ALJAZEERA INTERVIEW WITH MONITOR ANWAR MALIK WHO WITHDREW (caps in original title)

[tabatha]

I have withdrawn from the AL delegation because I felt I was helping a regime which has killed thousands and is willing to kill its own proponents to convince people of its false narrative. I went into Homs and Baba Amr where I saw bodies, body parts and burned corpses. Homs has to be declared a ‘distressed area’.

I did not come across evidence to suggest that protesters were armed. I visited the political security detention center and found prisoners there in a miserable condition.

Apart from military machinery trapped by the Free Syrian Army, no military machinery has been withdrawn from the city of Homs. The ‘real’ prisoners we demanded should be released, have not been released.

The regime tried to mislead the mission in many ways including changing the names of the streets we were visiting.
I talked about the situation while I was still in Syria because I had enough and the scenes of death were unbearable.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/English-Speakers-to-Help-The-Syrian-Revolution/207817119257373

(scroll down to entry)

[tabatha]

1. Full translation at link

Anwar Malek, Arab League Monitor who withdrew to Al-Jazeera:

.... some excerpts

I entered Baba Amr, Khalidya, Sultaniya, Bab Sba’a, and saw despicable scenes. I saw bodies bearing signs of torture and which have been un-skinned and children who have been killed! Some people were shot by pro-government snipers in front of our eyes. Faced by such scenes, I could not deny my humanity! I found myself witnessing a human tragedy.

Homs was subject to bombing with heavy weapons and we could see the impact on houses and residential buildings.

When the regime says it has released prisoners, it is actually one more of its dirty games as the regime kidnaps people randomly only to release them as ‘prisoners’ in front of the monitors.

The monitors are experts but the real problem is how they could do their job under fire. How can you monitor a regime that is manipulating, misleading and spreading rumors?! I saw the lies, the fraud, and the forgery and was unable to keep silent about it! I declared my stance and suspended my work with the AL delegation while I was still in Syria.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.309745422397875.72467.207817119257373&type=3

[pampango]

2. Compelling and, unfortunately, not surprising. n/t

[David__77]

3. Well I guess the AL will have one more monitor to send.

He can go back to Algeria from where he came. One monitor says "nothing distressing," another says the opposite. I will be curious to see what the group itself reports, and if there is some level of consensus regarding the report.

I agree with the Russian government and others that the mission is playing a stabilizing role. Hopefully Syria will overcome its crisis soon.

[tabatha]

4. The one monitor

who said "nothing distressing" does not have the best of records, especially in Dafur.

You do seem to grasp at straws, and the murder and torture of all ages (including a four-month baby) seems not to matter - all that matters is the continuation of a brutal reign by one family. Also, there is probably more to Russia than meets the eye.

There are now 11 more monitors who have "seen" the brutality of Assad.

"he Arab League said that 11 of its monitors in Syria sustained “light” injuries on Monday during an attack “by pro-regime elements in Latakia,” a northwestern port city.

The episode came a day before President Bashar al-Assad delivered a mocking rebuke to the Arab League in a defiant speech."

http://mar15.info/2012/01/video-shows-attack-on-arab-league-monitors-in-syria/

[David__77]

5. The opposition wants the monitors out not the govt

It was an "unidentified mob."

[tabatha]

6. Assad did not want the monitors in at all, and they have to be out by Jan 19th.

In some instances, Assad has been using the monitors to continue killing - and he has not adhered to a single item he said he would.

Thus, there is little point in having them there. Funny, that in 10 months of uprising the only "bombings" happened when the monitors were in the country.

[tabatha]

7. U.N. says Syria stepped up killings after monitors arrived

Posted on January 10, 2012 by t2994
By: Louis Charbonneau

A senior U.N. official told the Security Council on Tuesday that Syria accelerated its killing of pro-democracy demonstrators after Arab League monitors arrived, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said.

“The under-secretary-general noted that in the days since the Arab League monitoring mission has been on the ground, in fact an estimated 400 additional people have been killed, an average of 40 a day, a rate much higher than was the case even before their deployment,” Rice told reporters.

Rice was speaking after Lynn Pascoe, the U.N. under-secretary-general for political affairs, briefed the 15-nation Security Council behind closed doors on Syria and other major crises. She said the figure did not include the more than two dozen people killed in a suicide bombing in Damascus last week.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/11/us-syria-idUSTRE8041A820120111

[David__77]

8. Does the 400 include the victims of terrorists?

...the article is twisting the undersecretary's words

[tabatha]

9. No, it does not include the "victims" of the Assad-terrorists.

[David__77]

10. At least the AL observers are visiting victims of terrorism.

These people are glad to be able to testify to them about the terrorists.

[tabatha]

11. Yes, it is sad that Assad has to "terrorize" his own people.

[David__77]

12. That was from a group of officers killed in action.

Many police and other members of security forces are being killed. I don't believe it's beyond dispute.

[Mudoria]

13. I'm guessing you're a supporter of the Assad regime?