Bashar Asad’s repressive measures backed by four lakh strong military and the chronic ethnic divide in society is delaying the onset of Arab spring in this highly educated and enlightened country. People of the world especially of the Islamic world are eagerly waiting for the historical moment when Syria will go the way Tunisia and Egypt went.
After Egypt, Syria is the most prominent country which is credited with providing intellectual leadership to the whole Arab world in different fields. But four decades long tyranny by the Asad family supported by 10 per cent Alwite minority and repressive military presence has sapped the intellectual and physical energies of this brave and intelligent country.
Hafiz Asad was perhaps the worst dictator the Arab world has produced in recent times. He was a tyrant to the hilt and credited with infamous 1982 massacre in Hamah in which an estimated 20,000 people lost their lives. Bashar has introduced some reforms in the government and even called a meeting of pro-democracy groups on 27 June. Yet he is regularly using military crackdowns with a vengeance. Up to now more than 1,500 demonstrators have been killed in firings by the security forces. All signs show that Bashar will no longer be able to stem the tide of popular revolt and soon has to yield to popular demands of restoration of democracy and rule of law.
The opposition groups which are consolidating their power are careful enough not to show their open preference for Islam as it would estrange the western powers whose support they require. But it is an accepted fact that the mainspring of their strength is definitely Islamic thinking and the influence of Ikhwanul Muslimoon can be clearly seen in their struggle.
The killings, detentions and crackdowns have miserably failed to deter the ever increasing number of demonstrators who are joining street protests. In some demonstrations the number of participants is reaching up to one lakh. They are facing bullets and valiantly chanting “We want your head, O Bashar”. Every Friday after prayers they assemble in ever growing numbers in most of the major cities and towns and are gaining greater strength. Ramadhan is at hand and it would start in early August. The people will assemble in mosques in greater numbers and their present chant “Friday Everyday” would become a reality soon. The repressive regime is tottering and its days appear to be counted. If spring has come to Tunisia and Egypt, can it be far behind in Syria, the 3000 years old country, which has seen downfall of hundreds of empires. It is for Bashar whether he settles for a negotiated change or a violent one.