Protesters in Syria’s southern Sweida province said on Saturday they will continue to hold peaceful rallies until their demand for the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 2254 is met.
They also dismissed Washington’s statement that it was “greatly concerned” after the killing of a protester by security forces and over the “excessive use of force”.
Local sources in Sweida told Asharq Al-Awsat that “no one in the province is counting on a reaction from” the United States.
“It and other influential countries have only expressed their concern from the moment the first protest took place in Syria. Even after all the destruction and dozens of massacres that have taken place across the country, all they had was concern and sanctions that they claim target the regime, but all they have done was stifle and kill the Syrians,” they added.
Washington and the international community have left Syria completely exposed to Iran and Russia, while all they do is worry, they stated.
Moreover, they stressed that the protests that have been ongoing in Sweida for seven months are peaceful. Not a single violent incident has been reported.
All the people want are their legitimate rights under the constitution and law, they declared.
After 13 years of war, destruction, blood, division and looting of resources, they are not counting on international statements of sympathy, they added.
Furthermore, the Sweida protesters are upset with Washington’s position from the killing of Palestinians in Gaza.
“Israel is committing violations and massacres against hundreds of Palestinians and for all the world to see. We have not heard a condemnation from Washington. So how can we believe its condemnation of the killing of a civilian in Sweida?” wondered the sources.
The US embassy in Syria had on Friday said: “We are greatly concerned with the regime's use of excessive force against peaceful protestors in Sweida.”
“We regret the loss of civilian life and offer condolences to all those harmed, and to their families. Syrians in Sweida and everywhere deserve peace, dignity, security and justice,” it added.
On Saturday, dozens of people took to the streets of Sweida to declare that their protests will remain peaceful, days after demonstrators broke into government and Baath party offices.
On Wednesday, security forces opened fire at demonstrators to disperse them, leaving one person, Jawad al-Barouki, dead from a chest wound, according to videos circulated by activists on opposition media.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said people gathered in Sweida’s al-Karama square on Saturday to declare that they will continue to hold peaceful protests. They also called for “freedom, the ouster of the regime, implementation of resolution 2254 and release of detainees.”
