Antonio C. S Rosa, editor, TRANSCEND Media Service, participated, May 1-11, 2013 in the Mussalaha International Peace Delegation to Lebanon-Syria alongside Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire, from Ireland, and 15 others from eight countries.
This peace activist has compiled and written a report on the days progress, on the meetings and people met, with comments and conclusions overall using input from the various esteemed members of the visiting group and those spoken with. That report is in Pressenza Special Reports because of its value and length – this is merely a brief introduction to the valuable report.
Mr Rosa gave his first impressions of the people, “…of the civil society and the striking absence of anger or negative excitement in the air; people going about their daily business as if nothing was happening, as if life were normal. No cries for revenge against their many external aggressors, no fists in the air, no demonstrations against a dictator, no pleading or denouncing slips of paper passed to me surreptitiously by nervous, fearful hands. Eye contacts revealed seriousness, curiosity, kindness, hope, hospitality, happiness in seeing strangers.”
“Disconcerting as well was to find a country bursting with activity and life, children in playgrounds or walking to school in their uniforms, open air markets filled with people, heavy traffic, buses running, life happening in and around Damascus. Disconcerting because I had psyched myself to find a country in ruins, people fleeing for their lives from bombs, tanks on the streets, a police state massacring its own citizens, large scale suffering, buildings demolished, people resisting the government by force, and so on. Yet, I saw none of the above; quite the opposite. But you will forgive my ignorance, for I am a Westerner and that is what we hear, watch and read in our corporate media, which without a pinch of shame, honesty or humanity tell us half truths, innuendoes, straight lies, and party-line talking-points uttered by talking heads about what is happening on this part of the world.”
Mairead and Mother Agnès-Maryam Soeur met privately with Syrian armed fighters and were introduced to persons victimized by their atrocities. Audiences included: Syrian Prime Minister Mr. Wael Al Halki, Deputy PM and Minister of Economic Affairs Mr. Qadri Jameel (opposition), Minister of Health Dr. Saed Anayef, Minister of Social Affairs Ms. Kinda Al-Shammat (a pleasant and intelligent young lady), Minister of Justice Dr. Najem Hamad Al-Ahmad, Minister of Information Mr. Omran Ahed Al-Zouabi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Walid Muallem, the Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Mr. Ali Abd Karim Ali, the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, and General Michael Aoun, an influential Lebanese party leader (who is rumored to discriminate against Palestinian refugees).
Visits were made to the People’s Council of Syria (parliament), hospitals, refugee camps, and the group was briefed by senior field coordinator Maeve Murphy at the UNHCR intake center in Zahleh-Lebanon, and they met with a representative of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, and with ambulance drivers and health workers. They were also welcomed by some ten leaders from various religions, sects and faiths, were greeted in churches and mosques, and talked with common folks every time an opportunity was presented in shops and in the streets.
To read the report in full click on:
http://www.pressenza.com/2013/05/on-the-road-to-damascus/
