Massacres and stories – from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

This is a Google translation of an article on the massacre at Hula and who is responsible. Before that, here are relevant passages from the blog, Moon of Alabama:

Syrian opposition members who are from that region were during the last days able to reconstruct the most likely sequence of events based on accounts from authentic witnesses. Their result contradicts the pretenses from the rebels who had accused regime allied Shabiha they alleged were acting under the protection of the Syrian army. As opposition members who reject the use of lethal force were recently killed or at least threatened, the opposition members [talking to me] asked that their names be withheld.

The massacre of Houla happened after Friday prayers. The fighting started when Sunni rebels attacked three Syrian army checkpoints around Houla. These checkpoints were set up to protect the Alawi villages around the predominantly Sunni Houla from assaults.

One attacked checkpoint called up units from the Syrian army, which has barracks some 1500 meters away, for help and was immediately reinforced. Dozens of soldiers and rebels were killed during the fighting around Houla which is said to have lasted about 90 minutes. During these fights the three villages were closed off from the outside world.

According to the witness accounts the massacre happened during this timeframe. Killed were nearly exclusively families from the Alawi and Shia minorities in Houla which has a more than 90% Sunni population. Several dozen members of one extended family, which had in recent years converted from Sunni to Shia believe, were slaughtered. Also killed were members of the Alawi family Shomaliya and the family of a Sunni member of parliament who was [by the rebels] considered a government collaborator. Members of the Syrian government confirmed this version but pointed out that the government committed to not publicly speak of Sunnis and Alawis. President al-Assad is Alawi while the opposition is overwhelmingly from the Sunni population majority.

New insights into deaths of hula Again massacres in Syria

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung – Original Article in German (below, Google translation)

07/06/2012 · In Syria, in a repeated near Hama massacre at least 55 people were killed. UN observers who wanted to visit the crime scene were fired.

Rainer Hermann, Damascus

In a massacre in the village Qubair near Hama in Syria at least 55 people were killed. Activists of the local coordination committee reported the death toll even with at least 86. 18 of the dead are women and children. Many are burned in their homes or were stabbed with knives. Most of the dead were members of a family. While the rebels accused the regime militias of murder, the state television made a “terrorist group” responsible for the massacre.

The UN observers stationed in Hama wanted to visit the site on Thursday Qubair. The UN observers have stated that the Syrian army prevented their access to Qubair. The head of the UN observers, General Robert Mood, said that civilians were also on the observer. Their safety is not guaranteed, it should enter the village being declared them. Later, said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon at the UN General Assembly in New York, the observers had been fired. He called the massacre “shocking and disgusting” and said that Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad had “lost all legitimacy.”

The massacre is similar at first glance at the Hula at the 25th May 108 people were killed. Syrian opposition figures who come from the region were able to reconstruct the past few days because of credible witnesses probable course of events in the hula. Your result is contrary to the claims of the rebels, the militias near the regime had accused Schabiha fact. They should have acted under the protection of the Syrian army. Since last dissidents who oppose the use of force, has been murdered, or at least threatened, the opposition will not see their names called.

VIDEO

05/06/2012
Armistice terminated fighting in Syria to participate in focus

The rebels in Syria no longer believe in a political solution and have renounced the truce. The fighting in the country are increasing in intensity. Kofi Annan’s special envoy asks whether Syria is already inserted in the Civil War.

The Hula massacre had taken place after Friday prayers. The fighting suspended, and as Sunni insurgents attacked the three roadside inspections of the Syrian army to hula around. The checkpoints are responsible for the Alawite villages around the predominantly Sunni hula to protect against attacks.

Rebels gain 300-million-dollar fund

A challenged street called control units of the Syrian army to help the 1,500 meters maintains a military base and promptly sent reinforcement. In the battle of hula, which should have lasted 90 minutes, dozens of soldiers and rebels were killed. During the fighting, the three villages of Hula were sealed off from the outside world.

According to the eyewitnesses to the massacre had occurred during this period. Had been killed almost exclusively families and the Alawite minority Shiite Hulas, which is more than ninety percent are Sunni. Thus, several dozen members of a family were slaughtered, which had in recent years by Sunni converted to Shiite Islam. Killed were also members of the Alawite family Shomaliya and the family of a Sunni member of parliament, because this was considered a collaborator. Immediately after the massacre, the perpetrators would have filmed their victims, they issued a Sunni victims and spread the videos via the Internet. Although representatives of the Syrian government confirmed this version, but pointed out that the government had agreed not to speak publicly of Alawites and Sunnis. President Bashar al Assad is a member of the Alawites, the opposition is supported mainly by the Sunni majority.

Meanwhile, Syrian expatriate businessmen in the capital Doha qatarischen to finance the Syrian opposition and rebels, a fund set up $ 300 million. Mustafa Sabbagh, president of the Syrian Business Forum in exile, presented the Fund. Wael Mirza, Secretary General of the Syrian opposition National Council, said that half of the amount had been spent and partly flowed to the Free Syrian army.

The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, meanwhile, struck before the convening of an international conference to Syria, where all countries should participate, the impact would have on the actors in Syria. The circle must go beyond the countries that have joined together in the “friends of Syria,” Lavrov said. Because this group support only the “radical demands” of the Syrian National Council. Specifically, Lavrov called not only members of the UN Security Council, the EU and the Arab League as well as Turkey and Iran. The aim should be to the Annan plan “correctly and without ambiguity” to implement.

END

The author

Rainer Hermann
Correspondent (Her)

Born on 15 June 1956 in Lörrach, a stone’s throw away from Basel and Alsace, the commitment to Europe was in the cradle. After military service, studied economics in Freiburg, Rennes, Basel and Damascus. From the third semester in addition to (Persian Arabic, Turkish) Study of Islamic Studies. However, only a degree in economics in 1989 and promotion by Professor Werner end with a thesis on contemporary Syrian intellectual history. Editor at the Federal Office for Foreign Trade in Cologne, 1990 in Kuwait and its correspondent witnessed the Iraqi invasion, since 1991 in Istanbul. 1998 joined the economics department at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, based in Istanbul. After 11 September 2001 increased coverage of the Arab political world. In October 2008 he moved to Abu Dhabi to watch the rapid changes in the Gulf states from the vicinity. Recently the author of “Where is Turkey? Culture clash in Turkey “(Munich 2008). Employment in leisure time with Bach and Brahms. Married with three children.