Here it is.
Washington 03/22/2012,
Syrian Christians for Democracy is dedicated to reporting on the violence perpetrated by the Assad regime against its people, be they Christian or Muslim. We strive to represent the interests of the Christian community within Syria vis-à-vis the rest of the Syrian population and the international community.
While SCD supports the international press’ efforts to report on and tell the story of the revolution in Syria, it emphasizes the importance of verifying the truthfulness and accuracy of all stories prior to their publication.
Syrian Christians for Democracy is dedicated to reporting on the violence perpetrated by the Assad regime against its people, be they Christian or Muslim. We strive to represent the interests of the Christian community within Syria vis-à-vis the rest of the Syrian population and the international community.
While SCD supports the international press’ efforts to report on and tell the story of the revolution in Syria, it emphasizes the importance of verifying the truthfulness and accuracy of all stories prior to their publication.
In regards to the story published in “Agenzia Fides” on 03/21/2012 about the Christians of Homs who were forced to flee their homes, firsthand accounts have clarified that the perpetrators were members of the Syrian army who overtook the Christian neighborhood near Al-Hamidiye street and commandeered a number of Christian-resident buildings for strategic control over the city. The Christians were indeed forced to flee their homes, but rumors of the violence against them by terrorist groups or otherwise members of the opposition are both unverified and noxious.
To further investigate these claims, SCD contacted the “Al-Farooq” brigade of the Free Syrian Army, currently stationed in the outskirts of the city of Homs. The brigade’s spokesperson, Lieutenant Abdel Ruzzak Tlas, was decisive as he indicated on the city map exactly how his men retreated from the “Al-Hamidiye” district weeks before the alleged attacks on the Christians happened. According to Lieutenant Tlas, the “Al-Farooq” brigade left that area when it could no longer defend the remaining civilians from the incoming military onslaught. “The neighborhood has been since a playground for Assad’s troops”, Lieutenant Tlas added. He ended by promising the Christians of Homs that their homes and properties will be returned to their possession once his brigade liberates the city from Assad’s men.
As pertains to the attacks on the Christians in Aleppo, it is with great grievance and regret that SCD looks on the bombing of the Center of Catechesis at the Church of St. Bonaventure. SCD would like to reiterate its support for the Christians of Aleppo and its most profound admiration for their endeavors. SCD also cautions strongly against unfounded rumors and propaganda intended to incriminate the opposition and excuse the Assad regime from any responsibility. There is no evidence or motivation at the time being linking the revolution activists to the horrific crime, and unfounded accusations only serve to divide the opposition and weaken its cause.
The source of this misinformation campaign can be traced back almost exclusively to the controversial figure of Mother Agnes Mary of the Cross, head of the Catholic Media Center in Damascus. Mother Agnes maintains close ties to the Assad and Makhlouf families who use the Catholic Media Center to organize press events and trips to Syria for a handpicked group of European journalists from the “Reseau Voltaire” media group. Several independant media sources in Syria have accused Mother Agnes of feeding her guest reporters distorted facts and fake testimonies for the sole purpose of tarnishing the opposition's image. Her credibility is further put in question by her statements at a press conference organized in November 2011, published on the website of the French newspaper “Le Monde.” Mother Agnes confessed that her information came from Syrian intelligence officers who escorted her and her foreign guest reporters during their travels inside Syria.
Mother Agnes and those helping her are harming the Syrian people by disseminating negative pro-Assad propaganda and tearing at Syria’s social and religious fabrics. The strength of the revolution has been in the unity of Syria’s religious groups within it, striving towards a common cause. The presence of Jesuit friars in Homs to provide humanitarian assistance to the remaining population in the city is incredibly heroic and brave, and is a true testimony to the unity of the popular movement against the Assad regime and the positive role the Christian clergy is playing. The Jesuits’ efforts in Homs must be met with every type of support possible from the international community.
