UN: Sectarian violence could permanently divide Syria

[News_Editor]

UN: Sectarian violence could permanently divide Syria

2012-02-15 18:24:37 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) -- Sectarian and ethnic lines across Syria could permanently divide the country as violence continues to claim lives, a senior United Nations (UN) official warned on Tuesday.

Edward Luck, the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, expressed deep concern regarding the situation in Syria, urging community and religious leaders and civil society groups to lead the way in reducing communal tensions.

To date, thousands of people have died in the Government's crackdown against a pro-democracy uprising, and Luck said he is worried that the violent crisis is becoming "more of a sectarian conflict," with targeted attacks against certain groups.

Reporting fresh attacks in recent days, particularly in the city of Homs, Luck stated that there are "signs that the nature of the conflict has changed, and that is very worrisome."

"If you look at the demographic breakdown of the population in Syria, it's a demographic minefield," Luck said. "And we've seen in this region of the world some terrible examples of what can happen when a country is divided along sectarian lines," he added, emphasizing that the mixed composition of Syria's population increased the potential risk of divisions.

Luck also called on the international community, including the UN and regional organizations such as the League of Arab States, to speak with one consistent and strong voice on the need to reduce sectarian tensions.

"There needs to be a clear voice for tolerance ... this is the message that must be sent," Luck stated, underscoring the importance of the role played by "thought leaders, religious leaders and civil society leaders" in steering the public debate away from sectarian attacks and towards co-existence.

According to media reports, the Arab League has called for a joint UN-Arab peacekeeping mission to resolve the crisis in Syria. Luck said that if this plan is implemented, it is critical to ensure that any mandate explicitly refers to reducing sectarian and ethnic tensions and improving community relations.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-02-15

[Steely Dan]

As could be said for much of Africa and the middle east - Post colonialism has really played a bit of a sick joke on much of said regions, though before the west is blamed it is worth considering the Ottoman Turks did precisely the same thing. Syria could be like Yugoslavia on steroids, which coming to think of it was kept from boiling over for so long by a totalitarian ideology called communism.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Steely Dan

[Gik]

Syrian Christians fear genocide if Assad falls

Catholic bishops are warning that if the Bashar al-Assad (left) regime in Syria falls to Islamists, there may well be a mass genocide of Christians, such as seen in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Though Christians cannot support the brutality of the Assad dictatorship, few believe that rule by Muslim extremists will be any better.

Christians in Syria make up about 10% (2.5 million) of the population

“It’s on the edge of civil war,” said a Christian businessman, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared for his safety. He said he originally supported the protest movement, but now stands with the government after witnessing incidents of sectarianism that make him fear for the future of Syria's religious minorities.

What will happen to the Alawite population of Syria if Assad falls?

The Alawite make up about 15% of the Syrian population (3.5 million out of a 2010 population of 22,457,763). if Assad is forced from power then the majority of Alawites will flee Syria for its neighboring countries and abroad.

The remainder that stay will either be ethnically purged from many areas or be killed in retribution.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Gik

[metisdead]

Off topic posts removed.

[Pedzie]

I'm sure the west will be happy about this news, a divided Syria is the aim here, not a democratic country!

[Jingthing]

I'm sure the west will be happy about this news, a divided Syria is the aim here, not a democratic country!

Quite a cynical sentiment. Anyway, the "west" is hardly a unified block.

[Morch]

I'm sure the west will be happy about this news, a divided Syria is the aim here, not a democratic country!

Probably not an aim as such, more a "good outcome" as far as they are concerned.

I'm not sure that a working democracy is a viable option at all, in this case. Too much bad blood, too much spilled blood, and demographics are a big issue.

Then again, no one really asked them is they want to be "Syria" in the first place. If a non-violent partition can be reached, either full or some sort of confederacy - might be better for locals as well.

[Rusty2009]

ok another well educated over paid UN diplomat, who sits in his nice warm safe office, has again stated the obvious, he probably has been watching CNN live from Iraq, or Libya, but i am sure his well meant words will comfort the mothers of the kids who will die tonight

[Pedzie]

I'm sure the west will be happy about this news, a divided Syria is the aim here, not a democratic country!

