Adieu, Assad!

An open letter to Syria´s president Bashar al-Assad

Dear Mr. President,

By now, you could have been an outstanding opthalmologist, helping your people to see a better future, had not the death of your brother Basil  in 1994 interrupted your studies in London and brought you back to Syria in order to be "educated" as the successor of your father. When your father died in 2000, you were "elected" as the President of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Many people, both inside and outside of your country, had great expectations about a new, more human and democratic future for Syria, when you took over after your brutal father. Unfortunately, eleven years later, these hopes and prayers have not been answered. Syria has not become the beacon of freedom and democracy in the Arab world. On the contrary, during the last few days, it has become more and more obvious that you are nothing more than a bloodthirsty dictator, ordering your security forces to shoot and kill civilians demonstrating for a freer and better Syria:

Tonight, I noticed that you sent your "regime's face to the outside world", Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban (with a Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Warwick) to lie to Western media about the killings. Unfortunately I have to tell you, that her performance was not very convincing - and you must know why; lies are seldom convincing.

Here is what Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch has to say about the way you treat your own citizen:

The Syrian government has shown no qualms about shooting dead its own citizens for speaking out. Syrians have shown incredible courage in daring to protest publicly against one of the most repressive governments in the region, and they shouldn't have to pay with their lives.

I sincerely hope that you realise by now, that your time is up. You may be able to terrorise your own citizens for a while still, but you can be assured that soon you will share the fate of  Hosni Mubarak, (the soon to be ousted) Muammar Gaddafi and other brutal tyrants.

I have only one piece of advice for you: leave the country, before it is too late. Hugo Chavez, or some other remaining authoritarain leader, would probably still welcome you as an honoured guest.

It is time to say:

Adieu, Mr. President!