August 17, 2011 – Syria News Blog: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

As international rhetoric in condemnation of the violence in Syria roars, the Syrian government continues in its unflinching suppression of the country’s deepening unrest. The Turkish ultimatum issued last week – end the violence and implement reforms within two weeks or expect an intensification of Turkish interference – appears to have fallen on deaf ears. On Saturday, the Syrian military initiated a new assault on the coastal city of Lattakia, leading to more deaths, detainments and international condemnations. Tunisia has withdrawn its ambassador to Damascus, Switzerland has imposed more sanctions against Syrian officials, and Jordanian officials have urged for an end to the violence. Now deep into the summer, the deadlock between the government and the opposition continues with no signs of abatement in the near or distant future.

Ramadan Unrest
On Saturday August 13, international media reported that the Syrian army had stormed the coastal city of Lattakia following mass protests in the city the day before. Reports suggest that at least two people were killed amid the crackdown. Gunfire and explosions could reportedly be heard around the city during the morning and afternoon. 
 
The military crackdown in Qusair also continued. State media reported that funerals were held for eight security and army officers killed the day before in Damascus and Homs. The officers were said to have been killed by armed terrorists. 
 
On Sunday, the Syrian military escalated its crackdown against protestors in Lattakia. Some international sources reported that naval warships had been deployed to shell certain districts of the city. However, a number of other news agencies did not confer such information, suggesting the possibility of false reportage. The Syrian government adamantly denies that any such means were used. However, military forces and tanks were sent into the city. Reports also indicated that armed groups were indeed engaged in violent activity in some city districts.  
 
According to international media, some 23 people in residential neighborhoods were killed over the course of the day. The district of Ramleh, an opposition stronghold, reportedly bore the brunt of the security crackdown. 
 
SANA reported that two members of Syrian law enforcement were killed during the operations in Lattakia while another 41 were injured.
 
In the capital, security forces also carried out operations in the suburbs of Saqba and Hamriya, making arrests and cutting of communications. Residents reported that gunfire could be heard scattered throughout the day.
 
On Monday, troubling reports continued to emerge from Lattakia, indicating that the military siege of certain parts of the city remained well underway with tanks shelling largely Sunni districts of the city. International media reported that an estimated 5,000 Palestinian refugees had fled a UN refugee camp in the city after it came under fire by the country’s security forces. 
 
According to Christopher Gunness, a spokesman for the UN Relief and Works Agency, the refugees had left in part because some were ordered to do so by Syrian authorities and in part because of the violence. The refugees live in the Ramleh area, one of the biggest neighborhoods in Lattakia. The area has seen considerable unrest since March with many asserting that its lack of basic services is a key factor behind its residents’ participation in the unrest. (For a short backgrounder on the history of Lattakia, see here.)
 
The same reports suggest that 15 people were killed in violence across the country on Monday.
 
On Tuesday, international media reported that unrest in Lattakia had declined, as troops and security forces maintained a firm grip on the city’s flash points. At the same time, foreign media reported that Syrian security forces had put thousands of Lattakia residents in a local soccer stadium also taking aways their IDs and cellphones. Residents were told they were being sent there as their neighborhoods were about to undergo military operations. Needless to say, the move heightened international concerns, particularly as the area is now largely cut off from communications. 
 
Today, Wednesday August 17, the Syrian government announced that it had largely withdrawn its forces from Lattakia as well as Deir ez-Zor. According to foreign reportage, activists assert such claims are untrue and that security operations in both locations continue. 
 
At the same time, mass arrests were carried out in a number of locations in and around the capital Damascus, including Rukn Eddin (a predominantly Kurdish neighborhood in Damascus) and the suburb of Ein Tarma. Security crackdowns in the central city of Homs reportedly resulted in the deaths of another ten people and live ammunition was allegedly used amid crackdowns in Aleppo, Hama and Lattakia. 
 
Activists state that more than 2,400 people have been killed amid the unrest that began in Syria some 23 weeks ago.
 
Arrests
On Thursday August 11, the head of the Syrian League for the Defense of Human Rights, Abdel Karim Rihawi, was arrested in Damascus. The French foreign ministry responded immediately with a statement saying that, “The arrest of Mr. Abdel Karim Rihawi… constitutes another unacceptable decision by the authorities in Damascus and goes directly against the expectations of the international community. Mr. Abdel Karim Rihawi must be released immediately.” 
 
On Monday August 15, Amnesty International released a report indicating that three young Syrian activists and organizers in and around Damascus had been arrested and held incommunicado in unknown locations. The families of the arrested activists, Islam al-Dabbas, Majd al-Din Kholani, Hanadi Zahlout  and Shadi Abu Fakher, all have heard no word of the whereabouts of the detainees. 
 
International Politics & Diplomacy
 
United States
Urging isolation, defending Syria policy
On August 12, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used a State Department press conference to urge other countries to end arms sales and trade with the Syrian government. Specifically, Clinton stated that “We urge those countries still buying Syrian oil and gas, those countries still sending Assad weapons, those countries whose political and economic support give him comfort in his brutality, to get on the right side of history.” In her statement, Clinton singled out China, Russia and India, urging both to reduce their ties to Damascus.
 
The following day, US President Barack Obama also reportedly spoke on the telephone with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah and British Prime Minister David Cameron regarding the situation in Syria. The leaders issued a public statement following the conversation, again urging the Syrian government to halt its “brutal campaign of violence” against Syrian civilians. According to a White House official statement, President Obama and King Abdullah “expressed their shared, deep concerns” and PM Cameron and Obama both agreed on “the Syrian people’s legitimate demands for a transition to democracy”. 
 
On Monday August 15, White House spokesman Jay Carney said during an official press conference that the US was working with “a broad array” of countries to put pressure on President Assad to end the violent crackdown against the Syrian opposition. Carney said that President Assad must “cease the systematic violence, mass arrests, and the outright murder of his own people”.  He went on to state that “by his actions” President Assad “has demonstrated that he has lost legitimacy to lead, and the president has no doubt that Syria will be better off without him“. The people of Syria “deserve a peaceful transition to democracy; they deserve a government that doesn’t torture them, arrest them and kill them. And we are looking, together with a broad array of international partners, to increase pressure on President Assad,” Carney continued.
 
The following day, in the company of Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta at a national security forum held at the National Defense University in Southwest Washington, Clinton responded to criticisms of Washington’s limited response to the Syrian crisis, noting that in the case of Libya, the Obama Administration used “smart power” by acting as part of collective engagement with broad international support. With regard to the Syria case, Clinton stated that the US has limited ability to respond to the situation, noting that “It’s not going to be any news if the United States says, ‘Assad needs to go.’ Okay, fine, what’s next?” she asked. 
 
In a statement publicly marking a clear shift in US foreign policy under President Obama, Clinton said, “We [the Obama Administration] have a very clear view that others need to be taking the same steps to enforce a universal set of values and interests.” 
 
Canada & Switzerland
Expanding sanctions
On Saturday August 13, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird announced that Canada is expanding its sanctions against Syria by prohibiting further members of the Syrian government from traveling to Canada and freezing more financial assets linked to the Syrian government. In a statement regarding the Canadian government’s decision, Baird stated that “There’s been significant movement in the Arab world in condemnations from a number of not just Arab leaders but others in the Arab world so the chorus is getting louder.” 
 
Baird went on to concede that the sanctions recently imposed against the current government have yet to influence its behavior. “We’re very committed to this and we’ll continue to work with our allies and reach out to others to take more significant action,” he said. In response to inquiries regarding whether or not the Canadian ambassador to Syria would remain in Damascus, Baird said, “I think we’ll leave our ambassador in Damascus as long as we think there’s a value to doing that.” 
 
On August 17, Switzerland announced that it was also adding another 12 names to its Syrian sanctions list. The announcement came from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco). Four companies accused of bankrolling the Syrian government were added to the list. Syrian Defense Minister, Ali Habib Mahmoud, is also now under Swiss sanctions. 
 
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
On August 13, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) offered to mediate a dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition, calling on the “Syrian leadership to exercise utmost restraint” and to “engage in dialogue with all parties in Syria in order to agree on acceptable reform measures and to expedite their implementation.”  The OIC’s leader, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, issued a statement indicating the OIC’s stance that dialogue is the “only secure option through which this crisis could be contained.”
 
Lebanon
Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank denies US allegations 
In response to recent US sanctions against the Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank (SLCB) as well as the Commercial Bank of Syria, its primary shareholder, SLCB chairman Doureid Ahmed Dergham issued a statement on Wednesday saying that the Bank had done nothing outside of the law. Dergham stated that  “SLCB is a Lebanese institution fully governed and controlled by the Central Bank of Lebanon and subject to supervision of the regulatory authorities.” Dergham denied US allegations of having operations with North Korea and Iran and went on to assert that he was confident that the bank’s clients would disregard the “unfair sanctions”.
 
Jordan
Condemnation of violence
On Monday August 15, Jordanian Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit had a telephone conversation with his Syrian counterpart Adel Safar, during which he reportedly told Safar to “immediately halt military operations, implement speedy reform and spare the blood of the Syrian people“. He went on to state that, “We in Jordan await tangible and urgent measures in the near future”. 
 
A few days later while at a press conference following a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on the situation in Syria, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh issued a joint statement with his Turkish counterpart urging Damascus to immediately proceed with the implementation of serious reforms and calling for an end to the bloodshed. 
 
Iran
Unwavering alliance with Syria in question
The alliance between Syria and Iran is the oldest and strongest of those in the region, with Iran relying on Syria’s role as the central component of the region’s ‘resistance axis’ to Israel. However, as the crisis in Syria deepens and its effects ripple out across the Middle East, many in Iran are calling into question the Iranian regime’s overall lack of strategic nuance with regard to Syria-Iran relations. Indeed, if the government of Syria collapses, and many speculate that this indeed will come to fruition, Iran has made no overtures to the Syrian opposition. It seems at present that the Iranian government believes that the current Syrian government will survive the tumult – an assumption that could prove strategically costly in the future.
 
Philippines 
Alert Level raised
On August 16, the Philippine government raised the crisis alert level for Syria to Alert Level 3 for the entire country and urged its citizens to depart from Syria immediately. The highest alert level, Alert Level 4, requires forced evacuation. The Philippine government is shouldering the cost evacuations. Some 17,000 Filipinos reside in Syria.
 
Tunisia
Ambassador recalled
On Wednesday August 17, the government of Tunisia recalled its ambassador from Syria in response to the worsening security situation. An unnamed Tunisian official said in a statement to TAP new agency that the Tunisian Ambassador to Syria, Mohamed Laouiti, was withdrawn “given the dangerous situation in Syria“.
 
United Nations
Nonessential employees withdrawn
On August 17, the United Nations announced that it had pulled all of its non-essential employees from Syria, with some 20 personnel withdrawn from the country. The move was made in response to the country’s rapidly deteriorating security environment.
 
Security
 
Iran to fund new military base
On August 12, international media reported that Iran has agreed to fund a new military base near the Lattakia airport. The multi-million dollar deal was agreed upon following a vist by a high-level Syrian delegation to Tehran. The construction of the base is expected to finish at the end of 2012 and will allow Iran to transfer military equipment and arms directly from Iran to Syria. Syrian deputy vice-president for security affairs, Muhammad Nasif Kheirbek, is said to have negotiated the deal during a meeting eight Ghasem Suleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
 
Turkish officials have intercepted and seized a large number of weapons shipments from Iran to Syria in recent months, likely furthering the appeal of establishing a direct transport connection between the two countries.
 
Russia to continue arms deals
On August 17, Russia announced that regardless of growing pressure from both the US and the international community, it would not forgo its arms deals with Syria. Anatoly Isaikin, Rosoboronexport director told reporters at the MAKS international airshow just outside of Moscow that, “While no sanctions are announced, while there are no orders or directions from the government, we are obliged to fulfill our contractual obligations, which we are now doing.” 
 
The unrest that has swept across the Middle East has come at a huge financial loss for Russia, as its has been forced to comply with international sanctions which in the case of Libya, for example, resulted in the loss of USD 4 billion in arms deals. Syria and Russia have been close allies for five decades and Russia remains one of Syria’s most significant weapons suppliers. 
 
Syrian tensions exacerbating sectarian tensions in Iraq
Though relations between Iraq and Syria were deeply strained for years, the recalibration of relations between Iran and Iraq following the 2003 Iraq war compelled Damascus to throw its support behind Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. 
 
During the 2003 Iraq war, the Iraqi government accused Damascus of allowing armed militants and suicide bombers to slip from Syria into Iraq. Nevertheless at present, Maliki is quite reliant on Iranian backing, development assistance and trade, and a deepening of relations between the two has resulted in growing ties between the current Syrian government and that of Iraq – largely in the form of investments and trade deals.
 
