Homs National Gatherings

Over the past few weeks, people have been staging various national activities and gatherings throughout Homs countryside. These events are not organized as usual to honor martyrs, who are the noblest of all men, but rather an expression of overwhelming joy and staunch support for holding the presidential elections.

A lot of people gather in this place that they call the National Gathering tent. The remarkable national flags adorn these gatherings and music of the patriotic songs filled the place.

People dance and celebrate this national event. The Syrian people across the governorate affirm their support for the national principles and for holding presidential elections. They voiced solidarity with the Syrian Arab Army in its battle against terrorism.

They also confirmed their participation in the voting process which expresses the independency of the Syrian decision.

A large number of people gather in these places but what distinguishes those gatherings is that the place is dedicated to the families of the martyrs. The site is decorated with the most beautiful assortments of roses and plants with the national flags.

I asked one of the organizers of the events which are being held in Talkalakh: Why do you allocate this beautiful place for the martyrs’ families? He told me: “By doing so, we are trying to express our sincere and genuine feelings of gratitude to the most dignified people who sacrificed their beloved sons in defense of the homeland. So amid these celebrations, we should pay special attention to those because of whom we are present here. Those who missed their loved ones whether martyrs, missing or kidnapped.”

The father of one of the martyrs said to me: “elections for us are the outcome of our son’s sacrifice. We are here because we believe that the State is still existent and that the enemies’ project was defeated. It is true that the crisis affected us a lot, but it did not decrease and diminish our resolve. We have been groomed up to love our homeland regardless of how voluminous the sacrifice is. We came here to emphasize the continuity of life in Syria and stress that we are here despite all what happens.”

The Syrian flag is flapping all over the place in this district, which was destroyed by terrorists, and over there is that land which was watered with the blood of our young people. The flag is also flapping over the castle which oversees the valley and plain. The blessed flag will remain the title of Syria, Syria the state, the homeland and the people.

The honest national resistance has succeeded in defeating terrorism. Villages of Homs have returned to their owners, and people have returned to their land and homes. All the terrorists were either flushed out to the countries where they came from, or buried under the Syrian soil.

Once again the people of Al-Nadarah Valley and people of Al-Hoson area have met together under the Syrian flag. They stand shoulder to shoulder to foil all anti-Syria plots and sinister schemes aiming at sowing sedition among our people and putting Syria into a devastating civil war.

Participants in this National Gathering Tent in Al-Nadarah valley voiced confidence that their celebration today is but a strong message to the conspirators that the Syrian people won’t surrender to foreign pressure and dictates.

They affirmed that the anti-Syria’s allies should know that Syria is an independent and a sovereign state as its decision stem from the will of its people and in accordance with the provisions of its Constitution and laws.

 “Syria will participate on the basis of the Syrian people’s exclusive right to decide upon their political future and choosing their leadership. Furthermore, any form of foreign interference is rejected. We are all here, under the Syrian flag, to support the constitutional entitlement and prove that we are present despite all the circumstances,” one of the gathering organizers said.

“We are here to renew our allegiance for H.E President Bashar Al-Assad, and we are going hand in hand with him to defeat terrorism because we are confident that Syria will triumph with his wise leadership”, a lady dressed in black said firmly.

Ahmad, a school teacher in Al-Hoson area, said: ” We support President Al-Assad, because we see in him a guarantee for Syria’s future security, stability and prosperity. For us, he is the wise resistant leader who has protected his country against the sinister schemes, maintained the state’s national unity and sovereignty. He represents the type of open-minded statesman who has supported coexistence and believed in reform, modernization and development based on people’s needs and aspirations”.

“The real legitimacy will be determined by the ballot boxes and it is the Syrian people who will choose the one to lead them in the coming stage. So Syria’s president can only be chosen by the Syrian people and no force in the world can influence this national decision which has been guaranteed by the international laws”, Ibrahim a university student said.

Syria’s sovereign decision to hold the presidential elections on time reflects the Syrian people’s determination to uproot terrorism from their homeland, restore security and stability to the country as well as to reconstruct the new Syria.

Villages of Om Jamme’, Om Harteen, Al-Zahera, Al-Manqoula, Al-Mzyeneh and Al-Hwash have also organized various national activities, events and marches to celebrate the occasion.

George, a clergyman said: ” Participating in the elections is but a moral and national duty and it is the genuine victory over the enemies of Syria and a painful slap to the west

because the Syrian people’s will is stronger than all conspiracies.

“We are committed to participate in the elections to demonstrate to the whole world that we are alive and conscientious people capable of preserving our sovereignty, dignity and independent decision”.

Nibal, an employee said: “The third of June will be the date to announce victory over crisis and plot and the beginning of the reconstruction process.

Syria must not be destroyed, and we believe that our will and strength charged with our resolve will be greater than the crisis facing our beloved country”.

“Thanks to President Bashar Al-Assad’s courageous defense of his people and his wise leadership in the face of every pre-historic cannibalistic terrorist.

 The president lives in the hearts, minds, souls and eyes of his own people. All of us want Al-Assad to be our everlasting President being the caring father of all Syrians and the custodian, savior and defender of Syria and Syrians,” Nibal concluded.

Amal Farhat-Homs