Editor:
A hearty welcome to Syrian refugees Rita Rihani, Jizil, Nardeen and Michil Ibrahim, and thank you to Heather Conn for an informative article and lovely photo of the family (“Refugees don’t believe media stories about ‘ruthless’ Assad,” Coast Reporter, April 28).
It was great to read something other than western imperialist NATO propaganda (including Aljazeera) about what is going on in Syria. Rita Rihani and Michil Ibrahim are accurate in their positive assessment of the president of Syria and his reputation as a hero among his people for resisting Israel/U.S./NATO-sponsored terrorism intent on destroying their country to reap the spoils of Syria’s rich energy resources. If you want to know more about this, read independent Canadian journalist Eva Bartlett who courageously reports from Syria about what is actually going on there: www.facebook.com/EvaBoBeeva?fref=ufi&rc=p.
If critics really believe the government of Syria is gassing its own people, then why not support Russia’s call for a joint investigation with the Americans? This initiative has been rejected out of hand by the U.S., which apparently knows within minutes who is responsible for atrocities in remote conflict zones. No proof necessary, no independent investigation required! Just launch the lynch mob. We know who the guilty party is. No trial required! Often the guilty parties lead the lynch mobs.
Thanks again to Rita Rihani for speaking out about what is really happening in Syria. Canada needs more courageous truth tellers like you and Eva Bartlett. It is nice to know that three more strong women (Rita and her daughters) have joined our community to speak truth to power.
It is timely that Conn’s article appeared so close to Mother’s Day. The original Mother’s Day Proclamation by Julia Ward Howe was all about women uniting to end war. That is at the root of Mother’s Day.
Roger Lagassé, S.C. Peace Group
