World media 'biased towards Syria rebels', peace activist says

4 Oct 2012, 5:39 pm   -   Source: Luke Waters, SBS
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A Syrian nun touring Australia says much of the global media coverage of the Syrian war is biased towards the rebels, who are 'fragmented, disorganised and destructive'.

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The safety of a Catholic church in Melbourne's north is a pleasant reprieve for Mother Agnes Mariam, who fled Syria after death threats she alleges came from the country's rebels.

"As until today I didn't receive a green light as to my safety".

Mother Agnes Mariam of the Cross is now seeking refuge in Lebanon after 18 years in Syria.

She says Christians in Syria are a silent majority, and churches are frequently targeted, and atrocities from the civil war are unimaginable.

"Civilian people are being brutally killed," she told SBS. "Some of them were beheaded. Some of them were cut in pieces.

"I cry. It's all that I can do."

Mother Agnes believes much of the media reporting is biased towards the rebels, which she says are "fragmented, disorganised and destructive".

"We are talking about fighters saying they are fighting for freedom and democracy," she said.

"They are not fighting for freedom and democracy. They are destroying the country.

"It's not to say the uprising is not right. No, all the Syrian people want the reform," she added.  

"If you use the same means that the regime you want to topple uses... you are like the regime!."

Next month Mother Agnes will compromise her own safety when she returns to Syria, as part of a delegation advocating a dialogue-based peace initiative.

She hopes it will receive support from Australian politicians, whom she will meet throughout her ten-day visit.

"You are as I said multiple factions living together in harmony and it's an example to the world".

Watch the interview on YouTube:

Syrian Violence , Syria , Syria Rebels

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Your Comments

Read and saw videos about this a few months ago

Jakob - from Sydney, 9 months ago

I have seen quite a few videos of hers one about rebels from other countries storming areas and another about rebels beheading then cutting to pieces and leaving the remains in the street a man they accused of giving info to the soldiors Trying to enforce AQ Sharia (like Mali) Youtube and other sides have alot of these videos Only shaming one sides abuses rather then all The irony is that America and others kill AQ and the Taliban in other countries yet fight side by side with them in Syria

yes

Patrick - from Melbourne, 9 months ago

Could not agree more with this woman in general thrust..surely by now everyone who doesnt live in fairyland has wised up to the great "Arab spring" hoax, that all we have done such as Libya, is applaud and help Islamists and ethnic/sectarian lobbies to take over and destabilise the region a country at a time. They have played the naive West which remains fixated in a fantasy mirage of spreading democracy .

Who to trust?

Austin - from Brisbane, 9 months ago

The Syrian government has a long history of human rights abuses. Lack of gay rights, heavy Internet censorship and persecution of Jews and Christians just to name a few to the point where it seems the rebels may be justified in the actions. However unjust the regime may be, the rebels should never stoop down as low as the government they are fighting, for Edmund Burke once quoted that revolutions must lead to something better, not worse. It seems as if the rebels haven't picked up on these words

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