We all know now that the beginning of the war led by Assad to his own people was the answer to peaceful protests, asking for democracy.
But months after months, this war became a genocide, by a systematical extermination of the population : the use of chemicals, prohibited weapons, the tactic of the siege and starvation, the use of enforced disappearance; all of the crimes are not war crimes, but the sign of a genocide.
War crimes are in the fact to bomb civilians, who are protected under the Geneva Conventions.
But Assad broke all the Conventions: the use of chemicals, for instance, is against the Convention on Chemical Weapons: these are forbidden . First, he used napalm, but it made such scandal that he used others, less seen: the gas dispersed in the air without traces, killing in a total impunity. Only scientists were able to identify it as sarin.
Napalm , of course, reminded to everyone the Vietnam War, and the famous photo of “Napalm Girl”, which made scandal at this time.
Recently, he bombed a market: this shows his will to kill a maximum .
Moreover,schools and hospitals have been targets : children are largely victims of the genocide he undertook five years ago.
Now, Syrians, and a part of the International community want Assad to be judged at The Hague, by the ICC.
But we can note, sadly, that in 2011 and 2012-2013, Syria was in the news.
Now, the public has forgotten the events of Syria:Assad and Putin can kill in an absolute impunity, because the silence is absolute, too.
Sometimes, on social networks, as a reminder, a banner shows us the chant “Silence is a War Crime” or “Silence is Complicity”.
Some internet sites keep us updated of the genocide committed by Assad: the Syrian Network for Human Rights publishes monthly reports, the Syria Awareness Campaign, and the Violations Documentation Center.
These Syrian sites are worth reading, because they provide real information.
At a time when misinformation reigns, when some powers would have diplomatic relations with Assad, it is good to remind that Assad is not an individual to negotiate with.
He is responsible for a genocide: The Hague is the only suitable place for him.