Thursday, February 9, 2012

Syrian authors condemn 'savage' Homs bombardment



Poet Adonis and novelist Khaled Khalifa speak out against actions of Assad regime

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 9 February 2012

"Two of Syria's most prominent authors have spoken out against the military actions of the regime. Adonis, widely held as the Arabic-speaking world's greatest living poet, has called the artillery bombardment of the city of Homs "savage" and "horrible", while novelist Khaled Khalifa said the regime was committing "genocide".

"It's savage," Adonis said of the bombardment. "It's the logic of all dictatorships – any dictator would do likewise against the people."

The poet, who was imprisoned by the regime for a year in 1955 and now lives in Paris, called for Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad to step down last June, warning that he could not "imprison an entire nation" . But he also criticised elements of the Syrian opposition for its "violent tendencies", leading to criticism from supporters of the revolution.

Speaking to the Guardian at an exhibition of his art in London, Adonis reiterated his call for the opposition to use "only peaceful means – like Gandhi", suggesting that "there is no cause which could justify violence", and pointing out that "violence from the opposition gives a justification for the regime to attack."[This murderous regime does not need justification! It has killed thousands even when the uprising was predominantly peaceful! The children of Der'a were not armed when the uprising started. This bloody regime has to be taken down, by the Syrian people themselves, BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY; got that Mr, Adonis?]....."

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