The single most deadliest act over the past 70 years by any Arab regime took place 30 years ago this week (February 1982) in the city of Hama, Syria.

The ‘incident’ as it is called, forever changed the psyche of the Syrian people.

sarabiany.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/rem…

Actually, this week we commemorate the 37th Anniversary of the #Hama #82Massacre. An event that for 30 yrs was only whispered about in peoples homes.

Thread.

Ordered by Hafez #Assad & carried out by his brother Rifaat, the people of #Hama were systematically massacred in response to uprising. Rifaat later bragged more than 38,0000 Hamwis (out of 150k ppl at the time) were slaughtered - whole family lines were ‘erased’. #82Massacre

The total #PT didn't account for 1000s of Hawmis, Aleppans and Idilbis, murdered leading up to the main massacre, nor for thousands imprisoned & missing after. In a SHCR Report, an officer even bragged “the survivors are less than those we killed”

“It is the largest slaughter of the modern age”, stated by a Soviet diplomat (friend of #assad regime). Whole neighborhoods were leveled by shelling/ jets. Men lined up & shot. Girls raped enmasse. This was the #Hama82 massacre - a prelude of what we've witnessed these past 8 yrs

After the #82Massacre, when families buried their martyrs the graves were blown up by the regime as a lesson that #Hama’s dead could not #RIP.

#Hama82 enabled the #Assad regime to continue their stranglehold on #Syria – until of course the #Mar15 2011 revolution for dignity.

The ‘incident’ as the #Hama82 massacre was called, forever changed society, Syrian psyche, creating a culture of fear, resentment & distrust of one another.

Some say #Syria’s revolution started in mid-Feb or #Mar15 2011. Yes, but seeds were sown in the #82Massacre.

To better understand what it was like to survive the #Hama82 massacre read these two pieces for a child’s account.

P1: bit.ly/AAqmUt

P2: bit.ly/wUkdPy

#Hama #Syria

Please take a moment to say a prayer for all those lost in the #82Massacre & for all hundreds of thousands who paid the ultimate price in the struggle for a new #Syria.

The struggle is generational, and Syria will, someday, sooner rather than later, be free from tyranny.