Quite a cynical sentiment. Anyway, the "west" is hardly a unified block.

Look at the bigger picture JT, It's not all about a functioning/stable Syria or Iran having nukes etc. The US and It's allies are attacking China's allies/interests in the Middle East, all comes down to oil I suppose, plenty evidence on the net to prove this, stuff you don't see on mainstream news!

I totally agree about the west not being completely united, look at the EU and the Euro, the Greeks pushed to the brink now with austerity measures,and Germany demanding more in order for Greece to receive yet another $100 billion + bailout, chances of total Euro meltdown this year...Very high!

[Rusty2009]

I'm sure the west will be happy about this news, a divided Syria is the aim here, not a democratic country!

Quite a cynical sentiment. Anyway, the "west" is hardly a unified block.

Look at the bigger picture JT, It's not all about a functioning/stable Syria or Iran having nukes etc. The US and It's allies are attacking China's allies/interests in the Middle East, all comes down to oil I suppose, plenty evidence on the net to prove this, stuff you don't see on mainstream news!

I totally agree about the west not being completely united, look at the EU and the Euro, the Greeks pushed to the brink now with austerity measures,and Germany demanding more in order for Greece to receive yet another $100 billion + bailout, chances of total Euro meltdown this year...Very high!

looking at the bigger picture, if Greece cannot do simple math to balance their own books, thats thier own fault, but that is not going to bring about a cease fire in Syria, truth is without the US the UN is nothing, Russia and China play thier own game and make their own deals, so who is more interested in oil, China i would say

[Ulysses G.]

I'm sure the west will be happy about this news, a divided Syria is the aim here, not a democratic country!

Quite a cynical sentiment. Anyway, the "west" is hardly a unified block.

Syria has a large number of chemical weapons and a divided country would make it easy for terrorists to get their hands on them. Somehow I doubt that the West wants an unstable Syria.

[Rusty2009]

I'm sure the west will be happy about this news, a divided Syria is the aim here, not a democratic country!

Quite a cynical sentiment. Anyway, the "west" is hardly a unified block.

Syria has a large number of chemical weapons and a divided country would make it easy for terrorists to get their hands on them. Somehow I doubt that the West wants an unstable Syria.

Maybe they are Bunkering the weapons of mass destruction for Sadam, i mean they are still looking for them are they not ???

[chuckd]

I'm sure the west will be happy about this news, a divided Syria is the aim here, not a democratic country!

Quite a cynical sentiment. Anyway, the "west" is hardly a unified block.

Syria has a large number of chemical weapons and a divided country would make it easy for terrorists to get their hands on them. Somehow I doubt that the West wants an unstable Syria.

Maybe they are Bunkering the weapons of mass destruction for Sadam, i mean they are still looking for them are they not ???

I heard many years ago from a Saudi source that the thought was Saddam had moved most of his WMDs to Syria. Perhaps so.

[Credo]

Saddam was not on particularly friendly terms with Syria. I very, very much doubt that he moved his chemical weapons there.

If you recall Saddam's blustering and lack of cooperation with inspectors was because he was more afraid of Iran seeing him as being vulnerable. He did not think the US would attack.

Syria and Iran have a close allegiance. Saddam giving them his weapons would be akin to giving them to Iran.

Syria may have unconventional weapons, but I doubt they came from Saddam.

[maidu]

Center of a troubled region, where religion blitzes peoples' thinking - causing barbarism on a scale that no other animal would even consider. If Syria splits, there will be untold decades of tit for tat killings and misery - some fanatics wanting to keep it split, other fanatics wanting to 'unite Syria again.' Other countries which were/are split: Korea, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Indonesia (Papua, E.Timor), China (tibet) .....and look at the ensuing and on-going problems there. People are a strange species. If you described how we act - to a group of intelligent aliens from another planet, they would laugh out loud and say, "that's impossible. No life form can act so ridiculously."