We mourn the loss of Mr Muhammad Qassem Eid al-Masalmah

Yesterday Muhammad Qassem Eid al-Masalmah was killed while covering clashes between Free Syrian Army and Assad military forces. He had travelled to the Daraa countryside, Bosor Harir as he was brutally gunned down by an Assad sniper (Warning: Graphic). His life could possibly have been saved if there had been any medical facilities in the area but Bosor Harir lacks all of that due to the ongoing conflict.

Muhammad Qassem Eid al-Masalmah was one in the first group of people in Daraa who started peaceful demonstrations to protest against the Assad regime. He became one of the first citizen journalists in Daraa and in Syria taking photos, shooting videos and doing live broadcasts. It's no understatement saying he was a crucial part of the Syrian uprise against the regime in Syria and especially in Daraa. The Syrian secret police and military had tried to eliminate him numerous times because of his work. Among activists in Daraa he was looked upon as true hero who was respected by all.

Mr Qassem Eid al-Masalmah was early a part of S.N.N. SHAAM News Network and he was essential in getting information out from Daraa about the situation there. He was broadcasting live as late as yesterday before taking to the streets in Bosor Harir.

Here's a video of him when covering clashes between Free Syrian Army and Assad forces in Daraa a few weeks ago.




A wife has lost a husband, the world has lost a very brave man fighting for democracy in Syria and an opportunity to get live footage and photos from inside Daraa, showing the brutality, killing and terror exercised by dictator Assad and his armed forces.

In his honor activists in Daraa will continue using his channels to distribute information from the governorate of Daraa.

More information to be found here

Syria - a country that can no longer communicate

If you don't have the essentials for communication, will you lose?

A few weeks ago we were told Bambuser was blocked in Syria, but the flow of videos continued on a smaller scale. Brave and skilled people used alternative approaches to reach out with the LIVE material, much needed to let the world know about the terror and violence in Syria.

Unfortunately, for a couple of days it's been getting more difficult for the people in Syria to reach out. Assad's government does its utmost to control not only the people but also the communications with the outside world. A few days ago they began to turn off the electricity for up to 15 hours a day. With no electricity one cannot charge devices or use the Internet. The lack of electricity is not all – when it returns – it starts with high voltage peaks which burn out any devices plugged in.

Activists tell us they're afraid to use generators due to the noise they make. Security forces and the military now make regular checks at homes with generators, and those suspected of being anti-Assad protesters risk being arrested, tortured and even killed.

During the last week we've seen the consequences of this lack of electricity: even fewer videos from Syria. The following broadcast was sent for us tonight to show the situation.



We know the Syrian people want the world to know, but with the little electricity they have, they need to prioritize and use it for saving lives, before it is cut off again.

UPDATE: The day after this text was posted, the broadcaster did an additional broadcast - this time from the top of a roof showing when the lights go out - leaving Daraa City in complete darkness. This happens randomly every day in cities all over Syria.

We mourn the loss of a very brave Syrian journalist

This morning LIVE footage by a citizen journalist, Rami Ahmad Alsayeed - one of the persons behind the channel Syriapioneer on Bambuser, was aired all over the world by BBC World, SkyNews, Al Jazeera and many more. All showed live footage from the roof where Rami and his friends had their camera, documenting the heavy shelling from the Assad Forces hovering over BabaAmr in Homs, Syria. Rami Ahmad Alsayeed has for months been one of the bravest and forefront fighters in getting the world's attention on what's going on in Homs, Syria. In the afternoon, cameraman and journalist Rami Ahmad Alsayeed did his last broadcast – he and three of his friends were soon after this killed by the Assad armed forces on the streets of BabaAmr.

UPDATE: Rami was accompanying three persons to a civil hospital. The car was the target of a mortar and the other three persons were killed right away. Rami was badly injured and died from the wounds later in the hospital.