The revolution in Syria has intensified sectarian tensions in Iraq, however, as Maliki, loyal to Tehran and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has urged members of Syria’s opposition not to “sabotage” the Syrian government. Maliki represents the Shiite majority of the country. At the same time, key Sunni members of the Iraqi parliament have condemned the violence in Syria and thrown their support behind Syria’s revolutionaries.
 
 
Meanwhile, Maliki continues to urge Syrian protestors to stop demonstrating and use alternative and less conflictual means to express their desires – in stark contrast to the harsh stand he took against the use of violence against protestors in Bahrain (indeed, he reportedly sent supplies to Bahraini demonstrators in a show of support). 
 
The concern is that after years of deep political disorder in Iraq, the country’s political leaders have just recently begun to cooperate. Though disputes over the appropriate response to the crisis in Syria have not brought an end to such cooperation, there is much concern that the rift between the country’s Sunni and Shia leaders over the Syria issue will become increasingly schismatic. 
 
Shaker Darraji, a member of the State of Law bloc lead by Maliki, attributes the violence in Syria to protestors who he claims are members of Al Qaeda while members of Iraqiya, the Sunni-dominated bloc argue such claims are outlandish.
 
Meanwhile, a number of policymakers in the US have used Maliki’s backing of Assad as further evidence of the shortsightedness of the US’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003, noting that post-Saddam Iraq has simply realigned itself with Iran.
 
Israel plants land mines along Golan Heights
On Sunday, international media reported that the Israeli army was busy planting new land mines along the Golan Heights, allegedly in an attempt to prevent further protestors from rushing from into the area. A number of Palestinian demonstrations are planned for September and the move is allegedly part of a broader effort by Israel to prepare for expected tumult.
 
Trade & Economic Relations
 
Syrian crisis causing economic problems in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey
Bilateral trade between Syria and Turkey has fallen between 30 and 40 percent since the start of the revolution in Syria mid-March. At the same time, trade contracts that have since lapsed have yet to be renewed as all sides wait to see how the crisis unfolds. In 2010, Syrian exports to Turkey totaled some USD 1.6 billion, while Syrian imports from Turkey amounted to USD 630 million. Turkey is also one of Syria’s largest foreign investors, with investments totaling some USD 260 million. At the same time, the unrest in Syria has also come at a further cost to Turkey, as thousands of Syrian refugees have fled across the border to Turkish refugee camps. Turkish-Syrian joint infrastructure and water projects have all also been postponed.
 
Trade relations between Syria and Lebanon were valued at USD 1.3 billion in 2010 and there is also significant labor movement between the two countries. Syrian laborers are both skilled and inexpensive, thus making a significant contribution to the Lebanese economy. Now that traveling between the two countries is more cumbersome, labor costs have risen in Lebanon – a trend likely to continue in the coming months. 
 
At the same time, Lebanon’s tourism industry is deeply intertwined with that of Syria’s and indeed that of the region at large, and has steadily declined since the start of the region-wide protests. 
 
Iraq will also be affected by Syria’s tumult as some 18.8% of all of Syria’s exports end up in Iraq – totaling some USD 2.5 billion. Trade between the two countries has also reportedly declined since March. Iraqi exports to Syria, mostly in the form of energy, however, are not expected to decline significantly.
 
Finally, Jordan has a number of key bilateral agreements with Syria, including in the trading of Jordanian cement for Syrian wheat. The impact of the Syrian revolution on these agreements remains to be seen. However, the local economies of Jordan’s towns along the Syrian border have been hit hard – as most thrive on catering to the needs of those crossing between the two countries – movement that has all but stopped since March 15. 
 
Further, Jordanian traders largely rely upon the Syrian port of Lattakia to import their goods, however, security issues at the port since the start of the unrest have brought such activity to an end; importers are no longer able to insure their goods with international insurance providers. 
 
As the revolution in Syria progress and the violence worsens, the economic ripple effects of the crisis will spread wider, impacting Russia, China and Iran and even to a lesser extent, the European Union. Importantly, regional gas projects also rely upon stability in Syria to continue in their development – something that also could be compromised amid a deepening of the unrest. 
 
Further reading:
 
“The Syrian “Common”: The Uprising of the Working Society” – Jadaliyya – Yassin Al Haj Saleh evaluates the benefits of the Syrian uprising as well the looming problem of orchestrating national reconciliation. Saleh argues that the crisis has functioned as a formative experience for young Syrians, serving as a “great collective rehearsal on politics and on developing a concern for common interests,” whilst bringing together the country’s poor and middle classes. Seeing the revolt as a popular one seeking to completely reshape Syrian society, Saleh argues that the current government prized loyalty and power over all else, leading to the collapse of the “value of work.” Saleh argues that the current government used economic development policies to reinforce its own power, namely in city centers, thus leading millions of Syrians to feel that as implemented in their own country, “development and modernization” are nothing but the ideology that legitimizes the wealth” of the ruling elite. Saleh concludes with remarks on the issue of national reconciliation, noting that the process of seeking justice for the dead, tortured and missing is essential, but could come at the cost of undermining national reconciliation. According to Saleh, the “only thing that justifies sacrificing judicial justice for the sake of national interest and reconciliation is changing the regime and building a new and better Syria”.  A significant read.
 
“A Syrian Drama: A Taxonomy of a Revolution” – Syria Comment – Omar Dahi offers up one of the best assessments of the Syrian revolution to-date. Based on firsthand experiences and worth reading in its entirety
 
“Blueprint For NATO Attack On Syria Revealed” – Global Research – Andrew Rettman explores NATO’s likely military strategy were it to decide to wage attacks against Syrian targets. The end of the article offers up brief analysis of the complexity and problems associated with any such attack, likewise noting that the prospects of success for a foreign military assault on Syria are low at best. 
 
“Even Former Friends Abandon Syria’s Regime” – Bloomberg – A good recap of how regional sentiments have shifted against the current Syrian government. 
 
“Syria’s Silent Majority Finds Ways to Protest” – Financial Times – Though the majority of residents of the country’s two largest cities of Aleppo and Damascus have yet to take to the streets, more and more are finding covert but significant ways to support the opposition and express their grievances. 
 
“Syria Left Vulnerable by State Violence” – Al Jazeera – Veteran British diplomat George Galloway, known for his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, argues that the ongoing violence in Syria and deepening unrest leave the country vulnerable to outside interests and foreign invasion. 
 
“Iran Banks all on Assad’s Survival” – Asia Times – A comprehensive and well-written assessment of the alliance between Syria and Iran by Mahan Abedin. Abedin looks at the weaknesses of Iran’s foreign policy strategy and the risks it has taken by offering the current Syrian government unwavering support. 
 
“Iran is using the PKK to trap Turkey” – Today’s Zaman – An interesting assessment of how Iran might play the Kurdish issue to spark anxieties in Turkey and perhaps corresponding Turkish military operations against the PKK – which in turn would detract from its efforts to cozy up to the West. As the author sees it, Iran’s fears regarding the crisis in Syria are myriad, but two key issues are: 1) if the current Syrian government falls, the regional revolts will most definitely make their way to Tehran, and; 2) Turkey is using the situation in Syria to make inroads in its relations with the West – a troublesome move for Iran as it view Turkey as the “gateway to the rest of the world”. 
 
“Saudi Arabia Moves to Take Down Syria, Iran and Hezbollah” – The National Interest – Another article detailing the manner in which a regional player, this time Saudi Arabia, is using the crisis in Syria to advance its own strategic interests – namely, the destabilization of the Hezbollah-dominated government in Beirut, thereby undermining Iran’s influence in the region.
 
“Emboldened by Uprising, Syrian Clerics Speak Out” – Reuters – Suleiman al-Khalidi writes about the linkage between the Syrian religious establishment and the state and the Sheiks who choose to defy state-sanctioned sermons by encouraging the protestors and condemning the Syrian government’s use of violence against them. A well-written window into the complex relationship between religion and politics in Syria.
 
“Syria Threatens Dissidents Around the Globe, US Says” – The Wall Street Journal – Jay Solomon and Nour Malas cover widespread allegations that Syrian officials, in association with the country’s embassies around the world, monitor Syrians engaged in opposition activities overseas and provide information to security forces back home for the purposes of intimidating and detaining their family members. 

August 13, 2011 – Syria News Blog: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

Twenty-two consecutive Friday’s into the Syrian revolt, Damascus finds itself increasingly encircled by international condemnation. Saudia Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar all withdrew their ambassadors from Damascus early last week, following a speech by Saudi King Abdullah urging an end to the violence and the implementation of real reform, and weekend statements from both the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council denouncing the country-wide violence. Turkish Foreign Minister Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday to demand the cessation of violence within two weeks, while the US imposed further economic sanctions against the country’s financial system. At the same time, another estimated 150 civilians were killed in crackdowns across the country between August 7 and 12. 

Ramadan Unrest: August 3 – 12
On Wednesday August 3, international media reported that 30 people were killed in the ongoing siege of Hama as tanks reportedly pushed deep into the center of the city. Some 200 tanks were reportedly deployed to Deir ez-Zor, which also remains under siege. In the evening, another six people were reportedly shot in killed following tarawih (evening prayers) – including two in the Damascus neighborhood of Midan and one in the ancient city of Palmyra.
 
Activists and city residents allege that the siege of Hama has led to massacres of the city’s population, with many sources claiming that those attempting to flee the city were shot at, as were any individuals found out on the streets. It is impossible to confirm the events there, however, all foreign reportage suggests a grave situation.
 
On Friday August 5, regardless of massive military incursions in numerous cities around the country, thousands of protestors again rallied, terming the day “God is With Us”. Some 24 people were reportedly killed in violent crackdowns against demonstrators – 13 of whom were killed in Damascus and the capital’s suburbs. Though some anticipated the numbers of protestors on the streets to dwindle after a week of severe military campaigns, thousands nevertheless came out in a show of support for those in the country’s most besieged cities. 
 
In the Damascus neighborhood of Midan, protesters reportedly threw rocks at members of security forces who used tear gas to attempt to disperse the crowds. According to international reportage, security forces were eventual scared off. Small protests were held in a number of central Damascus neighborhoods and some, sympathetic to the protest movement, have taken to wearing white shirts. Some media reported that large groups of people protesting in the city center wearing white shirts were arrested. 
 
Rallies were reportedly held in Aleppo and Qamishli, Daraa, Idlib, Irbin, Lattakia, and Homs, as well as Deir ez-Zor. Some media report that residents of Hama even attempted to take to the streets again, though the prevalence of security forces and ongoing shelling of the city, prevented large crowds from amassing. 
 
Protestors in Jableh, a town not from the coastal city of Lattakia, who were fearful of being identified by mukhabarat reportedly took to the streets with their faces painted as Syrian flags. 
 
 
On Friday night, SANA sent out mass text messages across the country, urging citizens to watch local broadcasts of videos that reportedly captured terrorist activities, including the dismemberment of a man, in Deir ez-Zor.
 
The following day, activists reported to international media that further tanks had been deployed to Deir ez-Zor and Homs. Security forces also reportedly arrested prominent opposition member, Walid al-Bunni, as well as two of his sons.
 
On Sunday August 7, in defiance of growing international condemnation of the government’s use of violence against civilian populations and just one week after waging a brutal attack against the city of Hama, the government reportedly initiated a military incursion in the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor in the early hours of the morning. Hundreds of tanks had reportedly taken up post in and around the city. According to Abdul-Karim al-Rihawi, the head of the Syrian League for Human Rights, heavy gunfire and shelling was reported throughout the day, resulting in the deaths of some 42 city residents and the injuring of hundreds of others.
 
The Syrian government adamantly denies all reports of tanks and associated shelling in Deir ez-Zor.
 
Though protesters in Deir ez-Zor had reached numbers in the hundreds of thousand in recent weeks, the government had yet to engage in a full-scale crackdown against the demonstrators. Many speculate that this is because the area is known for its deep-rooted tribal connections, which would make the use of extreme violence against residents of Deir ez-Zor particularly risky. It is well known that the tribes in Deir ez-Zor are armed and ready to defend themselves. The tensions in Deir ez-Zor reached a new peak in July, when security forces arrested a key figure in the town – Sheik Nawaf al-Bashir.
 
Military forces also moved into the town of Houleh in the province of Homs on Sunday, leading to the deaths of 10 more civilians. 
 
 
Local media reported that Syrian security forces had succeeded in taking down a number of road blocks in Hama on Sunday. According to state sources, security forces also found the bodies of 13 policemen in and along the Oronotes River. The bodies were reportedly mutilated. The road blocks and killings were all attributed to armed groups and terrorists who, according to official media, also prevented the injured from seeking treatment in hospitals. 
 
