Action, not talk, will win the day Thursday, 31 March 2011 04:51

It was a big disappointment. After two days of anticipation Dr Bashar Al Assad finally spoke to his people last evening. “I deliberately delayed my address,“ he said, “to have clear picture of what is happening and to be fair to the protesters.” But what followed reflected little to show for the deliberation.  

I am not a Syrian; but after hearing Assad and following the news about Syria on the BBC — not Al Jazeera in this case — I am convinced Syria is going the same way as Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen.

I thought Assad would announce a comprehensive programme for reforms but he did not even come up with steps like the ones His Majesty Sultan Qaboos courageously took to avoid a crisis which could have led to political uncertainty in the Sultanate of Oman. He admitted that the reforms he started in 2005 was very slow, though. But he did not go beyond saying that the nature and direction of reforms needed to be reevaluated.

I did not see much difference between the speech Assad made yesterday and that of Hosni Mubarak or Zine Al Abdine Ben Ali. He did not even take any action to soften, let lone abolish the emergency law in force since 1963. Instead, he blamed satellite TV channels and Internet for inciting “sedition” and foreign powers for hatching a “plot” against Syria.

Syria, like other Arab countries, must follow the democratic path and bring about political and social reforms that would satisfy the ambition of the people as it is happening in the west.  Moreover, Islam is keen on consultation and democracy — And consult them in affairs, says the Holy Quran. The leaders need to show in practice they are serving their people instead of just rhetoric in their speeches.