Latest news with #KasemBader
Memri
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Memri
The Tragedy Of The Druze Community In Syria – Granting International Legitimacy To A Government That Has Not Demonstrated The Basic Ability Or Willingness To Protect Its People Is An Indirect Endorsem
In the heart of Syria, deep within a wound left open for years, a community known for its wisdom, patience, and inner peace is once again under attack. The Druze – a rooted, ancient community grounded in tolerance and coexistence – are now enduring a new chapter of collective pain. Entire villages in Sweida province have been assaulted. Families displaced, women widowed, and children who once dreamed of school and peace now see those dreams reduced to ashes. Elderly men have been humiliated, young people arrested or forcibly disappeared, and voices of truth are being suffocated in the chaos of armed militias. What's happening is not a passing conflict – it is a systematic crime. A humanitarian disaster committed in broad daylight while the world watches silently, offering analysis but no action. As a member of this community, I write not a political statement, but a moral plea. A plea from a surviving child, from a grieving mother, from a father who lost his home, from an elder who no longer finds solace even in prayer. We do not seek revenge. We do not carry weapons of hatred. We only raise our voices in truth. Sheikh Dr. Kasem Bader Silence Today Is A Betrayal Of Justice Where Is The World? Where is the conscience of humanity? Where is the international community? Where are the United Nations and the Human Rights Council? Where are the United States, the European Union, and the Arab League? Where are you for a mother who lost her children before her eyes? From children who saw their fathers executed? From elders beaten in their own homes? From a people who want nothing more than to survive – with dignity? Silence today is a betrayal of justice. Turning a blind eye makes the world a silent partner in a continuous crime. Syrian Soldiers Force Druze Civilians at Gunpoint to Jump to Their Deaths from a Balcony – Viewer Discretion Advised; In a video circulated online on July 19, 2025, Syrian soldiers are seen forcing Druze civilians at gunpoint to jump off the balcony of a private residence to their deaths. The soldiers filmed the incident themselves and can be heard reciting "Allahu Akbar" after the men jump. (See MEMRI TV clip No. 12160, Syrian Soldiers Force Druze Civilians at Gunpoint to Jump to Their Deaths from a Balcony – Viewer Discretion Advised, July 19, 2025) The Role Of The International Community: A Call For Accountability It is time for the U.S. administration to act – clearly and decisively. We call upon the American government, as one of the international actors that once granted legitimacy to the current Syrian regime, to hold accountable those responsible for the atrocities in Sweida. We demand an immediate halt to the lawless chaos carried out by the so-called "Shari'a" militias – extremist groups backed by elements once recruited into the regime's apparatus and now repurposed into a new campaign of oppression and fear. Following the withdrawal of regular forces from Sweida under political agreements, the door has been left open for these terrorist gangs – armed and emboldened – to take control, spreading terror under the name of the regime and the cover of international silence. The United States, as a sponsor of certain political tracks, is called upon today – not tomorrow – to respond. Granting international legitimacy to a government that has not demonstrated the basic ability or willingness to protect its people is a disgraceful silence – and an indirect endorsement of violence. Who Supports These Militias? What we face is not random. The militias attacking Sweida are supported either directly by the regime or by forces closely aligned with it. These are "official militias" in an "unofficial" disguise, executing brutal acts after regular forces were strategically pulled out to avoid international condemnation. What is even more alarming is that the so-called "Shari'a" group has drafted a strict Islamic constitution – one that opposes the very principles of pluralism, coexistence, and religious inclusion. It seeks to erase anyone who differs in belief or identity. We Ask for Protection, Not Privilege We, the Druze – small in number, vast in spirit – do not seek power, nor do we wish to shift political balances. We only ask to live... without fear. We ask for immediate international protection. We ask for independent UN monitoring of the crimes committed. We ask for these violations to be formally entered into the records of the Security Council and for an urgent investigation by recognized human rights organizations. We ask for the free voices of the world to join us in this cry. Not because we are Druze, but because we are human beings. And what is happening in Sweida today could happen anywhere tomorrow if the world remains blind and deaf. A Call To Humanity We now call on the international community not just to give humanitarian aid, but to take a clear positions on crimes against civilians. We want our voices to reach the U.S. administration through you. Be a bridge of truth, not a silent institution. This is not a political issue – it is a matter of global conscience. We do not want anything but to remain alive... with dignity. To pray in our homes without being killed for being different. This is a cry from the heart of Syria, For humanity. For lives that do not deserve to be buried in silence. *Sheikh Dr. Kasem Bader is a Druze leader, President and Founder of the Universal Peace Council for Human Rights.
Memri
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Memri
A Cry For Humanity: The Druze People Amid The Tragedy In Syria
In the heart of Syria, a quiet and resilient community is being silenced – again. The Druze, a peaceful religious minority known for their deep-rooted traditions of tolerance, loyalty, and spiritual wisdom, are facing a new chapter of pain. Innocent families, women, and children have fallen victim to horrific acts of violence. Entire villages have been assaulted. Elders who stood for dignity were humiliated. Children who once dreamed of peace now live in fear – or worse, are no longer with us. Sheikh Dr. Kasem Bader On July 15, reports from southern Syria indicated that Syrian government military forces forcibly shaved the moustaches of Druze men. Jews endured the same treatment under the Nazi regime. On July 16, 2025, the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR) published on its Facebook page a video showing a Syrian soldier wearing an ISIS patch on his body armor. In the video, the soldier said that the Ansar Al‑Tawhid Brigades of the Syrian 82nd Division were preparing to enter the Druze city of Sweida in order to "purify it" from what he called the "filth" of Druze leader Hikmat Al‑Hijri and his followers. (Source: See MEMRI TV clip 12156, Syrian Soldier Wearing ISIS Patch Says Before Entering Druze City Of Sweida: We Will Purify The City Of Druze Filth, July 16, 2025) What Is Happening In Sweida Is A Humanitarian Crisis As someone from this community, I speak with both heartbreak and urgency. What is happening today in Sweida and the surrounding regions is not just a regional conflict. It is a humanitarian crisis. Extremist groups have targeted our people simply for who we are – people of faith, of peace, of coexistence. We do not seek vengeance. We do not raise weapons in hate. We raise our voices in truth. The world must know: The silence surrounding these atrocities is deafening. Where is the international community? Where are the protectors of human rights? Where is the justice for children executed in front of their parents? For mothers who have buried their sons? For holy men who were dishonored in their homes? This is a call for action – not tomorrow, but today. We, the Druze, are few in number but strong in spirit. We are not asking for privilege. We are demanding protection. Recognition. Intervention. *Sheikh Dr. Kasem Bader is a Druze leader, President and Founder of the Universal Peace Council for Human Rights.
