://www.omeganews.info/?p=893

November  21, 2011

After eight months of conflict in Syria between the government and the protestors the result is 3600 dead, thousands in jails, hundreds in hiding. It is obvious how the gap is getting bigger between the pro-government people and the anti-government people, sometimes in the same family, in the same circle of friends, in the same classes, and places of work. The gap is getting bigger within the Syrian society, and today there is hate and more and more wounds.

In some areas of Syriaanti-government people are grieving their losses, at the same time that pro-regime people are celebrating in public places with singing.

Something happened a few days ago at the European University that must give us pause. We need to stop what we are doing, and start thinking again of what will happen to our beloved Syria. The crackdown of the security services on those student protestors who are anti-regime came down to giving pro-regime students electrical prods and sticks, and they told them to take charge of the violence the next time the anti-government protestors begin. While the security services were beating the students in the bus the pro-government students were singing and dancing for the president.

Where can we go from here? We will be facing a big problem in our new Syria in the long run, the students who got beaten will never forget their fellow students and former friends who reported on them or who danced while they were getting beaten. Parents and families who lost their loved ones will never forget those who did not show any sign of mercy for their losses and grieving.

We need to look forward, we need to dream of something better together. After eight months of this horror today should mark the start of a program on how we should live together in a new Syria. In our priority list for our new Syria is reconciliation between people.

Forgiveness is the key. Forgiveness for those who brought accusations against each other, forgiveness from the people who lost their children to the ones who did not care. Forgiveness should be between the people from all walks of life.

Today is the beginning of thinking about what will be the best way to express to all parties that we need to live together.

We need to start a new method of relations,in order to give the people a way out, to tell everyone that they are still very welcome in the society and we could forgive them. We need the South African method of forgiveness and acceptance, a commitment to live together when this all ends.

It should be the beginning of addressing the wounds that affected many people, and the beginning of working hard on the differences between us all.This should be the beginning of working against stereotypes and for the acceptance of the other, even if the ‘other’ means the Muslim Brothers, the Syrian Electronic Army, the Baathists, Communists or the Syrian national parties.It should be the beginning of having a new Syria that includes all of us, it is the beginning of the end of one ruling party, and instead we all rule together.

Reconciliation between Syriansis the number priority in our new Syria, and it must be at the top of the list of things to do after the violence ends.

Hind Aboud Kabawat
Senior researcher/ Conflict Diplomacy
Centre of Religion and Diplomacy
George Mason Univeristy