Not enough is being made of how radical the Syrian Revolution has been. It is easy to talk about nonviolence and civil disobedience as a noble and strategic tactic for liberation struggles in the contemporary world; it is quite another matter altogether to live up to such an ideal. In fact, it is still hard for me to even imagine how the beautiful people of my motherland are so uncompromisingly maintaining their stance on nonviolent resistance.
In the face of the cold-blooded murder of demonstraters in the streets, mass arrests of thousands, sickening torture techniques, mass graves, snipers shooting individuals proudly chanting the name of God on the balconies of their homes, and every other terror tactic Assad's thugs have used to try crushing the revolution, despite all this, the protestors continue to come out onto the streets against all odds to chant, march, sit-in, and defy the regime - and all entirely peacefully. Not only have they not resorted to smuggling arms and explosives to defend themselves, but they have not even picked up knives, sticks, or stones. They march through the streets armed only with powerful voices, witty chants, and faith in both God and the righteousness of their cause.
I am quite incapable of understanding their strength, their courage, their faith. I can only imagine myself in such a situation; I can't imagine not picking up a rock to throw in the face of the "security forces" trying to kill me and my comrades, or fighting back in whatever way I could. And yet these brave, beautiful souls march on, chant on, without picking up even a rock to throw in the direction of their oppressors.
It is a revolution that Gandhi and Mandella could only marvel at, as their prophetic calls to nonviolent resistance in their own revolutions never gained the widespread conviction and acceptance that the Syrian masses have shown in their own revolution. Even with these prophetic voices, the Indian and South African liberation struggles were accompanied with great moments of revolutionary violence. Even the inspirational Egyptian revolution earlier this year was accompanied with momentary acts of destruction and violent self-defense on the part of angry protestors. We are yet to see anything on the part of the Syrian masses other than self-sacrificing non-violent resistance. I am unable to understand their courage and their conviction. I can only humbly bow to them with the greatest respect and awe.
I recently received an email that helped shed some light on how this uprising has maintained its character as an unflinchingly nonviolent movement, and just how well thought-out and conscious this revolution has been. I recieve emails on a regular basis from "The Syrian Nonviolent Movement", discussing various issues of concern for the revolution. Last week, they sent an email asking what the Assad regime hopes to achieve through its criminal terror tactics. In addition to the obvious motive of instilling fear in the hearts of the masses (which clearly has not been working), the regime seeks the email suggested to incite the masses to violent resistance, which would allow the regime to regain the support of its people. The email goes on to say (my translation):
"But our people and our youth will not fall into this trap and will not be incited to violence, because they know that resorting to violence will be the death of their revolution, and because they know that the truth of their cause is a good that will be supported (by God) and victorious ... The few reactions that have occured here and there do not change the general nature of the nonviolent movement, and we hope that the youth will preserve the nonviolent nature of their movement regardless of how brutal the regime becomes... And God will not forsake them; rather he will, indeed, provide them a way out, for God is the greatest support and most fit to give victory."
It is clear that this has been the philosophy and strategy of the revolutionary movement since before protests began in March; indeed the groundwork for these movements has been well under way for years. The awareness, intelligence, wisdom, consciousness, patience, and courage of this revolution is truly awe-inspiring, and will serve as a most beautiful example and model for the world.
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