By guest author Majed Ashy
The way out in Syria is to hold immediate general elections.
We hear many voices from concerned people in the region and internationally and hear the sound of bombs and firearms in Syria, but we do not hear the voice of the Syrian people.
The realities of the Syrian nation may not be as simple as the divisions that are assumed to hold along religious or sectarian lines. Some people will say that conditions are not right for elections, but more bloodshed would not be the better alternative.
The United Nations Security Council should pass four resolutions as soon as possible:
- All hostilities in Syria should cease immediately.
- Preparation for general elections should begin immediately.
- General elections should take place with U.N. and other international observers within the next six months to a year.
- If anyone interferes with the process or validity of these elections, they will face trial in The Hague for crimes against humanity.
I think the world should gather to give the Syrian people a voice,–not by speaking for them or by hiding their voices behind bombs or illegitimate leaders.
Let us trust the Syrian people, who have a long history of culture and coexistence, to do the right thing and find a way to heal and move forward together.
The situation in Syria has the potential to bring the world together, not divide it. It is an opportunity to have a shared vision, not fragmented ones, and to transcend violence, pessimism, desire for revenge, and national and international divisions.
We could miss this opportunity and fall deeper into divisions and violence, or we could let this situation bring out the best qualities in us and bring us together. We all need to rise above our narrow interests and understand that it is in our interest to come together.
Dr. Majed Ashy is an assistant professor of psychology at Merrimack College and a research fellow in psychiatry at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School