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Haleb Diary: Speaking the Language of Kidnappings, Bombings and Propaganda

By Vahakn Keshishian

While it is still difficult to open lines of communication with Haleb, the news that is filtering out merely deals with sporadic incidents rather than providing an overall picture of developments in Syria.

We hear reports that kidnappings have increased dramatically as a way for some to get rich quick. Many groups involved in the fighting are tempted to go this route when their finances run low. Armenians, naturally, have not been immune to such kidnappings due to the general perception that they are well off.

In one case, a ransom of two million Syrian Lira (around $30,000) was demanded.

But kidnappings have more to do with just extracting ransom payments. Eleven Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped three months ago remain unaccounted for, although suspicions have been pointed at Turkey who wants to put pressure on Hezbollah, given that those kidnapped were Shiites. Hezbollah is regarded as the organization directly responsible for their welfare.

The Al Miktat Brigade closely aligned to Hezbollah, recently kidnapped more than 40 Syrians and two Turks in order to exchange them for the eleven Lebanese.

Similar groups of brigands and clans are always ready to play a political role if given the chance by a higher authority. In Syria as well, it is such groups that form the backbone of the revolution. While true that in Haleb and Damascus most of the fighters are foreign mercenaries, but it is the village leaders and small town defenders that have grown in power with the decrease in central authority. In Lebanon, where the central power of the government has always been weak, such groups have always enjoyed the conditions of their dreamt about paradise.

In addition to speaking the language of kidnapping, these groups also speak in the language of bombing. In fact, a group can set a bomb somewhere in the vicinity of its intended target as a warning. Maybe this helps us understand the bombings that took place several hundred meters from the four churches in Haleb – the Armenian Apostolic, Latin, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Protestant.

Maybe the bombs were set by the Syrian regime to frighten the Christians. Perhaps, they were set by the opposition camp to spread panic. Who can say for sure?

Whose interests would be served by inciting panic? If, on the one hand, the regime wants to politicize the people after forty years of depoliticizing it, on the other, it is careful that such politicization doesn’t backfire on it. In the same way, the opposition is careful not to incite the anger of the people against its forces and doesn’t want to create the impression that the opposition is to blame for all the evils associated with the war.

The regime is trying to play the game of the opposition by inviting western reporters like Robert Fisk to follow the actions of the regular army. At the same time, the regime is trying to convince the people that it remains in control of the country.

The rebellion forces try to garner the support and financial assistance of the West by showing that it is making advances in the ground and claiming that they control 60% of Haleb and will regain what they have lost.

In a word, given the lack of credible information, the language of kidnappings, bombings and propaganda reigns supreme.

All sides in the conflict are playing for time.

In the meantime, we wait to see which side will die first in the bloodbath.

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