The elections of humiliation, Syria’s presidential elections are no grounds for celebration

By Michel Kilo

The Assad regime described the reelection of its president for a third term as “national celebrations.” Traditionally, people take part in festivities for holidays and weddings, delighting in sharing this delight.

However, “the national celebrations of Bashar al-Assad” are not a moment of joy, because participation in these celebrations is mandatory and whoever refuses to take part in them is at risk in all areas controlled by the regime.

Some of the survivors who recently arrived from Syria say that the regime was seized by a state of frenzy and madness. They said that armed men affiliated to the regime were threatening pedestrians to arrest or kill them if they refrained from taking part in the dances and songs during this “party” held for 24 hours in the city streets and other places controlled by the army and security forces.

These survivors speak with fear about the massive deployment of security forces, mostly armed young teenagers who knock on people’s doors then force them to take to the streets to participate in these “national celebrations” and express their excitement through cheering, singing, and dancing.

These armed young people are singling out women and elderly men to go to the forefront in order to humiliate and punish them for resisting the Assad regime, the regime that ordered the murder, arrest, displacement, and pursuit of their children who were treated like enemies. This regime had repeatedly opened fire near their houses and under their windows and placed snipers on their roofs, ordering them to use all means at their disposal to cast terror into citizens’ hearts and intrude upon their peace and quiet, day and night.

Syrians avoid leaving their homes and going out into the streets, but better do that than see the Assad mafia enter their homes and force them to go out and publicly glorify Bashar al-Assad by waving banners describing him as “the builder of modern Syria” and “the man of safety and security.” He is also pictured as the man who is facing the conspiracy of the Americans, French, Zionists, Gulf countries, and fundamentalists against the firm and resilient Syria. He is described as well as “the destructor of crime” and “the protector of minorities” who will, according to the banners waved in Damascus, “bring back the dead from their graves to elect him.”

Assad’s reelection has become yet another opportunity to humiliate and intimidate the Syrian people, show the intensity of the security forces’ deployment in the Syrian villages and cities subject to his authority, and demonstrate the abuses of his bandits against the population. Beyond this reelection, we are experiencing a desire to tame those who had revolted and continue to revolt against him and those who asserted their right to freedom.

By forcing them to reelect him, Assad is sending them the following message: You will not be able to get rid of me and I am sending you back to the state you were in before the revolution, the state of sheep haunted by fear and panic and killed by helplessness and humiliation.

Dear Syrian women and men, Assad wants to break down your will and humiliate you. You should respond by resorting to the dignity derived from your revolution for freedom. Boycott this reelection so that he knows that his days are numbered and that he will have no place in the future of the upcoming freedom resulting from your noble sacrifices.

About the author

Michel Kilo is a Syrian political writer and dissident in exile.