by JOHN CHERIAN
The civil strife in Syria, which started in early 2011, shows little sign of ending in a peaceful manner any time soon. The United Nations estimates that at least 60,000 people have died and half a million have been turned into refugees as a result of the conflict. Around half of those who perished are said to be civilians.
However, in his first public address in six months, President Bashar al-Assad said on January 6 that he was open to new reconciliation efforts. In a fiery speech delivered to a packed hall at the Damascus Opera House, the President proposed the drafting of a new Constitution and the formation of a new government that would include representatives from the opposition.
“Syria is living through an unprecedented attack, and the solution to this conflict can only be through popular participation,” the President said. He once again offered to hold an internationally supervised election and form a government that would represent all sections of Syrian society. Assad stressed that for a meaningful dialogue to begin, foreign assistance to the armed groups should first cease. He made it clear that he would order the army to cease operations only after the “terrorists” stopped fighting.
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