 |
| Demonstration at University |
SYRIA- “The new government in Syria has taken action to meet the demands of the Syrian people,” Nidal Kabalan, Syrian Ambassador to Turkey, said on Wednesday, commenting on the latest developments in the protest-hit Middle Eastern country.
The ambassador said the lifting of emergency rule in the country, as well as a transition to a multiparty system and a law on media, was among those demands.
A new era of reforms has begun for Syria and all segments of the society are excited about the process, Kabalan said, adding that the violence should be stopped in order to ensure the effective implementation of reforms.
Regarding the role Turkey may play in the ongoing process in Syria, Kabalan said his country was thankful for its neighbor’s support on the matter and “eager to benefit from Turkey’s experiences concerning the multiparty parliamentary system.”
The Globe and Mail said that 4,000 university students from Daraa and surrounding areas protested near the city's al-Omari Mosque.
The news website added “Activists also said dozens of students protested Wednesday at Aleppo University in the country's north, adding there were confrontations on campus between pro and anti-government students.”
Syrian Human Rights League chief, Abdul-Karim Rihawi, said security agents picked up Mahmoud Issa from his home in the central city of Homs after an interview he gave to Al-Jazeera satellite TV late Tuesday.
Rights activist Mazen Darwish said the interview Issa gave to Al-Jazeera angered relatives of a Syrian brigadier general who was killed along with his two sons and a nephew Sunday in Homs.
The government says they were gunned down by “armed gangs” that authorities blame for the violence during anti-government protests of the past month.
Darwish said Issa, in the interview, said he didn't know who was behind the killing and called for an investigation, enraging bereaved relatives who reportedly threatened Issa before alerting the police.
Issa, who spent years in prison for his pro-democracy views, was picked up from his home shortly afterward.
Britain's Foreign Office on Wednesday said U.K. nationals should consider leaving Syria on commercial flights, after it upgraded warnings about unrest there. In a statement, the ministry said it had changed its advice “in light of the deterioration in the security situation in Syria.”
British diplomats had warned that violent clashes are anticipated between local security forces and demonstrators.
The U.S. response to the recent events in Syria reveals that the Arab revolts have not completely shaken President Obama’s faith in a misguided policy of engagement with anti-American authoritarian regimes. To date, over two hundred pro-democracy protestors have been slaughtered in a government crackdown in Syria. The U.S. response offers little to be proud of in terms of promoting American interests and ideals. Instead, it compromises both.
There have been two major moments in the U.S. approach to Syria over the course of the past several weeks. First, there were Secretary of State Clinton’s remarks which cited comments characterizing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as a reformer. “Many of the members of Congress of both parties who have gone to Syria in recent months have said they believe he’s a reformer,” said Clinton on March 27th. Next was President Obama’s condemnation of violence on April 8th in response to the killing of approximately 20 Syrian protestors in one day.
The Obama administration needs to get a grip on two key points.
One, Assad is not a reformer. His March 30th speech confirmed as much. To be sure, Assad has made a few concessions as a result of the protests. He issued a decree granting citizenship to Kurds, lifted the government ban on teachers wearing face veils, and closed a casino. More recently, he formed a new cabinet. But the continued violence in Syria suggests his actions are not necessarily evidence of reform so much as they are attempts to placate unrest. Syrian activists are justified in continuing to push for freedom and democracy.
Two, the U.S. has little interest in Assad retaining his grip on power in Syria. President Obama’s efforts to distance Syria from its ties to Iran and Hezbollah have failed. Besides, if the ultimate goal of that policy was to weaken Iran and Hezbollah, the current situation presents a fresh opportunity to do just that.
River to SeaThe ambassador said the lifting of emergency rule in the country, as well as a transition to a multiparty system and a law on media, was among those demands.
A new era of reforms has begun for Syria and all segments of the society are excited about the process, Kabalan said, adding that the violence should be stopped in order to ensure the effective implementation of reforms.
Regarding the role Turkey may play in the ongoing process in Syria, Kabalan said his country was thankful for its neighbor’s support on the matter and “eager to benefit from Turkey’s experiences concerning the multiparty parliamentary system.”
The Globe and Mail said that 4,000 university students from Daraa and surrounding areas protested near the city's al-Omari Mosque.
The news website added “Activists also said dozens of students protested Wednesday at Aleppo University in the country's north, adding there were confrontations on campus between pro and anti-government students.”
AP reported “Syrian Authorities has coupled its crackdown with a series of concessions, including an end to the state of emergency, which gives authorities almost boundless powers of surveillance and arrest.”
“Homs has been tense since clashes between protesters and security forces killed at least 12 people Sunday. On Tuesday, security forces there opened fire with live ammunition and tear gas on hundreds of anti-government demonstrators during a pre-dawn raid that killed several people.” On Wednesday too, human rights activists said Syrian authorities arrested an opposition figure at his home during an overnight raid, hours after the government announced an end to emergency rule.
Syrian Human Rights League chief, Abdul-Karim Rihawi, said security agents picked up Mahmoud Issa from his home in the central city of Homs after an interview he gave to Al-Jazeera satellite TV late Tuesday.
Rights activist Mazen Darwish said the interview Issa gave to Al-Jazeera angered relatives of a Syrian brigadier general who was killed along with his two sons and a nephew Sunday in Homs. The government says they were gunned down by “armed gangs” that authorities blame for the violence during anti-government protests of the past month.
Darwish said Issa, in the interview, said he didn't know who was behind the killing and called for an investigation, enraging bereaved relatives who reportedly threatened Issa before alerting the police.
Issa, who spent years in prison for his pro-democracy views, was picked up from his home shortly afterward.
Britain's Foreign Office on Wednesday said U.K. nationals should consider leaving Syria on commercial flights, after it upgraded warnings about unrest there. In a statement, the ministry said it had changed its advice “in light of the deterioration in the security situation in Syria.”
British diplomats had warned that violent clashes are anticipated between local security forces and demonstrators.
The U.S. response to the recent events in Syria reveals that the Arab revolts have not completely shaken President Obama’s faith in a misguided policy of engagement with anti-American authoritarian regimes. To date, over two hundred pro-democracy protestors have been slaughtered in a government crackdown in Syria. The U.S. response offers little to be proud of in terms of promoting American interests and ideals. Instead, it compromises both.
There have been two major moments in the U.S. approach to Syria over the course of the past several weeks. First, there were Secretary of State Clinton’s remarks which cited comments characterizing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as a reformer. “Many of the members of Congress of both parties who have gone to Syria in recent months have said they believe he’s a reformer,” said Clinton on March 27th. Next was President Obama’s condemnation of violence on April 8th in response to the killing of approximately 20 Syrian protestors in one day.
The Obama administration needs to get a grip on two key points.
One, Assad is not a reformer. His March 30th speech confirmed as much. To be sure, Assad has made a few concessions as a result of the protests. He issued a decree granting citizenship to Kurds, lifted the government ban on teachers wearing face veils, and closed a casino. More recently, he formed a new cabinet. But the continued violence in Syria suggests his actions are not necessarily evidence of reform so much as they are attempts to placate unrest. Syrian activists are justified in continuing to push for freedom and democracy.
Two, the U.S. has little interest in Assad retaining his grip on power in Syria. President Obama’s efforts to distance Syria from its ties to Iran and Hezbollah have failed. Besides, if the ultimate goal of that policy was to weaken Iran and Hezbollah, the current situation presents a fresh opportunity to do just that.
Uprooted Palestinian
