Aoun Warns of Jihadist Bid to Storm Syria's Bloudan: You're Either with Nusra or with Maalula
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday revealed that the extremist al-Nusra Front is preparing to storm the mainly Christian Syrian town of Bloudan near Damascus, lashing out at those who are allegedly backing the jihadist group instead of supporting the historic neighboring town of Maalula.
“We were surprised by a cable received by OTV and FPM's website saying '… amid the assault on the town of Maalula, al-Nusra Front is trying to invade the Christian town of Bloudan, and we are raising our voice because we need greater protection.'”
“We fear that the Front might enter the town like what happened in Maalula and we fear being slaughtered. We hope our message will be delivered to the patriarchs, as al-Nusra Front is encircling the town and we have not seen any reinforcements or strong response until the moment and we can't but defend ourselves," Aoun quoted the cable's authors as saying.
“We have contacted the patriarchs so that they in turn contact the Syrian officials,” Aoun said.
Former French president Nicolas “Sarkozy said Christians have no place in the Middle East, but we don't want a protection for Christians, we rather want the implementation of human rights. They're saying that they're fighting in Syria for the sake of human rights, doesn't that include Christians? Are they discriminating between Muslims and Christians?” Aoun added.
The FPM leader noted that “human rights involve the freedom of belief and the freedom of the human.”
“We want protection from al-Nusra Front, which is killing and slaughtering,” he added.
“In Egypt, Sunnis themselves did not tolerate the extremism and they quickly reevaluated their political and social situations, and we all have the right to identify the problem,” Aoun said, referring to the ouster of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi by a popular-backed military takeover.
Aoun pointed out that rival Lebanese politicians have said that “no monasteries were torched in Maalula.”
“Where did the published pictures come from? Let's suppose that they (Syrian rebels and jihadists) have not committed any violations, why did they enter Maalula? A funeral has been held for three victims and Greek Catholic Patriarch (Gregory III) Laham prayed for their souls,” Aoun noted.
“We will not accept to remain silent over this issue and this is a series that started in Palestine and moved to Iraq and Egypt, where so many Copts decided to leave the country. But we will remain here and those justifying the deeds of those who are slaughtering them are spineless. They are not a resistance because resistance must start in the head first. They must stand on their feet and become aware of the problem instead of being anesthetized,” Aoun added, in reference to the Christians of the rival March 14 camp which supports the Syrian revolt.
“There is the Nusra and there is Maalula. You can be either with the Nusra or with Maalula and the difference between the two is like the difference between hell and heaven, and those who choose hell can remain in hell,” he added.
Noting that the rebel attack on Maalula was unjustified, Aoun said the town “can be monitored with the satellites of world powers and they can tell if they Syrian army is inside the town.”
“Nothing justifies the presence of fighters in the town, as it was a peaceful town that was not taking part in the fighting and that did not harbor any fighters. I visited it and it contains monasteries. I visited the Mar Jerjes Monastery that they have torched,” he added, reminiscing his visit to Syria.
Aoun went on to say that Italian Jesuit priest “Father Paolo (Dall'Oglio) was slaughtered when he tried to mediate the release of a hostage.”
Turning to the domestic issues, Aoun said: “We do not approve of the (caretaker) cabinet's performance and God willing, there will be a surprise that we will make regarding the manner in which laws are being issued.”
Maalula is an ancient town that symbolizes the Christian presence in Syria and where residents speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ used by few communities around the world.
The town north of Damascus had been spared from the violence that has rocked Syria since March 2011, until last week, when violence broke out there for the first time since the conflict erupted.
Syrian rebels, including jihadists linked to al-Qaida, have taken control of Maalula north of Damascus, a watchdog and residents said on Sunday.
Source: Naharnet
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