On Wednesday August 10, the Syrian army expanded its operations to two new towns, Taftanaz and Sermin, near to the country’s border with Turkey. According to international media, 12 tanks were deployed to the towns. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a woman was killed during the offensive while another 13 were injured. 
 
At the same time, 16 people were reportedly killed by security forces in Homs and military forces officially seized control of Deir ez-Zor after several days of a reportedly full-fledged military incursion. Mass arrests were also carried out in Albu Kamal on Wednesday.
 
Friday August 12
Yesterday, Friday August 12, international media reported that while thousands again took to the streets across the country for the 22nd consecutive Friday, the government’s violent country-wide suppression of the unrest succeeded, at least temporarily, in reducing the numbers of those who dared to demonstrate. 
 
At the same time, large numbers of protestors reportedly took to the streets of Aleppo – with violence and gunfire by security forces subsequently reported. Protests were also reported in Homs, the outskirts of Hama, and Deir ez-Zor – regardless of ongoing military campaigns in these areas.
 
The Damascus suburb of Harasta – the scene of near daily protests and violence – also allegedly staged mass demonstrations, as did Idlib and the coastal city of Lattakia. According to foreign reportage, the suburbs of Damascus drew the largest numbers of protestors. The appearance of mass unrest in both Damascus and Aleppo suggests that the relative quietude of both cities (see below for more information) is perhaps coming to end.
 
Protest were also reported in Qamishli and Jibleh. According to Syrian activists, the government is using a new tactic to manage the unrest, allegedly moving in on crowds before they exit from mosques.
 
Fatalities were reported in Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Damascus and Idlib, with the death toll from the day between 15 and 17 people – seven of whom were killed in the country’s capital.
 
 
Damascus & Aleppo 
Though the revolution has spread to nearly all corners of the country, Damascus and Aleppo, Syria’s two largest cities, both remain relatively calm by comparison – though the events in both cities yesterday suggest that might be changing. While mass protests are now regularly seen in the capital’s suburbs, only small groups have rallied in central Damascus. Aleppo has also remained predominantly quiet, with sporadic exceptions. There is much speculation as to the cause of this silence and as the revolution progresses and the unrest deepens, many outside the country’s two key cities are angered by the cities’ inaction, seeing Damascus and Aleppo as escaping comparatively unscathed by the violence and indeed disinterested in the plight of the rest of the country.
 
Most argue that in the case of Damascus, the city’s upscale residents have reaped significant economic gains from the country’s government and are not keen to see the current system collapse for fear of considerable economic losses. Aleppo too has prospered in recent years by comparison to the rest to the country, with a growing textile industry, increased cross-border trade with Turkey, more pharmaceutical companies and factories. Both Aleppo and Damascus are also home to the largest numbers of Syria’s Christians – leading many to believe that the protection they have had under President Assad and his father before him, has inspired their silence as well. 
 
There are likely other more subtle issues at play too, for many speculate that the governament recognizes that it cannot lose either city to the otherwise rampant protest movement. Illegal construction is booming, street vendors have free reign, traffic laws are not enforced, bribery in government offices has declined, electricity theft is overlooked and sugar prices in Aleppo are reportedly lower than anywhere else in the country. All these shifts and concessions are coupled with the pervasive and worsening presence of security forces across both cities, thus rendering mass protests remarkably dangerous. While the depth of the loyalties of both cities’ residents is debatable, it is clear that the current revolution will not succeed in the absence of sustained mass protests in both. 
 
Government decrees, efforts to mitigate tensions
On Thursday August 4, President Bashar al-Assad issued Legislative Decree No. 101 thus enacting the 2011 General Elections Law. The law specifies that a higher judicial committee and a number of judicial sub-committees will supervise the elections process. According to state sources, elections are to be held “with public, secret, direct and equal voting where each Syrian voter, who completed eighteen years old, has one vote.” The same sources state that policemen and army members are in service are not allowed to participate in elections. For more details, see here. 
 
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem announced on Saturday August 6 that “the Syrian leadership is committed to push ahead with reforms and to put them in place” and that “general elections will be held by the end of this year“. The elections, it should be noted, are parliamentary. 
 
Moallem also stated that, ”The Syrian leadership still stresses that national dialogue is the way to solve the current crisis, and in the absence of such dialogue due to the opposition’s negative stances, we have no other choice but to go down the path of reforms without leaving it hostage to any hindering factor.”
 
On August 8, President Assad announced that he was replacing Gen. Ali Habib Mahmoud with Gen. Dawood Rajiha as Minister of Defense. According to SANA, Gen Habib had “been ill for some time, and his health condition deteriorated recently”.
 
Interestingly the same day, the Ministry of Defense website was hacked by the hacker group Anonymous, leaving messages in Arabic and English expressing admiration for Syrian protestors and urging the Syrian military to protect Syrians against the current government.
 
Alleged crimes against humanity
International media report that “at least one Western government” is moving forward with efforts to gather evidence in support of bringing President Assad to the International Criminal Court for the Syrian government’s crackdown against Syrian civilians. According to unnamed diplomats, fact-finding missions have been working for a number of months to gather related testimony from Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. At the same time, international legal experts in Turkey have also been training Syrian activists on how to document crimes against humanity. 
 
International Politics & Diplomacy
 
United States  
While the Obama Administration is under pressure from certain elements of its domestic constituency to call for President Assad to step down – and there is indeed much speculation that President Obama is on the brink of doing so – many Middle East and foreign policy experts are advising against such a move, noting that the Syrian opposition is not yet organized enough to provide a viable alternative to the current government.
 
Instead, some among them are advocating for treating President Assad as an international pariah – further isolating the Syrian government politically and economically whilst forming an ‘contact group’ supported by regional players to help fortify the Syrian opposition, enabling it to develop a “future transitional authority” – a risky venture. 
 
Others are pushing for further creative diplomacy, identifying tactics such as sending the US Ambassador to additional flash points to obtain information on the situation whilst showing support for the Syrian opposition. The extent to which this is possible, however, remains unclear; US Ambassador Ford now operates under travel restrictions imposed by the Syrian government following his trip to Hama in early July.
 
On Wednesday August 3, international media reported that tens of diplomatic personnel working in the US embassy in Damascus had been sent home or reposted in other countries due to worsening security concerns. Ambassador Ford and a number of essential staff reportedly remain in Damascus.
 
Hillary Clinton issued a public statement on Thursday August 4, stating that “We think, to date, the [Syrian] government is responsible for the deaths of more than 2,000 people of all ages. Assad has lost his legitimacy to govern the Syrian people.” She went on to state that, the US would “continue to support the Syrians themselves in their efforts to begin a peaceful and orderly transition to democracy”.
 
US President Barack Obama reportedly had separate phone calls with France’s Nicolas Sarkozy and Germany’s Angela Merkel on August 5 to discuss options for increasing international pressure on Damascus. According to a White House statement issued the same day, the leaders “condemned the Assad regime’s continued use of indiscriminate violence against the Syrian people.” The three also “welcomed the August 3 presidential statement by the UN Security Council condemning Syria’s actions, but also agreed to consider additional steps to pressure the Assad regime and support the Syrian people.”
 
 
On Thursday, the US Treasury Department broadened its sanctions against Syria, this time targeting the country’s financial infrastructure through the Commercial Bank of Syria, its Lebanon-based subsidiary and the Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank. New sanctions were also imposed against the mobile phone network Syriatel. The move freezes all US-based assets the firms posses and prohibits Americans from conducting business with them. For further details, see here. 
 
Though the US is stepping up efforts to expand sanctions and its pronouncements against Damascus continue to intensify, the reality is that no such moves – or any others by members of the international community – appear to hold sway with the Syrian government. This has now lead some, including Robert Fisk, to call for the use of force against Syrian targets. 
 
Canada 
On August 4, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird met with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington to discuss the situation in Syria as well as the NATO campaign in Libya and the Middle East peace process. In a telephone interview with The Canadian Press the following day, Baird said of the Syria case, “Obviously, we had significant international support for the actions with respect to Libya, something that we don’t have with respect to Syria. We’ve got to work with our allies to do more.”
 
Germany
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle issued a number of deeply critical statements on August 5, stating that “In order to increase the political pressure on Damascus and to give a signal to Syrian society, I would welcome the withdrawal of European politicians. I do not believe that there can be a political future for Assad that would be supported by the Syrian people.” Westerwelle also stated that “I do not believe that there can be a political future for Assad that would be supported by the Syrian people.”   
 
Gulf Cooperation Council
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) came forward with a statement on Saturday August 5, saying that “As the council members express sorrow for the continuous bloodshed, they stress that they are keen on preserving the security, stability, and unity of Syria.” The statement called for an “immediate end to violence…and bloodshed” and urged the Syrian government to “resort to wisdom and introducing serious and necessary reforms that would protect the rights and dignity of the Syrian people, and meet their aspirations.” The six members of the GCC are Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
 
 
According to the official, bringing an end to the violence “requires that the Arabs in the GCC call for stopping sabotage acts and condemning armed violence of groups which don’t have good intentions for Syria, in addition to giving the space and time needed to translate reforms into reality.” The Syrian government had hoped the GCC “would reconsider their stances taking into account the Syrian leadership’s efforts to overcome the current crisis, achieve stability and security and meet the needs of the Syrian people,” the official said.
 
Arab League
 
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain
Kuwait’s foreign ministry made an official statement on August 5, expressing “its extreme pain for the continued bloodshed among the brotherly Syrian people.” The statement continued,“Kuwait calls for dialogue and a political solution to allow implementing true reforms that meet the legitimate demands of the Syrian people away from the security actions.”
 
On Sunday August 7, Saudi King Abdullah issued a public statement on the crisis in Syria, stating that “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia… demands an end to the killing machine and bloodshed and calls for acts of wisdom before it is too late.” King Abdullah continued, “Syria should think wisely before it is too late and issue and enact reforms that are not merely promises but actual reforms.” He went on to present the two options he sees for Syria: “Either it chooses wisdom willingly, or drifts into the depths of chaos and loss.” The speech was coupled with an announcement that Saudi Arabia would withdraw its ambassador from Damascus. 
 
The King’s statement is the strongest and clearest to come from leadership in the Arab world and for that reason, many argue that it should be welcomed. On the other hand, however, most regional experts and commentators were quick to point out the hypocrisy of it all, noting that democracy, the freedom to protest and the implementation of real systemic reforms, are entirely absent from Saudi Arabia. 
 
To that end, Brian Whitaker of The Guardian, termed King Abdullah’s move part of a broader “monarchical insurance scheme” whereby Saudi Arabia is seeking to tighten alliances with other kingdoms in the region (including those of Jordan and Morocco, which were just recently invited to join the Gulf Cooperation Council) whilst working to undermine the revolution in Yemen and in the case of Syria – fortifying the country’s Sunni opposition so as to counter the regional weight of Iran.
 
Less than a day after King Abdullah issued his statement, the governments of Kuwait and Bahrain both recalled their ambassadors from Damascus. Sheikh Khaled al-Khalifa explained via Twitter, that Bahrain “decided to summon our ambassador to Syria for consultation and we stress the importance of acting wisely“. 
 
Turkey
During an iftar (the evening meal during which Muslims break fast during Ramadan) speech in Istanbul on August 5, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu will travel to Damascus on Tuesday August 9 to deliver a number of messages to the Syrian government. 
 
Of the situation in Syria, Erdoğan said “We have been very patient until now, waiting to see whether we can fix this; whether they will listen to what we have been saying. But our patience is running out now.” The Turkish government is “not allowed to remain a bystander to what happens in Syria. We are hearing voices coming from Syria and we definitely must respond by doing whatever we are required to do,” he continued, without offering further details. 
 
In response to learning of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s planned visit to Damascus on Tuesday to deliver a number of critical messages to the Syrian government, Syrian Presidential Political and Media Advisor Bouthina Shaaban said “If…Davutoglu is to deliver a firm message to Syria, he will hear a firmer reply regarding the Turkish stance which didn’t condemn the brutal killing and crimes committed by the armed terrorist groups against the civilians, military and police members till now.” 
 
“If the Turkish government does not consider the issue of Syria as foreign matter due to the historic and cultural relations, Syria has always welcomed consultation among friends, but it categorically rejected all regional or international attempts of interference in its internal affairs,” Shaaban continued.
 
On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with President Assad for six hours in Damascus, reportedly to give President Assad an ultimatum – end the violence against civilians and implement real reforms within two weeks, or expect a serious intensification of pressure and interference from Turkey.
 
According to SANA, President Assad responded to Davutoglu’s demands, by stating that Damascus “will not relent in pursuing the terrorist groups in order to protect the stability of the country and the security of the citizens. But it is also determined to continue reforms. And is open to any help offered by friendly and brotherly states.”
 
