NYC Syria Peace Vigil Group

STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA AND THEIR FIGHT FOR FREEDOM

We stand with PEOPLE, not STATES

The Syrian Revolution is a legitimate popular struggle against the fascist Assad regime which came into power through a military coup in 1971 and maintains that power through a police state and election fraud. The revolution in Syria has its roots in the same kind of economic grievances faced by working people in the US ad the West: widespread youth unemployment, high food prices, austerity measures, and a bloated military budget.

The Syrian Revolution began in March 2011 and was inspired by the popular uprising known as the Arab Spring. n response to demands for reform and any criticism of the government, the regime answered with mass killings, arrests and torture, which continue to this day. In the first week of March 2011, ten children, aged 9-15, were inspired by the slogan proclaimed by Egypt's revolutionaries, "Down with the regime!" They wrote this on the wall of their school in the city of Deraa—and were promptly arrested. The incident escalated into a massacre of protesters by security forces, the first of many. It was the regime's bloody repression that caused a movement of strikes and peaceful protests to escalate. Over seven years later, because of the Assad regime's relentless war crimes against its own people, there have been a half million deaths with half the population becoming refugees or displaced. Syrians continue to struggle for their freedom, and their courage demands solidarity from workers and progressive people around the world.

The Assad regime has from the very beginning called all opposition "terrorists," but in reality the regime has contributed to the establishment and growth of ISIS as this narrative works in their favor, to the detriment of the people. The regime, and its allies abroad, slander the revolution as being a foreign plot, but would not be able to stand for one day without the intervention of Iran, Russia and Hezbollah, and other foreign mercenaries. Over the past six years, the regime has summarily and ruthlessly arrested, tortured and slaughtered all opposition, targeting schools, hospitals and innocent civilians. With aid from their alliies-in-genocide, Russia, they have used weapons that have been declared illegal under international law, such as chlorine and sarin gas, napalm and bunker-buster bombs which go through concrete and destroy shelters.

It is incumbent on anyone who believes in peace, justice and democracy to support the Syrian people in their struggle and actively oppose ALL imperialist and foreign powers that would fight against them. The future of Syria is for the Syrian people to decide.

We stand against all imperialist interventions in Syria, including those of the US, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. We stand against the US-led coalition bombardment of civilians in Syria and Iraq, which has killed thousands of Syrian civilians since 2014. Standing against the US government does not necessitate supporting another murderous state. We choose solidarity with the Syrian people, not the Syrian regime. We stand with the masses of human beings fighting against oppression, not with the oppressor. We stand with the people, not the state.

We call for:

Solidarity with our Syrian brothers and sisters in their fight against a murderous regime;
Solidarity with the Kurds in their fight for self-determination;
The Assad regime and Russia to cease the slaughter of civilians and rescue workers;
The US and the world to open their doors wide to Syrian refugees; and
Assad to be tried for crimes against humanity
 

WE URGE YOU TO BOYCOTT RUSSIAN GOODS —

THE COST IS INNOCENT SYRIAN CIVILIAN FAMILIES

SYRIA SOLIDARITY NEW YORK CITY — NYC SYRIA PEACE VIGIL GROUP