Panthers Party chief writes to PM on Syria


Prof. Bhim Singh, Chairman, National Panthers Party and Member, National Integration Council who is also Chairman of Indo-Arab Solidarity Council addressed an immediate letter to Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India, seeking his intervention to save peace in Syria. NPP Chief visited Syria and spent seven days as independent observer. The contents of the letter produced below:-
“May I take this liberty to submitting a brief note on the present situation as prevails in Syria. I visited Syria as an independent observer and stayed for seven days from 19th to 25th April, 2012. I had an opportunity to visit South and North of Syria and the interacting with people from different walks of life. A group of eminent Indian journalists also visited Syria.
1. There is strong feeling in Syria that Anglo-American Bloc intends to demonize the Syrian leadership to demolish a great civilization as they did in Iraq and other Arab countries. The main reason, from the Syrian view point, is that Zionist lobby in USA controls the nerves of Obama administration and would like to use his administration to knock the Syrian President by planting ‘wolf and lamb’ stories.
2. There is a genuine feeling among the people of Syria that so-called Syrian crisis in the name of democracy etc. has been blown out of proportion in order to divert the world attention from the mandate of UN Resolutions namely, 242, 338, 425 and a dozen others which have been kept in cold storage by the United Nations under the dictates of the US in order to bail out Israel from its obligation to vacate all Arab territories including Golan Heights of Syria, Jerusalem and other Arab territories. Mr.Netanyahoo, Israeli Prime Minister, had told me in a video interview that Israel shall not vacate Golan Heights at any cost. The Israeli authorities have boldly defied UN resolutions on Jews settlements in Jerusalem, West Bank and other areas. The double standards policy of UN in the Middle-East shall prove disaster towards peace. The UN observers should have gone to Gaza and also stopped new settlements in Jerusalem instead.

3. There is a genuine feeling that Anglo-American interest lies in the Arab oils, waters and strategic territory and not (not) in the democracy or civil rights. In that case the Kingdoms, Sheikhdoms, Sultanates in the Arab world should have been the first on the priority list for restoration of democracy. Syria or Iran would appear at the bottom of the board in that priority.
4. The people in Syria or in the Arab world in general feel highly pained on India’s vote against Syria in the Security Council. It is felt that vote against in Syria did not represent the spirit of the NAM countries or BRICS nations. I personally feel that the office of the Prime Minister has not been informed on the ground reality that existed in Syria. Voting for Resolution 2042 amounted to interference by the United Nations into Article 2(7) of the Charter of United Nations itself. India has always taken principled stand inside and outside the United Nations which made India highly popular, particularly, in the Arab world.
5. As an independent observer I visited South and North areas in Syria without any problem. I met several ministers, media persons, diplomats and also talked to the media persons. The biggest question that has touched the credibility of the UN itself is, who is second party to the so-called crisis in Syria. Government of Syria has demonstrated itself democratic and magnanimous approach by welcoming the UN Resolution to send observers (may be 300) at the expense of people of Syria though. But who are the parties against whom so-called ceasefire shall be enforced? India is the only country in the world which has no personal interest in the oil, waters or land in the Arab world except helping peace process in the region. India was among those countries who were opposed to resolution 181 of the United Nations, which divided Palestine. From Mahatma Gandhi till this day India has been supporting the peace process in the Middle-East. This is for the first time that India has certainly committed, may be calculated mistake, which cannot be justified.
6. The killing of innocent people, blasting the buildings in the midnight may it be in Aleppo or Homs or elsewhere by ghost attackers who can rightly be called as terrorists cannot be justified. This is responsibility of the State i.e. Govt. of Syria to provide protection to the life and liberty of every Syrian citizen. This subject matter is domestic and deals with internal security. The USA or the United Nations have no locus to interfere in the internal affairs of Syria. Russia and China are permanent members of the Security Council and their decision against the Resolution cannot be ignored.
7. India has two important platforms on the international arena. The NAM countries and BRICS countries. I would like to suggest that India should take initiative without any delay to hold consultation with the leadership of both. None shall succeed if India fails to discharge its responsibility to save the situation in Syria. Every attempt is being made by Zionist lobby to use Obama administration to demolish another Arab civilization, Syria as it did in Iraq, Libya and of course in Egypt and Tunisia also. Obama is more interested to seek Zionist support in next election and therefore any logic, reasoning or arguments would not matter for US. They are looking for pond of flesh from the heart of Syrian President whom they find as the next potential Arab leader to claim the enforcement of all UN resolutions against Israel.
8. I would like to suggest the Prime Minister to overhaul his foreign office in the South Block which has failed to even consider the reports from the office of Indian Ambassador in Syria on the situation. The press reports appearing in several Indian newspapers and in the international media have been highly exaggerated and blown out of proportion. All the acts of violence committed by the terrorists (whom the US calls as Talibans in Afghanistan) in any Syrian town or village are being attributed to the government failures. On the other hand the UN observers have no role to play to identify the opposite party. Every government has right to exercise its power to maintain internal security and internal peace for the safety of its citizens and property. Let UN identify the second party to the dispute and enforce ceasefire against their terrorist activities.
9. The UN sanctions against Syria are highly deplorable, unacceptable in any civil society, violative of the UN Charter itself, barbaric & against the human dignity as such sanctions deprive children, old and women from seeking even medicines and food as it happened in Iraq resulting in the death of more than million children.
10. Hon’ble Prime Minister, Sir, Syria held election to the Office of the President. 250 members Parliament shall be elected this month. The United Nations should have helped this political process instead of choosing to disturb political atmosphere in Syria. What does it mean?
11. People of Syria in particular and the Arab world has great expectation from India and I hope and trust that Hon’ble Prime Minister may take appropriate steps needed to save peace in Syria.”

Sd/-
Bhim Singh