The following day, the Turkish Ambassador to Syria, Omer Onhon, visited Hama and confirmed reports by the Syrian government that the country’s military forces had withdrawn from the city. Of the visit, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a speech at Turkey’s Justice and Development headquarters in Ankara, “Our ambassador went to Hama and said that the tanks, security forces had started to leave Hama. This is highly important to show that our initiatives had positive results.” He continued, “We hope that within 10 -15 days this will be realized and steps will be taken toward the reform process in Syria.” 
 
Turkey’s growing hostility toward Damascus, however, has been met with concern among the ruling Justice and Development Party’s opposition, members of which note that Turkey’s recent rhetoric hints at Ankara’s possible willingness to wage war against Syria. 
 
Lebanon
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour met with President Assad in Damascus on Sunday August 7 and reiterated that Lebanon continues to reject “attempts of foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs“. Lebanon’s stability “stems from the stability of Syria’s internal affairs,” he continued. During the meeting, SANA also reported that President Assad informed Mansour that “Syria is on the path to reform …To deal with outlaws who cut off roads, seal towns and terrorize residents is a duty of the state which must defend security and protect the lives of civilians”. 
 
Earlier on Sunday, Mansour defended Lebanon’s highly controversial disassociation with the UNSC August 3 presidential statement on Syria, stating that “Lebanon’s position at the Security Council toward events in Syria stems from its convictions of the historic and sisterly relations with Syria and shared interests between the two countries.”  He continued, “The decision was a positive one because we cannot go along with a decision that condemns Syria or one that opposes it. Since independence, we, until today, have taken a positive policy toward [sisterly states], particularly Syria.”
 
There is concern that the rift over responding to the Syria issue between the current Lebanese government and its opposition, the Future Movement or the March 14 coalition, is deepening. The latter has been outspoken in its condemnation of the Syrian government’s violent repression of the protest movement, urging the Syrian government to bring an end to its “crimes against humanity”. 
 
Hezbollah has taken considerable heat for its continued support of the Syrian government in the face of violent crackdowns against Syrian civilians. As the unrest in Syria intensifies, Syrian perceptions of Hezbollah’s legitimacy are waning, with many enraged by its blatant hypocrisy. 
 
Iraq
The Syrian border town of Albu Kamal shares strong tribal ties with the Iraqi town of Qaim and as unrest and subsequent military action have taken hold of Albu Kamal, international media report that residents of Qaim are channeling supplies to their relatives in Albu Kamal. When the Syrian military forces along the border were deployed to Albu Kamal, their Iraqi counterparts were left managing increased numbers of smugglers.
 
At the same time, there is concern that protest-related violence on the Syrian side could provoke Sunni tribes on the Iraqi side, who are known to oppose the current Syrian government. During the recent war in Iraq, insurgents regularly slipped across the border into Iraq.
 
On July 20, Syria closed the official Qaim crossing, prompting smugglers to shift their activities farther north where security forces are less abundant. The border’s permeability has sparked enough worry on the Iraqi side to prompt the Iraqi government to deploy military forces to the border to provide backup for the 7,500 Iraqi security forces that monitor some 1,114 kilometers of the country’s border with Syria. 
 
United Nations
Though the United Nations Security Council issued a presidential statement last week in response to the violent suppression of the Syrian protest movement after months of infighting over the form and substance of the text, the fallout from the Council’s weak response to the situation continues. International human rights and aid organizations, as well as a number of foreign governments and policy experts, have lambasted the move as entirely ineffectual. 
 
Meanwhile, United Nation Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday August 5, to urge him to “stop the use of military force against civilians immediately.”
 
The UN Human Rights Council based in Geneva issued a statement on Friday saying that “The Government of Syria cannot be allowed to violate with impunity its obligation to uphold international law nor attack the very citizens it has sworn to protect without consequences. We unequivocally call on the Government of Syria to immediately cease the violent crackdown, stop the killings and pursue dialogue through peaceful processes.” 
 
UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, also issued a statement asserting that, “It is of utmost importance that the [Syrian] government finally addresses the legitimate concerns of peaceful protestors, instead of silencing their voices with brute force.” 
 
 
On Wednesday August 10, the UN Security Council also received a private briefing on the situation in Syria by Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, a high-level UN political officer. In a statement after the meeting, British deputy UN Ambassador Philip Parham described the briefing as “chilling” and “depressing,” stating that “It is clear that the military offensive by the regime against its own people continues; an offensive which is brutal, an offensive which is unwarranted and an offensive which is in breech of the regime’s international legal obligations. And just to remind you of the scale of what we are talking about, some 2,000 civilians have now been killed, the vast majority of them unarmed. Some 3,000 civilians have been forcibly disappeared. Some 13,000 remain detained.” 
 
South Africa, Brazil and India
President Assad met with a delegation of envoys from South Africa, Brazil and India on August 10 to discuss the current situation in the country. During the meeting, President Assad reportedly conceded that “Syrian security forces have made some mistakes in the initial stage of the unrest, but efforts are underway to prevent their recurrence.” According to a statement issued by India’s UN mission following the meeting, President Assad “reassured the delegation of his commitment to the reform process aimed at ushering in multi-party democracy”.
 
Further Reading
 
“Fear of Arrest” – Jadaliyya – A translation by Hani Sayed of a text published on the internet by a member of a Local Coordination Committee in Damascus seeking to reduce activists’ fears of arrest by providing a detailed account of the detainee’s likely experience. By virtue of the unknown author’s remarkably forthright tone and proclivity for detail, the conviction of his and other activist’s sentiments becomes startlingly apparent.
 
“Resistance Regime?” – Qunfuz – A scathing assessment of the Syrian government’s use of its foreign policy of ‘resistance’ to Israel, to maintain dominion over its public. The author evaluates the government’s resistance record and the cost of supporting it on the basis of its foreign policy.
 
“Eyewitness Account from Hama” – Facebook – Throughout the unrest, social media has been key to connecting activists and witnesses inside Syria, to eachother as well as to the outside world. This Facebook posting is one such example, whereby an eye witness details the situation in Hama. It goes without saying, the posting in its entirety cannot be confirmed. 
 
“Syria And The Armed Gangs Controversy – Analysis” – Syria Comment – Well-known Syria analyst Joshua Landis takes up the debate over whether armed gangs are behind some of the violence in Syria. The article highlights biases on all sides and the complexity of understanding and responding to the crisis – for both domestic and international actors.
 
“A Visit to Hama, the Rebel Syrian City that Refused to Die” – Time – A report from a journalist for Time magazine, who snuck into the city of Hama on August 9 to assess the situation and interview city residents – a rare confirmed account of what has happened in the city.
 
“Where’s Syria’s Business Community?” – Middle East Institute – One of the best assessments thus far of Syrian business community and the motivations behind its relative quiet. Author Randa Slim also issues a number of policy recommendations at the end, each of which are notable for their plausibility. 
 
“The Truth About Assad’s Version of the “Truth” in Syria” – The Huffington Post – A blog post by James Miller employing video footage to highlight concerns over the gap between official statements regarding the nature of the unrest and those coming from ordinary citizens. A very interesting post as Miller dissects video footage posted by the government and opposition, identifying doctored uploads. 
 
Security
 
On Friday August 5, Turkish authorities confirmed earlier reports that they had intercepted an arms shipment from Iran to Syria. The weapons were seized from a cargo plane headed to Syria. Authorities believe the weapons were ultimately headed to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

August 4, 2011 – Syria News Blog: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

Grave military campaigns in Hama, Homs, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor ushered in the first week of Ramadan. The Sunday crackdown, the worst since the start of the Syrian revolution in March, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 136 – some 100 of whom, were killed in Hama. Though the month of Ramadan is meant to be characterized by charitable acts and well wishes, fears of broad scale unrest and violence following daily prayers have only been confirmed as no day since August 1, the first day of Ramadan, has passed without considerable fatalities. As the city of Hama reportedly lay in severe duress, and after months of diplomatic wrangling, the United Nations Security Council responded to the crisis in Syria with a Presidential Statement condemning the “widespread violations of human rights and the use of force against civilians by the Syrian authorities” and calling for an “immediate end to all violence”. 
 

Protest flash points
On Thursday July 28, international media reported that a total of five civilians were shot and killed amid security sweeps in Deir ez-Zor and Madaya, a town situated in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. Madaya has seen large protests in recent weeks.
 
Each Friday draws larger and larger crowds of anti-government protests, with numbers exceeding a million across the country last Friday, July 29 – as well as the Friday before. Reports of fatalities cary significantly. Most reportage suggest that some 23 civilians died amid Friday’s uprisings with two people shot and killed in central Damascus, seven in the city’s suburbs, six in Deir ez-Zor and Boukamal, three in Lattakia and one in both Hama and Lattakia. Other reports indicate a lower figure of 11 people killed. There is no way to confirm. 
 
The capital and surrounding areas saw significant unrest around the day, with protests in Midan, Zahera, and Haja al-Aswad where protestors were reportedly met with heavy gunfire while leaving Abraham Mosque. 
 
The town of Jabal al-Zawiya was put under curfew and no one was allowed to go to mosques and the town of Kiswe saw the deaths of several civilians and soldiers and the injuring of many other civilians during a violent security sweep in the evening. 
 
According to activists, security forces shot and killed three members of the military who had attempted to defect and wounded another 13.
 
Meanwhile, there was an explosion at an oil pipeline in Tal Kalakh, about 160 kilometers north of Damascus. State media attribute the event to a terrorist attack. The explosion occurred in the early hours of the morning and left a 15-meter crater in the earth. 
 
On Saturday afternoon, Syrian security forces conducted raids in Deir ez-Zor. International media reported that heavy gunfire could be heard throughout the afternoon. Between one and three people were reportedly shot dead in a neighboring village, according to activists. Rami Abdul-Rahmad, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that some 60 vehicles of security reinforcements were sent to Deir ez-Zor during the day. 
 
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as of July 30, some 1,888 people had died since the Syrian revolt began on March 15. Included among them, were an estimated 367 members of the country’s security and military forces. 
 
Bloody Sunday, international fallout 
On Sunday July 31, the Syrian military waged a full-fledged assault against opposition strongholds in Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor and Daraa. The day was a horrific one as an estimated 136 civilians were killed in broad-scale attacks backed by tanks and armored vehicles. In Hama alone, some 100 people were  reportedly killed. Security raids were conducted in a number of other locations as well, including Damascus and Idleb. 
 
Tanks reportedly arrived in Hama in the early hours of the morning as electricity and water supplies were cut in a number of the city’s neighborhoods.  Armored trucks and tanks reportedly blocked the entrances to the city around the day as the assault was carried out. 
 
Hama has largely been operating outside of the control of security forces for over a month and a half. In recent weeks, the city’s Friday protestor numbers had swelled to well over half a million – with no significant reports of violence. 
 
In Deir ez-Zor, activists reported that trucks mounted with machine guns fired into crowds of protestors. A number of mosque minarets were targeted in a move many saw as attempt to stir sectarian tensions. Snipers were reportedly on rooftops scattered across the city’s points of assualt. 
 
Many reportedly died from fatal gunshot wounds to the head and hundreds of videos of the disaster and resulting fatalities were posted on the internet throughout the day. As the assault was carried out, many are said to have died, unable to reach medical care due to ongoing gunfire. 
 
SANA, state-run media, reported that “confrontations with armed groups” in Hama and Deir ez-Zor had resulted in the deaths of six law enforcement officials. According to the government, armed gangs set fire to police stations and vandalized property in the city. The same men allegedly “set up roadblocks and barricades and burned tires at the entrance of the city and in its streets” and “scores of gunmen were stationed on the rooftops of the main buildings in the streets of the city, carrying machine guns and RPGs and shooting intensively to terrorize citizens.” The went on to state that, “armed groups were wandering the streets on motorcycles, using machine guns to impose a curfew on the citizens and setting fire to a number of public properties.”
 
Of the violence in Deir ez-Zor, SANA reported that three military men were killed by gunmen during “confrontations with members of armed groups who were shooting randomly in the city’s streets and setting up roadblocks.” The report continued that, “The armed groups also attacked law-enforcement forces and emergency police station and robbed some weapons and ammunition. The law enforcement forces confronted these armed groups and dealt with them in a suitable way leading to the death of one of those armed groups leadership member. The army units are pursuing these groups to restore safety and security to the city.”
 
The military campaign, which numerous foreign officials publicly termed tantamount to an act of war against a civilian populace, was likely intended to bring an end to the country’s deepening unrest in advance of Ramadan – which begins August 1. 
 
There is no doubt, however, that this was a miscalculation; even as the assault was being carried out, Facebook and Twitter and numerous opposition sites erupted with plans to organize protests against what thousands termed the “Ramadan Massacre” on Twitter. The opposition website The Syrian Revolution 2011, called for “retaliation protests” Sunday night, stating that “Syria is bleeding“. 
 
