SIX years of war has torn Syria apart. And how has the international community reacted?
The United Nations, which groups powerful nations in the region and globally, the Syrian regime and groups that are evolving as representatives of the people have engaged in never-ending peace negotiations.
Political analysts believe that the Syrian regime lacks legitimacy, having killed thousands of its own people.
While the nation has descended into chaos and carnage in the past six years, a fragile ceasefire is the outcome of years of futile talks.
Most critical is the plight of the Syrian people. Over the past six years, hundreds of thousands have been killed and 11 million of the country’s 22 million people have been displaced.
Almost half of them have taken on perilous land and sea journeys, with thousands dying en route. Children and women caught in this crisis have fared the worst. Those lucky to survive lose family members to the violence, and suffer physical and psychological trauma, deprivation and exploitation of all kinds.
Today, at least 13.5 million people in Syria desperately need humanitarian aid. Most Syrian refugees are in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. Slightly more than 10 per cent of the refugees have fled to Europe.
World leaders have paid mere lip service to this human tragedy. Worst of all, the international mainstream media focuses on the way in which the United States, Russia, Iran, the Islamic State or any other party involved has acted, as if they have a legitimate right to be there in the first place.
Sadly, the international community continues to “fiddle” while Syria “burns”.
RUEBEN DUDLEY
Petaling Jaya, Selangor