Syrie : Une guerre contre la liberte religeuse

August the 9th, 2012 Syria: a war against freedom of religion Syria has seen demonstrations calling for more democracy in early 2011. The first were repressed, but very soon President Assad abrogated the Emergency Act and the following events could proceed peacefully. It is no longer the case for a long time. Not that the democrats have to fear a new round of government repressions, but because they are facing the attacks of Islamists who know no limits in the use of violence. Far from laying democratic demands out, the current manifestations explicitly call for the extermination of religious minorities and the establishment of an Islamic order in which Sheik al-Arour, the spiritual leader of the "Syrian free" Army, is the prophet. I promise you that when we will have won, the Alawites who will not have stayed away we will chop them to pieces to feed the dogs. These demonstrations are supported by Western countries on behalf of human rights. Yet, they would be prohibited by them, in their country, in the name of human rights. Syria, Jableh: No to Shiites! No to Hezbollah! No to Iran! Syria, Homs, Baba Amr "Peaceful Revolution" "Let us exterminate the Alawites! " Syria, Homs "Let's say it, we do no longer want the Alawites! Syria, Homs, Khalidia "The people want Adnan Al Arour! " Syria, Edleb Be happy Adnan Al-Arour, our revolution has started! " Syria, Jable "Arour, do not worrythe men who follow you drink blood! " Syria, Daraa "Be happy Adnan Al Arourthe men of Daraa will rebel!" Syria, Homs "The religion of Mohammed is honorable, Jesus's one is for whores! " The images we've showned you are representative of the Syrian factions who support the "Syrian free" Army . These small groups are exclusively Sunni, but they are not representative of the Syrian Sunni, or the Syrian society. For centuries, Syria is instead a model of tolerance and religious cooperation; a model of unity that the colonial powers want to destroy, in order to divide and conquer. The culture of tolerance is being threatened. -Hello, we are at the Umayyad Mosque, which is the symbol of the civilization of Damascus. You know that right now Much is said that here there is a kind of a religious civil war. And therefore, it is very important keep in mind that the characteristic of the Damascene civilization is, on the contrary, tolerance and cooperation among religions. Here, it is normal that Muslims and Christians help each other in their worship and the Grand Mosque in which we find ourselves used to be in fact the church of St. John the Baptist. But, due to demographic and political evolutions, it became a mosque. Christians have been compensated, they were given another church nearby and for centuries here, every day there are both Christians and Muslims who come to pray. This is something quite unique, witch is important to understand, because here are the relics of St. John the Baptist. His head is in a mausoleum inside the main prayer hall. And St. John the Baptist was a Jewish prophet, recognized as such by the Jews. This is the man who baptized Jesus Christ. So this is someone important to the Christians. And in the Qur'an it is also a very very important. And they all came, for centuries, every day to pray here. So this symbol should make us understand that what they are trying to destroy today in Syria is not just a country that has political or anti-imperialist anti-Zionist positions. It is, first, about destroying the symbol of a civilization where everyone can live together. There, you see, in this great court, John Paul II came a few years ago and chairs had been installed everywhere and the leaders of both religions had begun to discuss theology, in a very peaceful way, trying to understand their each other's contribution. There was no desire to convert the other. There was a willingness to share. This is quite unique. And behind me you see the minaret of Issa, that is to say the minaret of Jesus. Many Christians of Damascus and the Middle East ... you know that Christianity was established not in Jerusalem but, by St. Paul in Damascus and many Christians believe it is here in that minaret, that Jesus will return at the end of time. So it's really a place of worship where everyone can meet.