Syrian
activists and intellectuals have recently been defending the non-violent
character of the revolution in the face of calls for armed struggle against the
Assad regime. Nine months after the first protests and sit-ins erupted in
Syria, more than 5,000 have been killed, tens of thousands injured, tortured
and forced into exile, while at least 15,000 souls languish in prisons under
horrifying conditions.
The
following lines are a contribution to the defense of the non-violent nature of
the Syrian revolution from two angles: one political, the other practical.