Rami Ahmad Alsayeed, born 1985, father of a little girl aged a year and a half called Marym, was killed during the shelling over Homs this afternoon. His last message for his friends was (spellchecked and with clarifications inserted):

Babaamr is facing a genocide right now. I will never forgive you for your silence. You all have just give us your words but we need actions. However our hearts will always be with those who risk their life for our freedom. I know what we need! We need campaigns everywhere inside Syria and outside Syria, and now we need all people in front of all embassies all over the world. In a few hours there will be NO place called BabaAmr and I expect this will be my last message and no one will forgive you who talked but didn't act.

A family has lost a husband and father, the world has lost a very brave man fighting for democracy in Syria and an opportunity to get LIVE footage from inside Homs, Syria showing the brutality, killing and terror exercised by dictator Assad and his armed forces.

This is a last video of martyr Rami Ahmad Alsayeed. WARNING: Strong footage!

Bambuser now blocked in Syria

Yesterday morning Bambuser was blocked in Syria. The Syrian government has chosen to deny citizens in Syria access to bambuser.com as well as use of Bambuser's mobile apps over Syrian 3G.

Over the past weeks the number of Bambuser broadcasts from Syria has increased, with strong footage showing bombings, victims, destruction and terrible conditions at local field hospitals in Syria.

Two days ago an oil pipeline in Homs was destroyed. A citizen in Homs who has been broadcasting bombings over several days broadcast the black smoke that developed from the explosion, with the sound of gunfire and shelling of Homs accompanying the footage bambuser.com/v/2369044. The live footage was used by major TV media like CNN, BBC, AlJazeera, SkyNews and many more, with credentials to Bambuser. The impact of those videos very likely came to the Syrian government's knowledge.

baba-omer

We believe this footage was the trigger for the Syrian government to block access to bambuser.com and disable the possibility to broadcast live video with mobile phones on Syrian 3G.


This is not the first time Bambuser is blocked by a dictatorship. Bambuser was blocked in Egypt for a week in January 2011 and is also blocked by Bahrain's government since 6 months. The feedback we get from our friends in Syria and all over the world is fantastic. Not only have we helped them get their message out, but they also say it means much in terms of morale for everyone in this situation. They know the world is watching, sharing and it gives them hope. No matter where in the world there is unrest, we at Bambuser always do our best to support and help observers.

Let the world know

Bambuser is to some extent about citizen journalism, free speech and democracy. It all started over a year ago with the uprising in Egypt, followed by the Arab spring movement through the Middle East to Russia, and the Occupy movement in the US and Europe. During the last year people have utilized Bambuser to broadcast real-time information from these events to the world. What takes place in Syria now is no exception.

Footage by http://bambuser.com/channel/baba-omer © 2012 BABA AMR REV EYE

As with all protests in the world where people are using Bambuser, we're trying to non-profit support as much as we can. We're often asked to help observers distribute their content to media and as many people as possible.

We have daily contact with Syrian observers who try to document the terrible things that are going on in the country. They have in an impressive way set up cells that teach broadcasting and organize live footage coming from Syria. We've been in contact with them for more than 8 months to support them with our knowledge. Massive amounts of broadcasts have been produced since the protests started but few have been paid much attention.

Over the past couple of weeks our work with Syria has intensified as the Assad forces have stepped up the attacks against the protesters. The number of videos coming out is increasing and what is good is that media and people in general have begun to understand the brutality. Our close relation with the Syrian observers has resulted in both Associated Press and Thomson Reuters distributing Bambuser live videos from Syria to media companies all over the world on a daily basis. The material has been seen on major news channels like BBC, AlJazeera, Sky News etc. We have no idea how many people that have been watching, but it is a substantial number.

http://bambuser.com/v/2344816 © http://bambuser.com/channel/smartlive1

The feedback we get from our friends in Syria is fantastic. Not only have we helped them get their message out, but they also say it means much in terms of morale for everyone in this situation. They know the world is watching, sharing and it gives them hope.

No matter where in the world it happens we will always do our best to support and help. We're a small company with very limited resources but we see this as the foundation on which the rest of Bambuser is and will be built.

For updates on LIVE news please follow Bambuser_Alert on Twitter - Share the world.