Reports and videos emerged suggesting that a number of Syrian military members had defected around the day, reportedly shaken by the events. 
 
The international community was swift to issue statements of shocked condemnation. No other day in Syria, save for perhaps “Bloody Good Friday” in April, surpassed the level of Sunday’s violence. 
 
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague termed the events “shocking” and said there was “no justification” for the Syrian government’s attacks against its own people. 
 
Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri issued a statement saying the events were in “conflict with all intentions to see brotherly Syria and its proud people overcome the present ordeal…” He continued, “We in Lebanon cannot, under any circumstances, remain silent regarding the bloody developments taking place in Syria, and we call on all concerned parties to rectify their position in order to enable the Syrian people to define their choices freely and within their humanitarian rights. Silence on the international and Arab levels about what is happening in Syria, and in Hama in particular, whose people witnessed the worst massacre in the 1980s, does not establish the required solutions, but leads to the loss of more Syrian lives.”
 
The Press Attache at the US Embassy in Damascus, JJ Harder said the events were akin to “full-on warfare” and constituted a “last act of utter desperation” on the part of the Syrian government. On the issue of the armed gangs that the government continues to blame for the violence, Harder said,  “There is one big armed gang in Syria and it’s named the Syrian government. That’s the armed gang that is pillaging its own cities, that’s the armed gang that is striking terror into the hearts of a lot of these people who are out there who just want to peacefully protest.”
 
US President Barack Obama issued a statement on the weekend’s violence, asserting that he was “appalled” by the Syrian government’s crackdown against the Syrian opposition. Obama stated that “The reports out of Hama are horrifying and demonstrate the true character of the Syrian regime.” He continued, “President Assad has shown that he is completely incapable and unwilling to respond to the legitimate grievances of the Syrian people. His use of torture, corruption and terror puts him on the wrong side of history and his people. Through his own actions, Bashar al-Assad is ensuring that he and his regime will be left in the past, and that the courageous Syrian people who have demonstrated in the streets will determine its future. Syria will be a better place when a democratic transition goes forward.  In the days ahead, the United States will continue to increase our pressure on the Syrian regime, and work with others around the world to isolate the Assad government and stand with the Syrian people.”
 
Ramadan unrest 
Monday August 1 marked the start of Ramadan, and though it is a holiday characterized by well-wishing, charitable acts, and introspection, numerous parts of the country were under siege. 
 
Tanks reportedly remained in Hama everyday this week as the city was under constant shelling, with reports indicating that a massive humanitarian crisis is presently underway as thousands have lost access to electricity and water. 
 
Local media report that the military is fighting armed men who have been terrorizing Hama residents. Smoke could be seen rising above the city around the week and reports of deaths continued everyday. 
 
In response to the ongoing crisis in Hama, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday of President Assad, “[he] must be aware that under international humanitarian law, this is accountable. I believe that he lost all sense of humanity.”
 
There have been reports of protests following tarawih, or evening prayers, every night this week. Protests have been reported in cities and towns across the country – indeed, far more than can be listed – with violence and deaths each day – including in the heart of the capital. Some 24 people died amid unrest across the country on Monday alone – with fatalities reported in Damascus, Lattakia, Irbin, Homs, Hama and Al-Boukamal. Another 30 reportedly died in Hama – on Wednesday. Activists in the city maintain that an estimated 250 people have been killed in Hama since Sunday.
 
If the protests continue to expand and carry on throughout the week, it unclear that the Syrian army has the resources necessary to carry out such intensive campaigns. At present, there is much speculation that it is increasingly overstretched. 
 
Bodies in Orontes River 
A horrific video surfaced on the internet on August 1 – and was played in constant rotation by local TV stations – showing a group of men, who by their accents are clearly Hamawis, unloading the bodies of murdered men, presumably government supporters, from the back of a truck and tossing them over a bridge and into the bloodied Orontes River.  Warning: the video is highly graphic and contains inappropriate language – it can be viewed here. The video sparked outrage, as many used it to claim that Syrian revolutionaries are criminals as claimed by the authorities. It is impossible to ascertain the events that lead up to those captured in the video.
 
Targeted assassinations, forcible disappearances
The Syrian opposition’s Local Coordination Committees (LCCs) has put forth significant evidence indicating that members of the opposition were increasingly facing targeted assassinations – with a growing number of well-known activists being shot and killed outside of organized protests. According to the LCCs, in the month of July, three key opposition leaders, Khalid al-Afnan, Diyaa Ramiz al-Najjar and Hady al-Jundy, were all assassinated in separate attacks in Homs.
 
The human rights group Avaaz, has also come forward with evidence that some 2,918 Syrians have been “forcibly disappeared” since the start of the uprising in March. Those that have disappeared have been largely accused of being political dissidents involved in the revolution. At the same time, some 12,617 people are known to be in detention, all also also accused of anti-government activities, however, their family members were notified of their imprisonment. 
 
One activist now exiled in Turkey, spoke to Avaaz on the motivations behind his support of the opposition and his perspective of who is taking to the streets, stating that “I participated in all the protests before I left and I saw all components of Syrian society, Christians, Muslims, Kurds uniting as one to demand their rights. The government and the army is sectarian, not us. They are killing and detaining in a very cruel way. People have kneeled to Assad for 42 years. They need to understand that Syria is not a farm that belongs to Assad and his family. It is a free Arab country and the people will take their rights.”
 
International Politics & Diplomacy
 
Diplomatic divide – responding to Syrian revolution 
The complexity of the Syrian uprising and the difficulty of obtaining accurate information about the nature of the unfolding events and divergent associated strategic interests have, among much else, resulted in a diplomatic divide over whether or not to express support for Syrian revolutionaries. On the one hand, some foreign officials remain skeptical of both the motives of the Syrian opposition and the likely political outcome of the uprising – whether it be a new government or the continued rule of the current one. On the other hand, other foreign officials have expressed support for the Syrian opposition, regardless of underlying concerns about the instability and unknowns that would follow a change of leadership. 
 
United States  
Equivocation on Syria issue
Democratic and Republican members of a US House Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs held a session on Wednesday July 27 calling into question the US’s arguably equivocal stance on the Syrian uprising. Members of the bipartisan committee agreed that the US has been hedging bets on whether or not President Assad will weather the revolt and have consequently failed to adopt a clear stance in support of the Syrian opposition. 
 
Some interpret the US’s equivocation, as a central catalyst of more anti-American sentiments in Syria. As James Dorsey argues in an article for Al-Arabiya, “US Fence Straddling Fuels Anti-Americanism in Syria and Bahrain,” Syrian “protesters charge that US and Western reluctance is what keeps Mr. Assad in power because he is under no international pressure to step down.” As Dorsey sees it, the US has “reached out” to members of Syrian opposition and offered “consultation” with the country’s activists thus playing a “supportive role in the background” or as American officials term it, “leadership from behind”. 
 
Dorsey’s argument might perplex those who are familiar with the oft-repeated local sentiment, the ‘Syrian people will determine the fate of their country.’ Indeed, Dorsey’s article exemplifies a powerful component of American foreign policy thinking – namely, that the US is both capable of and indeed responsible for, helping to remedy the region’s woes. 
 
At the same time, Dorsey’s article, in conjunction with countless others discouraging the US from any form of intervention, highlights the reality that the US is faulted for its hesitation and relative quiet as much as it is faulted for its meddling. 
 
Posner & Feltman – Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia testimony on Syria 
In joint testimony, “Axis of Abuse: U.S. Human Rights Policy toward Iran and Syria: Part 1,” before the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, Michael H. Posner, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and Jeffrey D. Feltman, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs made a number of significant comments on the Syria issue, which can be read in their entirety here. Some key excerpts of the testimony were as follows:
 
“In…Syria, we have seen the regime play a cruel double game designed to divert attention away from people’s demands and justify the regime’s monopoly on power. Asad is exploiting fears of sectarianism and factionalism by surreptitiously fomenting violence of an intentionally sectarian nature, while at the same time cautioning Syrians not to rock his carefully guided boat. As a consequence, deadly violence has at times taken a purportedly sectarian shade. This has only left more blood on Asad’s hands.
 
“We view these incidents as further evidence that President Assad’s government continues to be the real source of instability within Syria. He has promised reforms but delivered no meaningful changes. He talks about dialogue, but continues to engage in violence that proves his rhetoric hollow. Assad has made clear that he is determined to maintain power regardless of the cost. And the human toll is mounting. …
 
“We continue to urge more nations to join our call, in bilateral and multilateral settings, to shine a spotlight on these countries’ [Iran and Syria] gross violations of human rights. 
 
“Our efforts to support the Iranian and Syrian people as they seek to exercise their rights have been consistent and sustained. …we work with civil society organizations to support their efforts to defend human rights and to advocate for change. We help them expand political space and hold their government accountable. We provide training and tools to civil society activists in Iran and Syria, and throughout the world, to enable citizens to freely and safely exercise their freedoms of expression, association, and assembly on the Internet and via other communication technologies. In cases like Iran and Syria, where governments have good reason to fear the spotlight on their activities, access to technological tools allows the people to tell their story to the world. Despite both government’s ramped up activities to try to suppress information flows, the days are gone when governments could brutalize their people without the world knowing.”
 
‘Creative’ diplomacy
While the Obama Administration’s policy toward Syria and decision to keep US Ambassador Ford in Damascus amid the crisis has been subject to heavy criticism, some endorse the Administration’s “creative diplomacy”, arguing that as the US has little pull in the Syrian government and no will or means to wage a military operation in response to the violence, it is better off to place itself on the “right side of Syria’s history” by using Ambassador Ford’s presence in Damascus to show its support for Syrian revolutionaries. The Editorial Board of Bloomberg News, publicly adopted this stance on July 27. 
 
Meeting: President Obama & Ambassador Ford 
On Monday August 1, President Obama met Ambassador Ford in Washington to “consult with” Ford, who was in DC for a number of meetings, on the Syrian uprising. The White House reported that Obama used the meeting to reiterate his “strong condemnation of the Syrian regime’s outrageous use of violence against its own people” as well as his support for “the courageous Syrian people, and their demands for universal rights and a democratic transition“. 
 
Clinton: meeting with Syrian activists
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a meeting at the State Department with figures from the Syrian-American community to discuss the “urgent situation” in Syria. No further information was released to the press. 
 
European Union – further sanctions
On August 2, the European Union added five names to its last of Syrian officials placed under sanctions. Syrian Defense Minister Ali Habib is among those on the new list. 
 
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton also warned whist announcing the latest sanctions that in the future, the EU might impose further sanctions “should the Syrian leadership persist in its current path”. For more information on the sanctions already imposed against Syrian officials, including US sanctions, see here. 
 
France – no military action
On Tuesday August 2 at a press briefing, Christine Fages, the deputy spokeswoman of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said of the situation in Syria, “The situation in Libya and Syria are not similar. No option of a military nature is considered.” Fages went on to state that, “The violence this weekend marked a new and increasingly worsening unacceptable” situation for the Syrian people. 
 
Italy – ambassador recalled
On Tuesday in another significant diplomatic blow to the Syrian government, Italy recalled its Ambassador to Syria, due to the “horrible repression” of Syrian civilians. The Italian government also proposed that “all ambassadors from countries within the European Union be recalled”.  
 
The latter comment, however, is unlikely to be acted upon anytime soon. In response to Italy’s move, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said that the EU’s ambassador to Syria, Greek-born Vassilis Bontosoglou, “will remain in Damascus to observe what’s happening on the ground”. 
 
Turkey – intensifies condemnation
On Monday, Turkey intensified its condemnation of the Syrian government’s management of the uprising, as a senior Turkish official indicated that sanctions were now “on the table”. Sunday’s attack “raised serious, very serious questions about the intentions of the Syrian regime. We are coming to a point where their words no longer mean anything. They have shown they are not interested in a peaceful resolution,” the official continued.
 
Turkish President Abdullah Gul also made a statement to Anadolu Ajansi that day, saying that “Beginning the holy month of Ramadan with bloodshed is unacceptable. It is not possible for us to remain indifferent to this violence.” 
 
Turkey is among Syria’s key trading partners. According to Turkey’s Foreign Economic Relations Board, the country’s trade with Syria tripled between 2006 and 2010 to USD 2.4 billion. Though the Syrian uprising has wreaked havoc on the Syrian economy, according to data released on August 1 from the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly, trade between the two countries continues to grow. Indeed, Turkish exports to Syria in July, increased 13% to USD 191.6 million compared to last year, and in the first six months of this year, Turkish exports exceeded USD 1 billion – a small increase from last year. 
 
There are some reports, however, that suggest that localized cross-border commerce between the two countries, has been hit hard. 
 
