Blog 8: Syrian Government brings Terror

In the midst of the Syrian conflict, not only is the death toll high, but human rights groups report that there are around 28,000 people who are “disappeared.” These people have been abducted by soldiers or militia, and reportedly put into torture cells. It is a concentrated effort to create terror among the Syrian people by the government. The idea has been to create the feeling that no one is safe and a constant state of intimidation, and also to silence rebellion and activists against the government. The Syrian government denies these claims, but the stories of abduction come to human rights groups directly from those who personally witnessed friends or relatives being taken. It was confirmed to the BBC that none of these discussed detentions were official arrests.  The Syrian government has suggested potential, temporary ceasefire and the opposition groups say they would agree to that. The importance of a solution to this violent conflict is growing greater as the violence threatens to spill over the borders of Syria.

These actions by the Syrian government meet the definition of terror, as the use of fear to intimidate people (the people who should be able to look to their government for protection), and these actions also directly violate many articles of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A blatant example of this violation is in Article 9 of this Declaration which states: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile,” and in Article 19: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” Syria voted in favor of this Declaration.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19986806

http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights