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Breakdown in Syria

Syrians are under a spell of sporadic shelling. The uneasy peace brokered by the UN special envoy Lahkdar Brahimi on the eve of Eid Al Adha is in tatters.

Though both the parties are busy in a blame game, shelling and shooting has made life miserable for the people in the flashpoint areas of Damascus and in the rebel-held northern Aleppo. Independent estimates say that more than 200 people have been killed in the aftermath of a car bomb in the capital on Friday and subsequent violence across the country. Such developments go on to suggest that none of the parties are interested in furthering a negotiated way out, and one way or the other prefer to seek a militaristic solution. The point of concern is that from Damascus to Homs and Aleppo, there is a complete breakdown of law and order, and the writ of the government is non-existent. Even in the areas held by rebel forces, intrusion attempts from Syrian security forces have resulted in killings at impunity, and human rights organisations say that incidents of midnight knocks are on the rise.

The United Nations and other relevant peacemakers have to look anew into the crisis, and lay the groundwork for a full-fledged peace process. These piecemeal measures have hardly worked from Bosnia to Gaza and from Afghanistan to Pol Pot’s massacre fields.

What the world body is in need of doing is to layout a plan of action that should clearly stipulate the agenda of regional countries, as they are the one who are directly on the receiving end in the case of security implosion in Syria. Bringing on board Russia and China is essential, as that could make Damascus fall in line in a better way.

The allegations from Russian General Nikolal Makarov that Syrian rebels are in possession of US weapons has apparently provided the regime in Damascus with an excuse to violate with the ceasefire conditionalities. This is quite unfortunate. Brahimi, who foresaw the truce as an opportunity to bring the warring factions across the table, will have to deliberate closely with all the stakeholders once again in order to broker another thaw. It is a demanding job and one can’t be sure of any breakthrough until and unless the Baath Party really gives it a good-try to look ahead of President Bashar Al Assad. Of late, the most disturbing aspect has been spilling over of violence in the sectarian module, which threatens to engulf almost all of the neighbouring states taking into account the influx of refugees across the borders. The chaos at work is no less than a structured genocide for the hapless Syrians.