Turkey has thus far maintained dialogue with the Syrian government and avoided measures beyond tough words. Talk of sanctions marks a serious shift in its stance as the imposition of sanctions would undoubtedly have a profound effect on the Syrian economy. Turkey has ruled out the possibility of military intervention in Syria.
 
United Nations – presidential statement, related diplomacy
On Monday August 1, the United Nations Security Council met in New York to formally draft a statement or resolution in response to the crisis in Syria. The Syrian government’s use of extreme violence against civilian populaces over the weekend, added to a sense of urgency with regard to reaching a consensus on the issue.
 
In the lead-up to the meeting, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said the meeting was slated to entail “difficult work” but that he wanted to “see a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution to condemn this violence [in Syria], to call for the release of political prisoners and to call for legitimate grievances to be responded to.” 
 
Hague went on to state that, “We want to see stronger international pressure all round,” and that, “There is no prospect of a legal, morally sanctioned military intervention; therefore we have to concentrate on other ways of influencing the Assad regime and trying to help the situation in Syria. It is a very frustrating situation. The levers that we have in this situation are relatively limited but we should be frank in admitting that and then working with the ones that we have.”
 
On Tuesday, international media reported that negotiations over a UN resolution on the Syria case were ongoing, with the possibility that the UNSC would issue a presidential statement in place of an official resolution; a presidential statement carries less weight than a resolution and therefore could open the way for its approval by Russia, China, South Africa, India and Brazil – all of which had blocked earlier efforts to pass a resolution.
 
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin made a public statement with regard to the possibility of the UNSC issuing a presidential statement, noting that it would be “satisfactory” as a resolution would be “somewhat excessive” due to the fact that the Council is “still under the shadow of events in Libya” – which responded to the Libyan crisis “frivolously”. 
 
Indian Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri likewise informed reporters that following Tuesday’s meetings, he sensed “a certain convergence of thinking” as participants felt compelled to respond in “days rather than weeks.”
 
The following day, after months of diplomatic wrangling, the UN Security Council  succeeded in delivering a resolution on the Syria case through a Presidential Statement. The text of the resolution is as follows: 
 
“The Security Council expresses its grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria, and expresses profound regret at the death of many hundreds of people.
 
“The Security Council condemns the widespread violations of human rights and the use of force against civilians by the Syrian authorities.
 
“The Security Council calls for an immediate end to all violence and urges all sides to act with utmost restraint, and to refrain from reprisals, including attacks against state institutions.
 
“The Security Council calls on the Syrian authorities to fully respect human rights and to comply with their obligations under applicable international law. Those responsible for the violence should be held accountable.
 
“The Security Council notes the announced commitments by the Syrian authorities to reform, and regrets the lack of progress in implementation, and calls upon the Syrian Government to implement its commitments.
 
“The Security Council reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Syria. It stresses that the only solution to the current crisis in Syria is through an inclusive and Syrian-led political process, with the aim of effectively addressing the legitimate aspirations and concerns of the population which will allow the full exercise of fundamental freedoms for its entire population, including that of expression and peaceful assembly.
 
“The Security Council calls on the Syrian authorities to alleviate the humanitarian situation in crisis areas by ceasing the use of force against affected towns, to allow expeditious and unhindered access for international humanitarian agencies and workers, and cooperate fully with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
 
“The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to update the Security Council on the situation in Syria within 7 days.”
 
South Africa, Brazil and India – envoys to Damascus
South Africa, Brazil and India, all of which have blocked UN efforts to draft a resolution on the Syria case, announced on Friday that they will send envoys to Damascus to help bring an end to the violence. In an interview on the issue South African Ambassador to the UN Baso Sanggu said that, “The goal is to engage Syria, understand where they are, and see if we can assist them to overcome the difficulties they have.”
 
Russia – “sad fate” of Assad
On August 4, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made a statement urging President Assad to implement reforms. As Medvedev put it, “He [Assad] needs to urgently carry out reforms, reconcile with the opposition, restore peace and set up a modern state.” Medvedev continued, “If he fails to do this, he will face a sad fate.” Medvedev’s statements are quite significant given Russia obstinate resistance of any meddling in Syrian affairs – or use of associated harsh language. 
 
Israel – “Assad must go”
During a press conference last week, Israeli President Shimon Peres said that Syria’s President “Assad must go. The sooner he will leave, the better it will be for his people.” He went on to state that “It is easy to go out and demonstrate, but when they shoot at you? It is amazing. Their [Syrian protestors] courage and firm stance are honorable.” 
 
Peres’s statement came only a few days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu adopted a more cautious line during an interview on Al-Arabiya TV, noting that young Syrians deserved a better future and that only the Syrian people can decide what that will be. 
 
Israel has struggled to respond to the revolutions that have swept across the Arab world. Only quite recently, have Israeli officials begun to address the regional uprisings in front of Arabic language media. 
 
Al-Qaeda – support for Syrian opposition
Ayman al-Zawahiri, the new leader of Al-Qaeda, delivered a video statement on July 27 expressing support for and solidarity with the Syrian protest movement. In his video speech, Zawahiri slammed President al-Assad for being both corrupt and “America’s partner in the war on Islam”. Zawahiri also criticized President Assad for his “abandonment” of the Golan Heights. 

 
Further Reading
 
“The Syrian People Will Determine the Fate of Syria: An Interview with Burhan Ghalioun” – Jadaliyya/Qantara – An informative interview with Burhan Ghalioun, director of the Centre d’Etudes sur l’Orient Contemporain (Ceoc) in Paris, professor of political sociology at the Université de Paris III (Sorbonne Nouvelle) and member of the opposition. Ghalioun addresses the current government’s options – genuine dialogue vs. continued crackdowns against the opposition; the interests represented by the “silent segment’ of the Syrian population and what might break their silence; the issue of sectarian conflict; members of the opposition in and outside of the country and their strengths and pitfalls; the ‘three no’s’ they currently embrace (no military intervention, no sectarian conflict and no use of arms); what the opposition is seeking with regard to international players, and; the role of regional powers including Iran, Turkey Saudi Arabia and Egypt. 
 
“To Topple Assad, It Takes a Minority” – The New York Times – Bassma Kodman, the executive director of the Arab Reform Initiative, argues that the success of the Syrian revolt depends on the ability of those in the opposition to demonstrate to the country’s Alawite minority, which comprises between 10 and 12 percent of the population, that they can “safely turn against the Assad regime”. The Alawites have historically faced severe persecution, thus leaving many who would otherwise come forward in support of the revolution, fearful of being persecuted in the wake of the current government’s collapse. According to Kodman, the “onus falls on the Sunni majority to reassure Alawites and other minorities like Christians, Druse and Shiites…that they will not be subjected to acts of vengeance. These Sunni religious and political leaders can save Syria from its sectarian demons.”
 
“The “State of Emergency” is Not a Law . . . It is a Structure and a Regime” – Jadaliyya/Dar al-Hayat – Badrakhan Ali offers up analysis of the realities of the Emergency Law – its origins, broader implications for Syrian society, and the resulting “entrenched pattern of authoritarian rule in Damascus”. According to Badrakhan, the Emergency Law has shaped the very foundation of the country’s current system of governance: “In Syria …it is not possible to attribute all political crimes and breaches of rights that have occurred to the state of emergency. It is not possible, for example, to explain the absence of free elections during the past decades and at every level…the presence of more than ten security apparatuses that are not subject to accountability, criticism, and counsel…and that there are parties that “rule” Syria without a parties law…and the eighth article of the constitution, which stipulates that “the Baath Party leads the country and the society”…and the disappearance of peaceful activists for ten years or more without trial…The constitution itself is a state of emergency and was written according to the whims of the rulers, but the truth is that even this constitution itself, with all of its defects, is absent.”
 
“Syrian Uprising and President Assad Depicted in Cartoons” – Middle East Media Research Institute – A collection of cartoons depicting the Syrian revolution and President Assad – as published in Arab press. 
 
“Can Non-violent Struggle Bring Down Syria’s Assad?” – Reuters – Ausama Monajed, a key leader of Syria’s opposition abroad, is a driving force behind efforts to develop structured non-violent opposition in Syria.  This article by Hugo Dixon, explores the possibilities of such an approach one efforts to undermine the current government’s “pillars of support”. The article also puts forth strategies for those fearful of taking to the streets – including releasing “freedom balloons” at a designated time in a specific city and drafting “lists of shame” of businesses and high profile figures close to the current government who could be boycotted. 
 
“Getting Serious in Syria” – The American Interest – Setting aside the policy advise at the end, which some will find both presumptuous and worrisome, authors Michael S. Doran and Salman Shaikh put forth a notably comprehensive assessment of the events that have transpired thus far in Syria. The article covers the familial relations within the current Syrian government; the alliance between Alawi political forces – the so-called ‘deep state’ – and Sunni businessmen; dynamics and loyalties within the military; the government’s exploitation of sectarian fears; insider/outsider opposition tensions; and the provincial autonomy slowly creepy across the country as more cities and villages become the sites of nearly unquenchable mass unrest. 
 
“Why Damascus, Aleppo are Silent for Now” – Gulf News – Sami Moubayed, editor-in-chief of a local publication, Forward Magazine, argues that while Aleppo and Damascus have remained comparatively silent since the uprising began in March, their silence will be short-lived. Moubayed cites three reasons for this: 1) rampant and growing unemployment which will draw more youths out onto the streets, 2) a lack of widely accepted community leaders in both cities to help quell tensions, and 3) demographics – Damascus in particular, is full of internal migrants and according to Moubayed, they will be among the first to take to the streets en masse as they will not have the same business and political loyalties as native Damascenes. 
 
“Arab Spring: R.I.P.?” – Huffington Post – A gloomy but interesting read by Josef Olmert, evaluating the differences between the revolutions in Egypt and Syria and the reasons why the author maintains that Syria is on course for more violence along sectarian lines. 
 
“Underground In Beirut: A Syrian Activist Continues the Fight from Lebanon” – The Boston Review – An account of opposition member Rami Nakhle’s flight from Syria. A very well-written and lengthy account of the revelations that inspired Nakhle’s political beliefs – revelations that were stretched out over the last 11 years and fueled by information discovered on the internet. The article also explores the complexity of being a Syrian dissident exiled in Lebanon – still well within reach of the Syrian government and those who support it. 
 
“Syrian Uprising Expands Despite Absence Of Leaders” – National Public Radio – While the Syrian opposition is rapidly growing, it has yet to put forth leaders. According to this report by Deborah Amos, this is in part because young Syrians have “grown up under an authoritarian system” and now distrust “any kind of leadership”. While this has indeed helped the opposition in some respects, it now beginning to hinder its ability to launch a plan for the country’s future. 
 
“Young Iraqi Refugees Dream of Seattle, Wait in Limbo in Syria” – The Seattle Times – Sarah Stuteville explores the lives of two Iraqi refugees living in Damascus and the manner in which the recent unrest in Syria has impacted their lives. At present, some 151,000 Iraqi refugees are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees office in Damascus. Many, having already fled war once in Iraq, now live in fear of the onset of conflict in Syria. 
 
Agriculture
 
Government to buy 100,000 metric tons of soft wheat
According to Bassam al-Hammed, the head of the foreign trade department of the Syrian General Establishment of Cereals Trade and Processing, the Syrian government plans to buy 100,000 metric tons of soft wheat to expand its reserves. The agency is looking for “one supplier from one origin” and will be accepting bids until August 15.
 
Energy
 
Royal Dutch Shell – operations will continue
Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA), intends to maintain its production in Syria in compliance with the sanctions recently imposed against the Syrian government for its crackdown against Syrian civilians. The oil company is Europe’s largest. According to CEO Peter Voser, operations remain unaffected by the Syrian uprising. 

July 28, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

/in /by

Syria’s Protest Movement

Last Friday, some 1.2 million Syrians engaged in demonstrations across the country. Though the day was less violent than many that came before it, another 11 people were killed in security crackdowns against protestors in the days that followed. At the same time, the Syrian government issued new draft laws on political parties and elections – moves interpreted by some as significant efforts toward reform and by others as empty gestures. Debate over the future of the crisis continues, with key thinkers maintaining that sectarian conflict is largely off the table – if sectarian woes were going to overtake the country, they would have done so ages ago – and others declaring such an outcome nothing short of inevitable. Tomorrow will bring another day of mass after-prayers protests and Ramadan is only a handful of days away. Many believe that the nature of the unrest that will ensue in the coming month, is key to understanding the country’s future.

 
Protest flash points
On Thursday July 21, international media reported that Homs remained under heavy military siege, with Syrian troops shelling a number of the city’s neighborhoods. Activists reported to the same media sources that the injured and dead could not be reached due to the ongoing shelling. The same sources reported that mass arrests were carried out in the city that day, in advance of expected Friday protests. 
 
