Statement by President Obama on Syria
(February 4, 2012)
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
Thirty years after his father massacred tens of thousands of innocent
Syrian men, women, and children in Hama, Bashar al-Assad has demonstrated
a similar disdain for human life and dignity. Yesterday the Syrian government
murdered hundreds of Syrian citizens, including women and children,
in Homs through shelling and other indiscriminate violence, and Syrian
forces continue to prevent hundreds of injured civilians from seeking
medical help. These brutal killings take place at a time when so many
Syrians are also marking a deeply meaningful day for their faith. I
strongly condemn the Syrian government’s unspeakable assault against
the people of Homs and I offer my deepest sympathy to those who have
lost loved ones. Assad must halt his campaign of killing and crimes
against his own people now. He must step aside and allow a democratic
transition to proceed immediately.
The Syrian people demonstrated in large numbers across Syria yesterday
to participate in peaceful protests commemorating the 30th anniversary
of the Hama massacre. They labeled the protests, “We are Sorry,
Hama – Forgive Us.” We owe it to the victims of Hama and
Homs to learn one lesson: that cruelty must be confronted for the sake
of justice and human dignity. Every government has the responsibility
to protect its citizens, and any government that brutalizes and massacres
its people does not deserve to govern. The Syrian regime’s policy
of maintaining power by terrorizing its people only indicates its inherent
weakness and inevitable collapse. Assad has no right to lead Syria,
and has lost all legitimacy with his people and the international community.
The international community must work to protect the Syrian people
from this abhorrent brutality. Earlier this week, our Arab partners
called on UN Security Council members to take action to support a political
solution to the crisis in Syria and stop Assad’s “killing
machine.” The Council now has an opportunity to stand against
the Assad regime’s relentless brutality and to demonstrate that
it is a credible advocate for the universal rights that are written
into the UN Charter.
We must work with the Syrian people toward building a brighter future
for Syria. A Syria without Assad could be a Syria in which all Syrians
are subject to the rule of law and where minorities are able to exercise
their legitimate rights and uphold their identities and traditions while
acting as fully enfranchised citizens in a unified republic. The United
States and our international partners support the Syrian people in achieving
their aspirations and will continue to assist the Syrian people toward
that goal. We will help because we stand for principles that include
universal rights for all people and just political and economic reform.
The suffering citizens of Syria must know: we are with you, and the
Assad regime must come to an end.
Sources: White House |