Syria: From War to Reconstruction- Is
There Any Hope for Free Syria?
By Ayila Nisar
From Syria being once a prosperous nation to now just being left as a
fractured state. Enduring pain from over a decade now, Syria is still
suffering. The civil war in 2011 due to Arab Spring, led to the division of
the country, costing millions of Syrians life and many left displaced. The
President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, has come to an end in December
2024, still many areas are in control. The struggle from the last few years,
raises the question Will Syria Become Free, and Re-Build Again, Is There
Still Any Hope Left?
The origin of the Syrian conflicts can be traced back, when in 2011
successful uprising also known as Arab Spring toppled Tunisia’s and
Egypt’s Presidents. This gave hope to many Syrian pro-democratic
activists. Many peaceful protests occur in Syria as well, after that 15 boys
were detained and tortured for writing graffiti on wall in support of Arab
Spring. In respond to the protests, the Syrian government start killing
hundreds of demonstrators and imprisoning many more. In July 2011,
defectors from military announced the formation of Free Syrian Army, a
rebel group aiming to overthrow the government, making Syria slide into
war.
The war’s toll on Syrian people has been catastrophic. More than 656,493
Syrians has been killed till now, since 2011 more than 14 million has been
forced to flee from their homes due to safety purposes, more than 7.4
million Syrians remain internally displaced, 70 percent of population is in
need of humanitarian assistance and 90 percent lives below the poverty
line. With Assad’s loyalists still in the country, they are controlling many
areas of the country.
Despite, there still remains a hope in the regions like Idlib, opposition
groups continue to resist the loyalist dominance. The local resistance
movements are fragmented but shows that Syrian’s still desire for the
future where they could live freely. Although their efforts are stifled by
the military actions and the presence of foreign powers, these groups
refuse to let Syrian’s future be destroyed by authoritarian rule. To rebuild
Syria, a stable transitional government trusted by the Syrian people and
recognized internationally is essential. Reconstruction must be Syrian-led
and backed by global support. Security must be ensured by halting Israeli
attacks, and international sanctions—especially the Caesar Act (The Caesar
Act is a U.S. law that imposes sanctions on the Syrian government to punish human
rights abuses but also affects the country’s economy and civilians)—must be lifted
to revive the economy and ease civilian suffering.
With all the hurdles, Syria’s path to recovery is not entirely closed. The
struggle for freedom is although filled with challenges, but its far from
over. The resilience of the Syrian people, combined with international
power, may offer a path to freedom – where Syria can heal and emerge as
a democratic, peaceful, prosperous nation once again.