On Friday July 22, an estimated 1.2 million Syrians took to the streets across the country in largely peaceful protest against the current government. Hama, Homs, Idlib and Deir ez-Zor drew the largest numbers. In a show of solidarity with protestors in Homs, the day was termed “The Descendants of Khaled” –  after a 7th-century disciple of the prophet Muhammad who succeeded in unifying the Arabian Peninsula and who was later buried in Homs.
 
The night before, tanks had been deployed to Homs and the subsequent intensification of the military crackdown resulted in the deaths of five. During the day on Friday, some 5 more were shot and killed with the fatalities occurring in Mleeha, a Damascus suburb, Homs and Idlib. 
 
The northeastern Kurdish city of Qamishli saw its first violent crackdown by security forces since the unrest began. Police and security reportedly used tear gas and batons against protestors demanding an end to discrimination against the country’s sizable Kurdish population and political freedoms. Kurdish protestors also voiced solidarity with their counterparts across the country.
 
Heavy security forces were also reportedly deployed to a number of Damascus suburbs, following considerable unrest and subsequent violence on the part of security forces the Friday before. Protestors came out in the suburbs of Midan and Moudamieh – among numerous others, as well as in the coastal city of Lattakia, and the southern city of Daraa. A number of reports also suggest that protestors came out in the country’s second largest city of Aleppo – which like Damascus, has remained relatively quiet until present. 
 
 
As the unrest spreads and gains momentum, some maintain that Syrian authorities have responded by prioritizing areas that must remain under control – Homs, Aleppo and Damascus among them. Hama has been operating with a degree of independence in recent weeks, excluding a brief security crackdown just a few weeks ago, and has been notably peaceful. To that end, some 650,000 rallied there last Friday – organizing themselves by color to form the Syrian flag and chanting in unison for the fall of the government – a scene unimaginable just months ago.
 
On Sunday, international media reported that Syrian troops waged an assault on the village of Sarjeh in Idlib province. Troops backed by tanks were reportedly deployed to the area, which according to the same reports, underwent cuts to electricity and water in the hours before. 
 
Syrian activists also reported that further military forces were sent to Homs, with most deployed to the neighborhoods of Duar al-Fakhura and al-Nazihin. Meanwhile, sweeping arrests of suspected dissidents were also reported in Damascus late Saturday night and around the day Sunday – particularly in the districts of Qaboun and Rukn ad-Deen. 
 
Reports also emerged of further protests in Lattakia on Sunday. Ramel Street, a roadway in the city’s south, was allegedly under military siege around the day.
 
According to Local Coordination Committees, between July 22 and 27, some 11 more people died amid security crackdowns in numerous cities across the country, Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Douma and Daeel among them. Local authorities reported early in the week that terrorists were responsible for the violence which according to the same sources, resulted in the deaths of three security personnel and two civilians.
 
On Wednesday, local media reported that “law-enforcement forces…tracked down armed terrorist groups that have been terrorizing citizens in the Kanaker area in Damascus Countryside. Four members of these armed groups were killed and two were wounded during the operation, which the law-enforcement forces described as ‘qualitative and successful.'”  
 
Talhat Dalal
Last weekend a 12-year-old boy, Talhat Dalal, who was shot in the head by security forces whilst protesting in the Damascus suburb of Jobar a week earlier, died in the hospital from his wounds. Talhat is one of tens of Syrian children who have died amid the unrest since March 15. According to activists, some 85 children have been killed during recent violence across the country. 
 
Train crash, army base explosions  
On Saturday July 23, a train traveling from Aleppo to Damascus derailed just outside of Homs, killing its driver and injuring a number of others. The train was carrying an estimated 480 passengers. According to the Syrian government, “saboteurs” were responsible for ripping up a portion of its tracks, thus causing the accident. The governor of Homs, Ghassan Mustafa Abdul-Aal termed it a “terrorist and criminal” act and stated that it was a “clear message” to anyone who believes that the Syrian protest movement is peaceful. No evidence was put forward, however, to substantiate the government’s claims.
 
Meanwhile, there were reportedly two explosions at Homs army college on Saturday, followed by a spate of gunfire. Residents of the city reported that ambulances were subsequently sent to the college and smoke was seen rising from the premises. The nature and outcome of the events remains unclear. 
 
Damascus residents wary
While the suburbs of Damascus have seen a spike in unrest and subsequent security crackdowns, central Damascus remains quiet. Commerce in the city has plummeted, however, as residents shop and eat out less and less. Meanwhile, the cost of produce and basic foodstuffs has increased markedly.  Wary of pervasive security forces, many city residents have adopted more subtle means of supporting the opposition, from turning off pro-government songs on the radio, to refusing to report on the activities of dissidents to the police. 
 
Bank deposit withdrawals, currency conversions
According to a report in The Financial Times, some USD 2.6 billion was withdrawn from the country’s banking system between January and April of this year – totaling nearly 10 percent of deposits. While there was a spike in Syrian deposits into Lebanese banks in March and April, numbers have since declined, following the Syrian government’s introduction of conversion and capital control measures intended to safeguard the Syrian pound. 
 
Many are reportedly worried about the value of their savings and have been converting Syrian pounds into foreign currencies. Such conversions, however, are increasingly difficult as there are now a number of restrictions against it – though the government officially denies this. This leads many to turn to the black market, the conversion rate for which now hovers at over SYL 52 to the dollar while the official rate is at SYP 47.5 to the dollar. The government has reportedly begun to crackdown against illegal money changers.
 
Perspectives on mass arrests
Syrian security forces have been conducting mass arrests as a means of controlling the protest movement since March. While many thousands have reportedly been detained incommunicado for weeks and months, thousands of others are held for several days and released – allegedly as a means of discouraging them from returning to the streets. Reports suggest that Syrian activists are increasingly taking to the streets, now undeterred by the threat of arrest as many are willing to ‘pay their dues’ in prison for a few days to then take up the cause again upon release.
 
At the same time, many feel that the government’s claims that dissidents are radical Islamists are quickly undermined by the increasing arrests of well-known intellectuals and artists. Such events hint at an apparent decline of local fears of the government and members of the security forces. 
 
New governors – Quneitra & Deir ez-Zor
President Assad issued two legislative decrees (Numbers 286/ 287) last weekend transferring governor Hussein Arnous from his post in Deir ez-Zor to another post in Quneitra. Dr. Khalil Mashhdeh was sacked from his position as governor of Quneitra. Meanwhile, Samir Othman al-Sheikh was appointed the new governor of Deir Ezzor.
 
In a statement to SANA, governor Arnous said,”Efforts will be exerted to meet the citizens’ demands and interests in al-Quneitra Governorate… we will study all the projects and plans to carry them out according to the directives of President al-Assad aiming at completing reform program and development.”   
 
Draft political parties and elections laws
On Sunday July 24, Prime Minister Adel Safar approved a bill on a new political parties law that includes the “basic goals and principles regulating parties, the conditions and procedures for establishing and licensing them, legislations regarding parties’ resources, funding, rights and duties”. According to the bill, the requirements for establishing any political parties are:
 
1- “Commitment to the constitution, principles of democracy and the rule of law, respecting liberties, basic rights, world declarations of human rights and the agreements approved by the Syrian Arab Republic.
2- Preserving the unity of the homeland and bolstering society’s national unity.
3- Making public the principles, goals, methods and funding of a party.
4- A party cannot be based on religious, tribal, regional, denominational, or profession-related basis or on the basis of discrimination due to ethnicity, gender or race.
5- A party’s formation, selection of leadership and commencement of activities must be carried out using democratic basis.
6- A party’s methods must not include establishing public or covert military or paramilitary formations, nor must it use violence of any kind, threaten with it, or instigate it.
7- A party cannot be a branch of a non-Syrian party or political organization, not can it be affiliated to one.”
 
According to Syrian officials, the new law is set to “revitalize political activity and expand proper participation in running the state by establishing a suitable environment for new parties for the purpose of alternating the possession of power and participating in the responsibilities of government”.
 
The bill includes 40 articles. Those seeking to establish a new political party must present an application with “the signature of 50 of its members” who must be “of Syrian nationality for more than 10 years, over 25 years old, not convicted of an offense or felony, and not a member of another Syrian or foreign party”. The party must have minimum membership of 1000, and members should “belong to at least half of the Syrian governorate with each governorate represented by at least 5% of the overall number of members”. 
 
For Syria Report’s analysis of the new law, “New Party Law Unlikely to Have Much Impact on Protest Movement,” see here. The bill has been met with widespread skepticism – particularly, as Article 8 of the Constitution, which gives the ruling Baath Party its leading role in Syria’s political system, would not be repealed. This remains a key demand of the Syrian opposition. 
 
On Tuesday July 26, the Syrian Cabinet approved a draft law on general elections. According to state-run media, the law “aims at regulating parliamentary and local council elections and ensuring the safety of electoral process and the right of candidates to supervise the process”. It also forms an independent judicial committee based in Damascus and judicial subcommittees set to form in each province. The election process will be managed by a High Commission for Elections. The draft bill must first be approved by the Syrian Parliament, which is set to convene next on August 7. After that, it must then be enacted by a presidential decree. 
 
Syrian refugees in Lebanon – numbers dispute
On July 22, the United Nations Refugee Agency issued a report disputing reports by international media of the numbers of Syrian who have fled to Lebanon in recent days. According to the Agency, only 13 families are known to have fled to Lebanon in the last week. The Agency also says that a total of 2,300 Syrian refugees are currently in Lebanon – down from 5,000 in May. Unlike their counterparts in Turkey, Syrian refugees in Lebanon are not housed in official refugee camps. 
 
Palestinian refugees – weakening allegiances
Reports suggest that support for the Syrian government by Palestinian refugees in Syria, is beginning to wane. Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk, a Palestinian refugee camp in southern suburb of Damascus and the largest of such camps in Syria, are reportedly beginning to show support for the Syrian opposition movement. An estimated 150,000 such refugees reside in Yarmouk alongside thousands of Syrian nationals. According to another Palestinian refugee, “Palestinian refugees in Syria live among Syrians, not like in Lebanon. For six decades we have lived together and there are many mixed marriages and a new, mixed generation…When the protesters call on us to participate, it shows they consider us partners, not strangers. We have the same rights as Syrians, so we also have the same responsibilities.” 
 
According the the same report, many Palestinian refugees remain angered by the fatal shootings by Israeli soldiers of Palestinian protestors who were permitted by Syrian authorities to attempt to cross the country’s border with Israel in June. The border has been stable for decades. Many feel the Palestinian protestors and their subsequent deaths, were used by the Syrian government to distract from the country’s worsening internal woes. As one refugee asserted, “We will not accept to be a bargaining chip for the Syrian regime“. 
 
At the start of the Syrian uprising, the government also attributed to country’s unrest, in part, to Palestinians seeking to foment disorder. This move likewise shifted some Palestinian allegiances. 
 
Syria-Iraq border – alleged reversal of flow of weapons, fighters
The recent unrest in the Syrian border town of Al-Bukamal that resulted in the massive influx of Syrian military forces, a severe crackdown against demonstrators, and the alleged defections of some 100 members of the Syrian military, is now prompting reports of a reversal of flow of weapons and fighters. During the war in Iraq, fighters and weapons were reportedly channeled from Syria into Iraq, while Iraqi refugees sought refuge in Syria. Reports now suggest that fighters and weapons are entering Syria from Iraq, while some Syrians are seeking safety across the border. 
 
Human Rights Watch – “Syria: Mass Arrest Campaign Intensifies” 
Human Rights Watch issued a report on July 20, “Syria: Mass Arrest Campaign Intensifies,” indicated that an estimated 2,000 “anti-government protesters, medical professionals providing aid to wounded protesters, and those alleged to have provided information to international media and human rights organizations” have been arrested in Syria since the end of June. The report also details the circumstances in which a number of well-known opposition figures, including key opposition figure George Sabra, were arrested. The total number of individuals arrested across the country in connection with the Syrian uprising, now exceeds some 15,000.
 
International Politics & Diplomacy
 
United States – official behavior “barbaric” and “reprehensible”, condemnation of travel restrictions on Ambassador Ford
On Monday July 25, United States State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, issued a statement in response to violence in Syria over the weekend, saying that “The behavior of Syria’s security forces, including other such barbaric shootings, widescale arrests of young men and boys, brutal torture, and other abuses of basic human rights, is reprehensible. President Assad must understand that he is not indispensable, and we believe he is the cause of Syria’s instability, not the key to its stability. The regime should make no mistake that the world is watching, and those responsible will be held accountable for their crimes.” She went on to reiterate a recent statement by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, stating that President Assad has “lost legitimacy”.
 
Regarding the issue of Damascus’s decision to restrict the movements of Ambassador Ford to the country’s capital, Nuland stated that “Whether it is in Syria or anywhere else in the world, we reserve the right for our diplomatic personnel at all levels to travel as necessary to do their jobs, to represent US views to a broad cross-section of population and leaders, but also so that we can gather the information that we need to evaluate internal dynamics.”
 
