|
J. Grant Swank, Jr. Some thought that when Syrian President Hafez Assad died in 2000, his son, Bashar, would keep to his promise of modernizing his country. If beating up a lawyer who defends political prisoners is modernizing the nation, then there’s not much hope for Bashar’s definition of loosening up for fairness’ sake. "’I've been defending political prisoners since 1992,’ Anwar al Bounni, lawyer for political prisoners, said in an interview just 24 hours before he was attacked. ‘It is dangerous, but nothing will change here without a price. If the international community takes its eyes off Syria, the regime will kill the opposition in the streets.’" "’. . .killing in the streets. . .’" That mode for social (mis)behavior is why there are many around the world who don’t take Bashar seriously. They believe that Syrian oppression will continue, the despotic state will not let up, and legalistic Islam will hold the grip, including leveling injustices against females. "A brutal beating delivered last week to Anwar al Bounni, one of the few lawyers who dares to represent political prisoners before Syria's security court, indicates that after a brief ‘Damascus Spring,’ the administration of President Bashar Assad is cracking down on dissent," according to London Daily Telegraph’s Harry de Quetteville. Attorney al Bounni, one of the very few left to defend political prisoners, was driving through the Damascus streets. Vehicles cut him off. He was yanked from his car, beaten, then left. The recent UN report points to Syria’s higher echelon being involved in the February 14 car bombing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Harini and 20 others in Beirut. Some believe that Bashar’s brother and brother-in-law were definitely involved in the murders. When the UN report details were telecast, Syrian grassroots hardly gave it a moment’s attention. If they did, it was mostly pro-President reaction. The people have become used to the antiquated dictatorship, including their oppressive Islamic definition of "religion." "Mr. al Bounni's beating was the second ‘message’ he has received this month. He had just emerged from hiding after what he described as a crude ‘sting’ operation designed to discredit him. "Earlier this month, he said, a woman threw herself at him as he left court ‘and said I had assaulted her. Suddenly the police and ambulances emerged from out of nowhere. The regime wanted to make a criminal out of me, so I went into hiding.’" When reading of al Bounni’s courage, it is inspiration for others globally to carry on the freedom spread set forth by US President George W. Bush. The enemy magnetized to bloodletting works day and night to see through its hellish schemes. All the more the liberty enthusiasts must stand by their democracies. Freedoms don’t just happen. Liberty does not simply stay in place. There has to be sacrifice and vigilance maintained or the foe overwhelms to extinguish democracy’s light. It is sad that the US Democratic Party does not realize this. It is a gross disappointment to thinking people that the mainstream liberal media does not work harder for the freedom spread, supporting Mr. Bush in his efforts. Instead, they side with the enemy of democracy by muting the progress made for freedom. Yet the al Bounnis of the world keep on with their fight for justice, sometimes against severe odds. Copyright © MichNews.com. All Rights Reserved.
|