Ever since Jan. 26, 2011, Civilians from Syria started a massive rebellion against the long-reigning and dictatorial Ba’ath Party rule. They demanded the resignation of Bashar al-Assad, the current president of Syria who abused his power and oppressed the Syrian citizens. The tumultuous protest turned rapidly into a series of civilian massacres where, according to the United Nations, 13,470 to 19,220 civilians were killed. The worst of these civilian massacres happened in May 25, 2012, in Houla, Syria.
The Houla massacre killed a total of 108 people, including 34 women and 49 children, according to the United Nations. Syrian soldiers, who were stationed in Taldo, a village in Houla, desecrated the town with tanks and artillery weapons after armed rebels took out an armored personnel carrier. Video immediately surfaced on the Internet, showing blood-soaked children huddled up in the bare floor. The soldiers then proceeded to mutilate the children, cutting their throats and violently killing them.
The Syrian government tried to evade the heavy responsibility put on their shoulders. Jihad Makdissi, spokesman for the Syrian Foreign Ministry, said, “We completely deny responsibility for this terrorist massacre against our people.” Such irresponsible response from the Syrian government angered the International Community. Government officials from Hungary, Australia, Canada, United States of America, and Egypt all condemned the massacre that took place in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Houla Massacre was an atrocity, while the Canadian Foreign Ministry reacted by expelling the Syrian diplomats from Canada.
Students and teachers from Kamiak High School spoke out about the atrocious crime that occurred in Houla. Steve Helman, a world history teacher and the debate coach at Kamiak High School, said, the “Syrian government should be held accountable for the massacre that happened in Syria.” Britt Carlson, a sophomore from Kamiak High School and also the junior class president, stated that the Houla massacre was brutal and unnecessary. “I have seen the video of the children getting mutilated by the Syrian soldiers. I realize it was the armed rebels that inflicted damage on the soldiers first, but killing children to instill fear into the rebels was just inhumane,” said Carlson. Aiden Skogheim, the president of Human Rights Club at Kamiak High School, said, “human rights are something everyone is entitled to. I really do despise the massacre that happened in Syria and hope that the United Nations tries everything to recuperate the damage that was inflicted in Houla.”
Meanwhile, the stories of children that have survived the massacre are alerting the people to become more aware of the depressing situation in Syria. “Although the Syrian uprising is far from being over, I believe that the civilian rebels will triumph against the government and usher al-Assad out of his presidential position,” said Helman.
Andrew Kim
I am currently a senior at Kamiak High School, located in Mukilteo, Washington. I love jazz, especially jazz piano. I also like writing, and hope to participate in newspaper club when I attend college. Thank you for reading this blurb about me.
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