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Detached from reality

The opposition groups have rejected the vote they term a farce. Though the new constitution has called for a multi-party parliamentary election within three months, too much blood has flown for the opposition to consider participating in a political process under President Bashar Al Assad. Unfortunately, a lack of trust and confidence in the regime that has lost all credibility by its use of brutal force has rendered any reform implementation futile. A new constitution and a multi-party political system were the main demands when the protests started almost a year back but the fulfilment of these now may have come too late.

The rancour against Assad and his regime has now tipped the scales. It may be too late to rectify the damage done by the government with political reforms. If this is Assad’s way of proving to the international community that he is serious about bringing about the promised changes then his efforts have already nosedived. The US has dismissed the referendum and so has Turkey that questioned its feasibility in the present scenario. With plans for a UN backed Arab peacekeeping force in the pipelines, Assad’s choices now are very limited. With diplomatic pressure growing on Moscow and Beijing to stop supporting the Syrian regime, it may only be a matter of time before serious action is considered. This could even come in the form of military intervention, an option regional and even Western states were reluctant to exercise. But things have deteriorated so much now that given the status quo anything is possible.

The question is how far Assad is prepared to go to retain his power hold. Brutal massacres are being carried daily on unarmed civilians as government forces pound areas known to hold dissidents.

The newly appointed UN envoy to Syria, former Secretary General Kofi Annan has appealed to all sides to show restraint and engage with each other for a peaceful solution. It is time the world powers now pressure Moscow and Beijing use their influence with Assad to implement an immediate truce before anything else.