The Christians in Syria, as well as the rest of the population, are in need of undivided support, backing, and funding. They do not need divisive rumors and the propagation of inaccurate information. SCD is happy to verify the any reports on events or actions pertaining to the Christian opposition in Syria.
As pertains to the attacks on the Christians in Aleppo, it is with great grievance and regret that SCD looks on the bombing of the Center of Catechesis at the Church of St. Bonaventure. SCD would like to reiterate its support for the Christians of Aleppo and its most profound admiration for their endeavors. SCD also cautions strongly against unfounded rumors and propaganda intended to incriminate the opposition and excuse the Assad regime from any responsibility. There is no evidence or motivation at the time being linking the revolution activists to the horrific crime, and unfounded accusations only serve to divide the opposition and weaken its cause.
The source of this misinformation campaign can be traced back almost exclusively to the controversial figure of Mother Agnes Mary of the Cross, head of the Catholic Media Center in Damascus. Mother Agnes maintains close ties to the Assad and Makhlouf families who use the Catholic Media Center to organize press events and trips to Syria for a handpicked group of European journalists from the “Reseau Voltaire” media group. Several independant media sources in Syria have accused Mother Agnes of feeding her guest reporters distorted facts and fake testimonies for the sole purpose of tarnishing the opposition's image. Her credibility is further put in question by her statements at a press conference organized in November 2011, published on the website of the French newspaper “Le Monde.” Mother Agnes confessed that her information came from Syrian intelligence officers who escorted her and her foreign guest reporters during their travels inside Syria.
Mother Agnes and those helping her are harming the Syrian people by disseminating negative pro-Assad propaganda and tearing at Syria’s social and religious fabrics. The strength of the revolution has been in the unity of Syria’s religious groups within it, striving towards a common cause. The presence of Jesuit friars in Homs to provide humanitarian assistance to the remaining population in the city is incredibly heroic and brave, and is a true testimony to the unity of the popular movement against the Assad regime and the positive role the Christian clergy is playing. The Jesuits’ efforts in Homs must be met with every type of support possible from the international community.
The Christians in Syria, as well as the rest of the population, are in need of undivided support, backing, and funding. They do not need divisive rumors and the propagation of inaccurate information. SCD is happy to verify the any reports on events or actions pertaining to the Christian opposition in Syria.
Lo que sigue no es un artículo mío (excepto la traducción al español), sino una declaración de SIRIOS CRISTIANOS POR LA DEMOCRACIA, aunque yo suscribo cada palabra. Lo más importante de la revolución siria es la unidad de los diferentes grupos religiosos contra un enemigo común, más interesado en conservar el poder a cualquier precio que en el bienestar de su pueblo.
Aquí está.
LIMPIEZA ÉTNICA DE CRISTIANOS EN SIRIA: HECHOS Y PROPAGANDA
Washington, 22 de marzo de 2012
Sirios Cristianos por la Democracia (SCD) es una organización dedicada a informar de la violencia perpetrada por el régimen de Assad contra su pueblo, sean cristianos o musulmanes. Luchamos por representar los intereses de la comunidad cristiana dentro de Siria en relación con el resto de la población Siria y la comunidad internacional.
Mientras el SCD apoya los esfuerzos de la prensa internacional para informar y contar la historia de la revolución en Siria, al mismo tiempo hace hincapié en la necesidad de verificar la verdad y exactitud de todas las historias a priori, antes de su publicación.
En relación con la historia publicada en la “Agencia Fides” el 21 de marzo de 2012, http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=31228&lan=eng , sobre los cristianos de Homs que fueron forzados a salir de sus hogares, informes de primera mano han aclarado que los que lo perpetraron fueron soldados del ejército sirio que ocupó el barrio cristiano cerca de la calle Al Hamidiye y se apropiaron por la fuerza de varios edificios de residentes cristianos, para tener un control estratégico sobre la ciudad. Por supuesto, los cristianos fueron forzados a dejar sus hogares, y los informes sobre violencia ejercida contra ellos por “grupos terroristas” o por miembros de la oposición no están verificados y son tendenciosos.
