In his first speech since the devastating earthquake, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad spoke in a televised address. In it, he acknowledged that the country cannot cope with the disaster without outside help: “The scale of the disaster and the tasks we have to take on are far greater than the resources available,” said Assad. He caused a sensation with a cynical statement: he explained that the civil war had prepared people well for the earthquake.
A few days ago, Assad and his wife visited the disaster area in Aleppo in the north of the country. Now he caused outrage in a television appearance when he described the civil war he has fueled, which has ravaged the country for almost twelve years, as a good preparation for the catastrophe. The conflict has already claimed 350,000 lives – the president is taking brutal action against his own people. He is accused of crimes against humanity, such as the use of chemical weapons.
Assad thanks ‘Arab brothers and other friends’
“The war, which has depleted resources and capabilities, has given Syrian society the experience to deal with the earthquake,” Assad said on TV. So far, the World Health Organization has counted 5,900 earthquake deaths in Syria, a number that will continue to rise. “Syria was not an earthquake zone for two and a half decades and was not prepared for such an earthquake,” Assad continued. He thanked “Arab brothers and other friends” for their help.
The emergency aid would have contributed to reducing the consequences of the earthquake. However, Assad also announced further measures. The government has already provided temporary housing and a new relief fund has also been set up. An important lesson from the disaster is that “we managed to weather the conditions in our different areas,” Assad said.
Regime can profit from disaster
The arrival of aid in areas controlled by the regime, such as Aleppo, Damascus or Latakia, is actually staged on state television. “Here at Aleppo airport, humanity really knows no boundaries!” said a reporter during a report after planes from Algeria and Saudi Arabia landed with aid supplies.
A meeting between Assad and the director of the World Health Organization and the UN emergency coordinator a week after the earthquake was judged problematic by experts: There is much criticism of the UN and UN organizations for de facto exercising the power of the Syrian regime. says Melani Cammett, a political scientist at Harvard University. Of course they say they are politically neutral – but any help you bring in also ensures that the Syrian regime is validated.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
