Syria: Traymseh Massacre Reactions Range from Sorrow to Rage

by Global Voices    July 13, 2012

By  Yazan Badran

Last year, on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, Syrian forces loyal to the regime of Bashar al-Assad, massacred ^[1] around 45 civilians in the central town of Hama.

This year, the bloodshed is in a village in the vicinity of Hama, Traymseh, but the death toll is believed to be several times higher.

According to activists, around 220 civilians were murdered ^[2] in the village on 12 July, including three entire families. Syrian writer and blogger Rime Allaf ^[3] writes:

@rallaf ^[4]: News about another massacre in ‪#Syria‬, ‪#Hama‬ province: some 220 victims, many slaughtered with knives, children too, 3 entire families.

Reactions ranged between uncontrollable rage and sadness to absolute helplessness. Syrian activist Shakeeb Al-Jabri sums up his feelings here:

@LeShaque ^[5]: I don't know whether it is sad or desperate or what when one's reaction to a massacre is “deja vu.” ‪#Syria‬

While Kareem Lailah tweets:

@KareemLailah ^[6]: صار في سوريين تحت الأرض أكتر من عليها #Syria

Shakeeb al-Jabri also laments the inaction of international institutions regarding massacres of Syrians, especially that this is not the first massacre to take place on the event of a major UNSC meeting on Syria:

@LeShaque ^[8]: Mood, Annan, Ban, the UNSC will all condemn the massacre but not the perpetrator, as if the people just died spontaneously. #Syria

And true to the word, shortly after the massacre, US Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, came out to condemn the massacre:

@AmbassadorRice ^[9]: Reports of #TraymsehMassacre are nightmarish - dramatically illustrate the need for binding #UNSC measures on #Syria.

NuffSilence ^[11], sarcastically, reminds his readers about the newly-established Ministry of National Reconciliation:

@NuffSilence ^[12]: Important to note this is the 1st massacre of its kind under the new National Reconciliation ministry (which Bashar bragged to Annan about)

While Safaa Sankari reflects a common feeling among Syrians that have been discovering the small towns of their nation's country side through these tragedies:

@SafaaSankari ^[13]: Over 200 people killed in #TraymsehMassacre #Syria today; cities I never knew existed in Syria I know now of because of these massacres :(

Ugariti Homsi mocks Syrian authorities' claim that they have arrested the “perpetrators” mere hours after the massacre:

@Ugariti_Homsi ^[14]: Syria state TV: “the terrorists who committed #TraymsehMasscare were arrested” OMG i'm having a heart attack right now!! #Liars

And finally, Sami al-Hamwi, shares a picture of the different protests around the country condemning the massacre:

@HamaEcho ^[15]: AJM showing 5 different streams of protests in support of Treimseh tonight. ‪#Syria‬

Article printed from Global Voices: http://globalvoicesonline.org

URL to article: globalvoicesonline.org/2012/07/13/syria-traymseh-massacre-evokes-rage-and-sorrow/

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