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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 1-Jun-2011
1-Jun-11 News -- Mutilated teenage boy becomes symbol for Syria's revolution

Web Log - June, 2011

1-Jun-11 News -- Mutilated teenage boy becomes symbol for Syria's revolution

Hillary Clinton says this signals 'total collapse' of Syrian regime

Mutilated teenage boy becomes symbol for Syria's revolution

A video showing Syrian security services torturing and killing a 13-year-boy named Hamza al-Khatib has galvanized the opposition and has become a symbol for Syria's revolution, according to the Guardian.

Protester holding up a picture of Hamza al-Khatib during his funeral (Guardian/AFP)

Protester holding up a picture of Hamza al-Khatib during his funeral (Guardian/AFP)

Hamza was picked up by security forces on 29 April. On May 27, his badly mutilated corpse was returned to his family, who were warned to keep silent. But instead of staying secret, the tortured and swollen body is appearing on a Youtube video. (Warning: This video is grossly sickening.)

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's statement, quoted by Reuters, reflects an increasingly harsh position towards Syrian president Bashar al-Assad:

"I think what [Hamza's death] symbolizes for many Syrians is the total collapse of any effort by the Syrian government to work with and listen to their own people.
Every day that goes by the position of the government becomes less tenable and the demands of the Syrian people for change only grow stronger.
President Assad has a choice, and every day that goes by the choice is made by default. He has not called an end to the violence against his own people, and he has not engaged seriously in any kind of reform efforts."

Neda Agha-Soltan - Killed during 2009 Iran uprisings

Neda Agha-Soltan - Killed during 2009 Iran uprisings

During the Iran uprisings in 2009, a pretty, young girl named Neda Agha-Soltan was shot dead in the streets by security forces, and the entire incident was captured in a graphic youtube video. Neda became an international symbol of Iran's opposition, and opposition forces in Syria hope that Hamza's mutiliation and death will accomplish the same thing for them.

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 1-Jun-11 News -- Mutilated teenage boy becomes symbol for Syria's revolution thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (1-Jun-2011) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 1-Jun-2011 1-Jun-11 News -- Mutilated teenage boy becomes symbol for Syria's revolution

Mutilated teenage boy becomes symbol for Syria's revolution

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 1-Jun-2011
1-Jun-11 News -- Mutilated teenage boy becomes symbol for Syria's revolution