DEFINING MOMENTS OF 2016: OMRAN DAQNEESH AND THE ECHOES OF THE SYRIAN WAR

DEFINING MOMENTS OF 2016: OMRAN DAQNEESH AND THE ECHOES OF THE SYRIAN WAR

Honestly, I had plans to start 2017 on a positive note. I probably thought my critique on ´Guided by his Hands´ would be the first piece of work I would send out to my readers in the New Year but it is obvious that God had other plans for me because that decision changed some few hours to the New Year. Pen-ultimately, around 9:00pm when I was preparing to go for the New Year prayers, I decided to watch CNN for the last time in the year and I was lucky because I tuned in the middle of the programme – Defining Moments of 2016. It was a special report from the world’s news leader which summarized the most important events of the outgoing year and how they would continue to contribute significantly to the major headlines in 2017.

The report was a refreshing reminder of how 2016 played out; the Brexit Saga which co-incidentally collided with my younger brother’s 23^rd Birthday and the comic relief that followed it, Donald Trump’s victory which I prophesized a fortnight before the elections and some people believed I was just wasting my time (because someone like Donald Trump can never become the president of the United States – Azeez Sanusi, Oct. 16, 2016) amongst other interesting stuffs. However, the video clip of Omran Daqneesh - the famous Syrian toddler that was rescued from the rubble turned out to be the most emotional of them all.  The report remained the viewers of the genocide that is on in Syria and how children, women and other venerable groups have suffered tremendously from the civil war. I was reduced to tears when the picture popped up again. It is a gory sight and this write-up was inspired by that single event.

Who is Omran Daqneesh?

Omran Daqneesh is a Syrian boy who, at age five, gained media attention after footage of him injured in an air strike appeared on the Internet. He was injured on August 17, 2016, according to some sources - in an airstrike, according to other sources - as a result of fire, caused rebels Al-Nusra Front on residential quarter al-Qaterji of Aleppo, Syria. He suffered a wound to his head and was taken to a hospital known as M10 and later discharged.

Daqneesh was rescued with his parents and three siblings, then aged one, six, and ten. His 10-year-old brother, Ali, died on August 20, 2016, of his injuries. The apartment building collapsed shortly after the family was rescued. Eight people died in the air strike, including five children. The image of him sitting bloodied in an ambulance after being dragged from the rubble of his home caused international outrage and was widely featured in newspapers and social media. (Source: Wikidepia.com/OmranDaqneesh).

Aleppo – formerly the largest city in Syria has been besieged during the country's 5 years old civil war. Thousands of people have been killed there, including 4,500 children, and many lives have been upended. Omran's family is among them.

In my article titled; ‘INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE: Building Blocks for Peace in Libya & Syria.’ published to commiserated with the World Peace Day usually observed on the 21^st of September of every year, I reminded the world of the carnage in Libya and Syria and how every attempt at finding a lasting peace has been defeated. Excerpts from the article; ‘The news of how a proposed ceasefire in Syria between Russia and the United States broke down dominated headlines yesterday as the US accursed Moscow of dishonouring the agreement. It is evident that almost all avenues at achieving a lasting peace has been exhausted but I would implore the United Nations and other World powers (that genuinely want peace to rein) to continue to deliberate and negotiate with warring parties on how best to end the conflict in both countries.  Dialogue is of utmost importance especially where we have a huge number of human casualties.’ (Oluwole Olusanya, 2016)

Interestingly, a six year old boy – Alex, from Scarsdale, New York City, have also offered a commendable suggestion. In an open letter sent the United States President, Barack Obama, the boy suggested to the President that Omran should be bought to the U.S. so that he can live with his family. "We should all be more like Alex," Obama wrote on his Facebook page as he uploaded a video clip of the letter.

The President also referenced Alex’s letter during his speech at the United Nations later that week when addressing the international refugee crisis. "He teaches us a lot," Obama said. "The humanity that a young child can display, who hasn’t learned to be cynical, or suspicious, or fearful of other people because of where they’re from, or how they look, or how they pray - we can all learn from Alex." He concluded.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, the last meeting of the United Nations Security Council held two days to the New Year ended in disarray. We can only continue to pray for divine intervention to this and other countries in conflict; Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yewen, Pastikan and so on.

On a lighter note though, I would like to inform my esteemed readers that henceforth, I would be uploading my articles and write-ups on my blog – www.shegzsablezs.blogspot.com.ng. This is informed by that fact it would ensure a wider audience on the long run and it would make accessibility easier for research and reference purposes. I also like to exclusively inform you that I would start writing fictional pieces and publishing same on my blog. I have almost concluded my course on ‘Start Writing Fiction’ by the Open University in the United Kingdom – the largest University in the UK in terms of student enrolment and Nancy, my tutor at Creative Writing Now is doing a wonderful job. Who said 2017 can start on a positive note?

Happy New Year Everybody

Oluwole Olusanya.