Protesters were hoping Ramadan would prove a turning point, yet the powerful regime managed to quash most dissent.
By Nir Rosen
Al-Jazeera
This is the final instalment of a three-part feature by Al Jazeera journalist Nir Rosen. For the previous chapters, click here: Ghosts in the mosques [part one], Syria's symphony of scorn [part two].
"....
No end in sight
I went to Bab Omar the following night with a friend. His eight-year-old son whispered shyly in his ear, asking him if he could come with us to the protest.
The opposition had hoped Ramadan would be a turning point, but it was soon coming to an end. Contrary to their hopes, the Syrian regime had succeeded in limiting protests, and it was the Libyans who were celebrating, thanks to international military intervention. The opposition was slowly beginning to believe that, without an armed rebellion or international military support, they may never overthrow the powerful regime.
Thousands gathered in Bab Omar for the demonstration. They changed the words of a song called "Where are the millions," by the Arab nationalist pop star Julia Boutros. "Where, where, where are the millions," they sang, "Millions of Arabs? Where are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the Emirates? Where is the no fly zone? See what happened in Kafar Susah?"
As I watched them, I remembered how regime supporters described protesters as Islamic extremists. "Look, a terrorist!" a local guide pointed at a young demonstrator and smiled as he mocked regime propaganda. The men danced in a circle while one demonstrator played a drum. They sent salutations to Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya and Sheikh Adnan al Arur. They damned the Syrian media. They burned a picture of Bashar al-Assad.
"The people want the execution of the president!" they shouted. "The people want a no-fly zone!"
"It’s written on our flag - Bashar is a traitor to the nation!"
One man with a microphone pretended to be al-Assad, and offered the demonstrators whatever they wanted in order to placate them.
He then asked them what they wanted. In thunderous unison, he got his answer: "Go!""
By Nir Rosen
Al-Jazeera
This is the final instalment of a three-part feature by Al Jazeera journalist Nir Rosen. For the previous chapters, click here: Ghosts in the mosques [part one], Syria's symphony of scorn [part two].
"....
No end in sight
I went to Bab Omar the following night with a friend. His eight-year-old son whispered shyly in his ear, asking him if he could come with us to the protest.
The opposition had hoped Ramadan would be a turning point, but it was soon coming to an end. Contrary to their hopes, the Syrian regime had succeeded in limiting protests, and it was the Libyans who were celebrating, thanks to international military intervention. The opposition was slowly beginning to believe that, without an armed rebellion or international military support, they may never overthrow the powerful regime.
Thousands gathered in Bab Omar for the demonstration. They changed the words of a song called "Where are the millions," by the Arab nationalist pop star Julia Boutros. "Where, where, where are the millions," they sang, "Millions of Arabs? Where are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the Emirates? Where is the no fly zone? See what happened in Kafar Susah?"
As I watched them, I remembered how regime supporters described protesters as Islamic extremists. "Look, a terrorist!" a local guide pointed at a young demonstrator and smiled as he mocked regime propaganda. The men danced in a circle while one demonstrator played a drum. They sent salutations to Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya and Sheikh Adnan al Arur. They damned the Syrian media. They burned a picture of Bashar al-Assad.
"The people want the execution of the president!" they shouted. "The people want a no-fly zone!"
"It’s written on our flag - Bashar is a traitor to the nation!"
One man with a microphone pretended to be al-Assad, and offered the demonstrators whatever they wanted in order to placate them.
He then asked them what they wanted. In thunderous unison, he got his answer: "Go!""
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