In a slightly unexpected twist in the deeply depressing Syria story, the wives of the British and German ambassadors to the UN have launched a video appeal and petition to Asma al-Assad, British-born wife to the Syrian dictator, urging her to “stand up for peace” and “stop being a bystander” to the violent repression.
“Some women care for style and some women care for their people” the video begins, juxtaposing Asma in big Hollywood shades and blow dry against a woman in hijab cradling a baby. Asma al-Assad must have grown elephant hide by now, but even so, this probably stung.
“Some women have forgotten what they preached about peace,” the slightly robotic voice continues. “Some women pretend they have no choice.” Against a backdrop of gruesome, horrifying, heart-breaking photographs of dying children, the narrator appeals to Asma to stop her husband.
Their motivations are worthy, undoubtedly so. How wonderful it would be if Asma watched the video and defected. If she, Marie Antoinette-style, had up until now lived in ignorance at the bloody events unfolding beyond her palace walls. If a few pictures of bloodied children would finally nudge her to take action.
But in the age of the internet, it’s simply impossible that Asma isn’t aware of the atrocities in Syria, and even if she does watch the footage and risk her family’s wrath by defecting, this might be a blow to Bashar al-Assad but it would hardly convince him to stop. And the Syrian president is not acting alone; there are many thousands of people in Syria with an interest in preserving the status quo.
For all its good intentions the petition is desperately naïve. Asma is merely a well-coiffed figurehead; she can’t take on the strong vested interests in the Assad regime. Her support for her husband may be puzzling, particularly given her British upbringing and her previous lip service to human rights, but it’s far from decisive.
Perhaps like the Kony video, this appeal will start “trending” on YouTube – when I checked this morning it had over 30,000 views – but even with ten million hits and hundreds of headlines, the gesture will still be futile – tragically so.
Sophie McBain is a staff writer for Spears
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