Saturday, March 24, 2012

Kofi Annan’s Peace Plan


by Farid Ghadry

In a speech given by Secretary General of the UN Ban-Ki Moon in Indonesia, he said of Syria:

“We do not know how events will unfold, but we do know that we all have a responsibility to work for a resolution of this profound and extremely dangerous crisis … that has potentially massive repercussions for the region and the world.”

So after one year of Syrian civilian loss of life at the hands of a brutal and barbaric regime, and the west resisting to defend the civilian Syrian population by arming the FSA, which invited the extreme Salafis to take matters in their own hands, the world suddenly is made aware of its mistake. Suddenly, it could have “potentially massive repercussions for the region and the world”.

In the meantime, ex-Secretary General of the UN Kofi Annan‘s six point peace plan has been endorsed by almost everyone involved in the Syrian tragedy. Everyone seems to have hit the panic button at the same time because they all can see how indecisiveness has led to the invitation of more terror. The White House should have helped the Free Syrian Army to free Syria, but instead it invited, with its laissez-faire policies, more deaths by Assad, Salafis to terrorize Syria, and turned many Syrians into extremists.

However, no one seems to have bothered to ask the Syrian street, the most essential party to this deal, for an opinion. If the FSA or the SNC [Syrian National Council] choose to go against the street’s will, Syrians will fight on their own. Kofi Annan does not understand the seething anger in Syria today not only against the Assad regime but also against those who abandoned them to the savagery of Assad and the Syrian opposition, represented by the SNC, for brokering a selfish solution. I speak to Syrians everyday who tell me they will keep fighting until Assad faces justice.

There is nothing wrong with working for peace in Syria, especially if one reads Annan’s 6-point plan. What is really disturbing about the plan is what it does NOT say rather than what it says. For one, it does not call for regime change, which essentially means it is looking for a political solution that involves Assad staying in power.

The plan also does not take into consideration all the parties involved, mainly the wishes of the Syrian street. It’s all about just the wishes of an international community adamant about merging the Syrian opposition with a criminal regime. The SNC is facing anger from the Assad supporters and the Syrian street simultaneously and no one can survive under these circumstances, so you might as well bid its leadership goodbye. Assad will start picking them one at a time starting with the Muslim Brotherhood.

And where is the plan to stop the Salafists and the al-Qaeda types from their terror in Syria? Syria‘s tragedy has been a recruiting dream for the extremists.

This is an unrealistic plan conceived under panic. It cannot possibly solve a problem Secretary Ban-Ki Moon just labeled as “global” and it falls short on some of the most important points dealing with the Syrian street, regime change, and halting terror.

Anan’s six-point Plan

Syria commits to work with Annan “in an inclusive Syrian-led political process to address the legitimate aspirations and concerns of the Syrian people.”

Syria commits to stop fighting and immediately stop troop movements and use of heavy weapons in populated areas. As these actions are being taken, Syria should work with Annan to end all violence, under U.N. supervision. Annan will seek similar commitments from the opposition to stop all fighting.

Syria accepts and implements a daily two hour “humanitarian pause” to deliver aid and evacuate the injured.

Syria commits to intensify “the pace and scale of release of arbitrarily detained persons” and provide a list of all places where such people are being held.

Syria commits to ensure freedom of movement throughout the country for journalists “and a non-discriminatory visa policy for them.”

Syria commits to “respect freedom of association and the right to demonstrate peacefully as legally guaranteed.”

Farid Ghadry

Source: http://ghadry.com/2012/03/21/kofi-annans-peace-plan/

Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.

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