Para investigar más a fondo estas quejas, SCD se puso en contacto con la Brigada “Al Farook” del Ejército Libre Sirio, que se encuentra situada en los alrededores de la ciudad de Homs. El portavoz de la brigada, el teniente Abdel Razzak Tlass, fue decisivo al indicar en el mapa de la ciudad exactamente cómo se retiraron sus hombres del distrito de Al Hamidiye semanas antes de que ocurrieran los presuntos ataques contra los cristianos. De acuerdo con el teniente Tlass, la brigada se retiró de la zona cuando ya no podía defender a los civiles que quedaban del inminente asalto militar. “El vecindario ha sido desde entonces terreno de juego de las tropas de Assad”, añadió el teniente Tlass. Terminó con la promesa a los cristianos de Homs de que recuperarán sus hogares y propiedades una vez que su brigada libere la ciudad de los hombres de Assad.
En lo concerniente a los ataques contra los cristianos de Alepo, el SCD contempla agraviado y pesaroso el atentado con bomba contra el centro de Catequesis en la iglesia de San Buenaventura. El SCD quiere reiterar su apoyo a los cristianos de Alepo y su más profunda admiración por sus esfuerzos. El SCD también advierte fuertemente contra los rumores infundados y la propaganda que intenta incriminar a la oposición y excusar al régimen de cualquier responsabilidad. NO hay ninguna evidencia o motivación hasta este momento que relacione a los activistas de la revolución con este horrible crimen, y las acusaciones infundadas sólo sirven para dividir a la oposición y debilitar su causa.
El origen de esta campaña de desinformación se puede rastrear hasta casi exclusivamente la controvertida figura de la Madre Agnes Mary de la Cruz, directora del Centro de Medios Católicos de Damasco. La madre Agnes mantiene lazos cercanos con la familia Assad y la familia Makhlouf, quienes usan el Centro de Medios Católicos para organizar conferencias de prensa y viajes a Siria para un selecto grupo de periodistas europeos que trabajan para el grupo periodístico de la Red Voltaire. Varias fuentes periodísticas independientes de Siria han acusado a la Madre Agnes de proporcionar a sus periodistas invitados hechos distorsionados y falsos testimonios con el único propósito de empañar la imagen de la oposición. Su credibilidad se ha puesto posteriormente en duda por sus afirmaciones en una conferencia de prensa organizada en noviembre de 2011, publicada en la página web del periódico francés “Le Monde”. La Madre Agnes confesó que sus fuentes de información venían de oficiales de la inteligencia siria que la escoltaban a ella y sus reporteros extranjeros durante sus viajes a lo largo de Siria.
La Madre Agnes y aquellos que la apoyan están perjudicando al pueblo sirio al diseminar una negativa propaganda pro-Assad, y rasgando el entramado social y religioso de Siria. La fuerza de la revolución residía en la unidad de los grupos religiosos dentro de ella, esforzándose hacia una causa común. La presencia de frailes jesuitas en Homs para proporcionar asistencia humanitaria a la población que allí permanece es de un increíble heroísmo y bravura, y es un verdadero testimonio de la unidad del movimiento popular contra el régimen de Assad, y del rol positivo que están jugando los clérigos cristianos. Los esfuerzos de los jesuitas en Homs tienen que contar con todo tipo de apoyo posible por parte de la comunidad internacional.
Los cristianos en Siria, así como el resto de la población, necesitan de un apoyo sin fisuras, que les respalde y provea de recursos. No necesitan rumores que incitan a la división, ni propagar informaciones sin verificar. El SCD con gusto se encargará de verificar cualquier informe sobre hechos o acciones relacionados con la oposición cristiana en Siria.
No comments:
Post a Comment