France – “terror reigns in Homs”
On Friday July 22, the French Foreign Ministry responded to the day’s events in Syria with an official statement saying that it condemns “repression by the Syrian authorities, who continue … to arrest and kill their own population daily.” The statement went on to say that,  “terror reigns in Homs, surrounded by the Syrian army” and “the army and other security forces will have to account for their actions.”
 
Qatar – quietly funding Syrian opposition? 
In an article for The Guardian, Ian Black maintains that Qatar’s recent decision to withdraw its Ambassador from Damascus and close its embassy, is the public face of a calculated and more extensive approach to severing its connection to the Syrian government. According to Black and many others, rumors abound that Qatar, the Saudis and the UAE are providing financial support for Syrian dissidents – “paying for conferences, communications and perhaps more”.  However, no Arab leaders have come forward to publicly disavow the current Syrian government. 
 
Cyprus – Rami Makhlouf’s citizenship revoked
On July 20, the government of Cyprus announced that it was revoking the passport of Syria’s wealthiest businessman, Rami Makhlouf. The move was in response to EU sanctions imposed against Makhlouf. Makhlouf had been granted Cypriot citizenship on January 4 of this year. 
 
Philippines – Syria crisis alert level raised
Vice Consul Dennis Briones of the Philippines indicated on July 22, that violence in Daraa, Lattakia, Homs and some Damascus suburbs has led the Philippines to raise the Syrian crisis alert level to “Level 3”, meaning that the Philippine government is now covering the cost of the voluntary repatriation of citizens living in the country’s flash point areas. According to Briones, there are 2,400 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Lattakia, 110 in Daraa and 1,600 in Homs. Between 20 and 30 OFWs have been repatriating since the start of the revolt in March. The Philippine government spends some USD 2,000 on each repatriation.
 
The country’s Foreign Affairs Secretary, Albert del Rosario, also recently noted that there is a considerable difference between how international media and the Philippine Embassy in Damascus relay information about developments within Syria. The Philippine government last raised the crisis alert level for Syria in April to ‘Level 2’ – which calls for a restriction of movement within the country and avoidance of large public gatherings. 
 
Further reading:
 
“The Rise of the Damascene Stickers” – Souria Houria – A blog post by Nadia Hanna detailing the response of the Christian residents of Damascus’s Old City, to frequent Friday pro-government celebrations in front of the Old City’s gate. In a well-written and significant read, Hanna articulates the “hidden factors” connected to efforts to foment “sectarian feelings” by holding such celebrations in a Christian majority neighborhood “at the end of a day where mass human rights violations occurred all over the country”. Hanna’s post can also be read in Arabic. 
 
“The Corrections” – Jadaliyya – A provocative and strong post by Amal Hanano that takes issue with pervasive fears of imminent sectarian conflict in Syria and strongly criticizes acceptance of the status quo.  
 
“Laying Waste to Humble Homs” – The Economist – A brief article covering the alleged official use of violent gangs to heighten local fears of sectarian violence. According to the author, fears of sectarian conflict are overblown, as thus far, the protest movement has shown little evidence of taking on a religious dimension.
 
“Way Out of the Syrian Crisis” – Gulf News – Syria expert Patrick Seale, argues that the Syrian opposition “faces a stark choice: either to go all out to bring the regime down, or to cooperate with it in building a new and better Syria”. As more people died amid the tumult, the demands of Syrian opposition have hardened – shifting from calls for reform and increased freedoms to the outright fall of the current government. Many expect daily protests during the month of Ramadan – which is set to begin in only a handful of days – and as Seale and many others see it, this could mark a critically important turning point in the Syrian uprising. According to Seale, the choices facing the Syrian opposition are difficult. The “first course” of going “all out” is “hazardous: if the Baathist state is torn down, what will replace it?” While the second choice, “requires an act of faith: it means accepting that the regime truly wants to implement radical reforms by means of a national dialogue.” Yet, the government’s efforts to initiate dialogue, thus far, have “failed to convince”. Seale notes that the “regime has mishandled the protest movement” yet he also points out that the oppositions is weak as it “wants to challenge the system, but it evidently does not know how to proceed.” Of the Syrian political system, Seale argues that “everything will have to be rebuilt from the ground up”. Meanwhile, the current government will not give up without a fight. Seale suggests that the prospects for violent civil war are significant enough to warrant consideration of dialogue as “another way out of the crisis”. 
 
“Analysis: Syria Faces Slide into Sectarian Mayhem” – Reuters – A comprehensive summary of concerns about Syria’s sectarian issues and how they have, and might continue to to be, exploited by authorities. The author, Samia Nakhoul also assess concerns about the country’s prospects for civil war. 
 
“Being Bashar Assad” – The Wall Street Journal – An interesting account of the evolution of President Bashar al-Assad’s presidency. Author Neill Lochery takes up the oft repeated question of why President Assad’s recent decisions have run so counter to what Syrians and much of the world expected from him. 
 
“DIA-LOGUE” – Jadaliyya – A cartoon by “Muslim Observer” depicting the manner in which the term “dialogue” is, according to artist, understood by the Syrian government. 
 
“Syrian Soap Operas Sidelined by Protests and Censorship” – The National – and,   “Behind the Scenes” – Syria Today – Two articles detailing the impact of the unrest and increasingly polarized political views across the country, on Syria’s famous television drama industry. This year, only five of the 29 multipart series produced for screening during Ramadan have been purchased by television stations. 
 
“Plotting a Post-Assad Road Map for Syria” – The Washington Post – Conservative writer David Ignatius evaluates options for US government support of Syrian dissidents. The Washington Post Editorial Board has adopted a tough stance on Syria, maintaining that the US should pull Ambassador Ford out of Damascus, overtly call for an end to President Assad’s hold on power, and increase aid to the opposition. Ignatius’ post is inline with the Board’s view. 
 
“Should the U.S. Support Regime Change in Syria?” – The Atlantic – Some public officials in the United States are advocating that the Obama Administration adopt a position in support of regime change in Damascus. Using the case of the NATO-led assault on Libya, about which neither the US nor its allies ever put forward a “theory of victory”, author Micah Zenko maintains that, “Those now demanding that the US government clearly articulate its support for regime change in Damascus should also seek a plausible explanation for how this happens.”
 
Security
 
International Atomic Energy Agency 
Following a recent meeting with Syrian officials regarding Syria’s alleged former nuclear activities, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, told Associated Press that IAEA officials have not received any information from the Syrian government that counters the Agency’s assessment of Syria’s former nuclear activities. As Amano asserted, “We have done our jobs. If there is further cooperation it is very nice. If not, … the conclusion is there.”
 
Energy
 
Trilateral agreement on oil – Iran, Iraq and Syria
On Sunday July 24, Iran, Syria and Iraq reached an agreement on the construction of a pipeline that will transfer gas from Iran through Iraq to Syria.  Syria will then be set purchase between 20 and 25 million cubic meters of Iranian gas a day. For more information, see here.
 
Sytrol to increase exports
On July 27, Sytrol, Syria’s state-owned oil company announced plans to increase daily exports of Souedie crude in August by some 44 percent from exports in July. The export plan for August includes seven 80,000-metric-ton cargo shipments, equivalent to 125,006 barrels a day, from the port of Tartous – compared with 87,058 barrels a day in the month of July. 

July 21, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

/in /by

Syria’s Protest Movement

Highly conflictual reportage on the nature of the outbreak of violence in the central city of Homs over the weekend has dominated international headlines since Saturday, while opposition talks scheduled to meet simultaneously in Istanbul and Damascus on July 16 hit significant obstacles amid opposition divisions and a security crackdown against the Damascus meeting point. The Qatari government withdrew its Ambassador from Syria and closed its embassy on Monday, while Syrian Foreign Minister Wallid Moallem imposed travel restrictions against the US and French ambassadors on July 20. As the month of Ramadan quickly approaches and disturbing levels of violence in Homs carry on amid the impasse between the government and opposition, there is no sign of respite from pervasive tensions across the country.

 
Protest flash points
On Sunday, international media reported that Syrian troops stormed a number of locations along the country’s borders with Iraq and Lebanon. In Abu Kamal, a border town in the east, foreign reportage indicated that tens of soldiers defected late Saturday night amid crowds chanting, “The people and the army are one!”, thus prompting the deployment of more troops to the restive area on Sunday. Reportage on the backup troops varies – with some sources stating that an estimated 150 were sent in via helicopters, others stating that hundreds arrived in about 20 busloads, and still others suggesting some 1,000 troops were sent in with tank and helicopter backing. 
 
The defections were announced by rights activist Mustafa Osso and Local Coordination Committee representative Omar Idilbu. The absence of international media makes all accounts impossible to confirm, though a number of videos posted on YouTube reportedly corroborate their allegations.
 
International media also reported that some 30 people died in Homs between Saturday and Sunday, amid violent clashes between pro- and anti-government protestors. According to Rami Abdul Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the clashes began when the dismembered bodies of three pro-government demonstrators were returned to their families over the weekend. 
 
The western cities of Zabadani and Qatana also saw large numbers of arrests of suspected dissidents over the weekend – including of Ali al-Abdullah, a 61-year-old writer and activist. Some estimate that as many as 500 dissident were detained in western border areas in the last 24 hours. The same reports suggest that some 2,000 security and military forces were deployed to both cities. 
 
On Tuesday, foreign media reported that some 16 people were killed in Homs as Syrian security and military forces allegedly opened fire on individuals participating in a funeral for those killed amid violence in the days before. The attack occurred in Khalidiya, a district in the city’s east, which remains besieged by military forces. 
 
International media subsequently exploded with reportage categorizing the conflict in Homs as sectarian in nature. Oddly, however, the Syrian government did not highlight the alleged sectarian nature of the violence that apparently overtook the city, instead reporting, “Some terrorist groups of armed masked men on motorcycles exploited people gatherings to commit acts of terrorism and vandalism…The Interior Ministry will be firm in dealing with these armed and terrorist members and will use all means necessary to reduce their danger and preserve the safety of the homeland and the citizens according to the articles 304, 305 and 306 of the General Penalties Law.” 
 
Another SANA report featuring the pictures of injured members of the military, put forth stories “illustrating the criminality of the outlawed armed groups against citizens, properties, and army and law-enforcement members in Homs.” Given the government’s propensity to threaten sectarian conflict if the unrest continues, it is unusual that it did not report the events as such.
 
To that end, Syrian activists strongly deny that Syrian civilians are responsible for sectarian killings in Homs. Many maintain that members of the country’s security forces perpetrated the crimes in hopes of igniting already pervasive fears of the onset of sectarian conflict. 
 
Syrian opposition – National Salvation Council, divisions
On Saturday July 16 the Syrian opposition group, the National Salvation Council, was scheduled to meet simultaneously in two locations – in the Damascus suburb of Qaboun as well as in Istanbul, Turkey. The Council, organized by Meshaal Tamo and Haitham al-Maleh, was expected to draw members of the Local Coordination Committees, who are considered key players in the country’s current protest movement. The Council was forced to scale back its plans, however, as extreme violence against protestors in Qaboun the day before followed by an attack by security forces against the meeting location on Saturday, rendered the Damascus meeting impossible. Some members of the opposition reportedly met in a different location and Skyped into the Istanbul conference to make speeches. 
 
Though meeting participants reportedly hoped to announce the formation of a shadow Syrian government on Saturday, disagreements among conference participants, who numbered around 350, prevented them from making any such decisions. According to international reportage, one of the biggest obstacles to the formation of an alternate government, came from concerns among Damascus-based activists about the motivations and backgrounds of their counterparts in Istanbul.
 
The group succeed in electing 25 exiles to its official Council, however, a number of participants walked out mid-meeting, including Kurdish delegates reportedly angered by the use of the term Syrian Arab Republic, which fails to recognize Syria’s considerable Kurdish population. According to international reportage, tribal representatives also left the meeting in frustration. 
 
Many members of the opposition maintain that the collapse of the country’s economy will bring about the collapse of the government itself, as the country’s economic elites and middle classes will turn their collective backs on the government. However, so long as military elites remain loyal to the current government – and to date, there are few signs that this loyalty is faltering – the validity of such assumptions remains questionable.  
 
On Sunday, the 25 exiles elected to the National Salvation Council met in Istanbul to coordinate further plans to build a united front against the Syrian government. 
 
Syrian Electronic Army
A report by SANA issued on July 18, praises the work of the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA) for its success “in foiling the schemes of a number of western, Arab and Arabic-speaking media responding to the misleading media attack targeting Syria.” The SEA is the first public Internet Army in the world. It is used Syrian national networks to stage cyber attacks against presumed enemies. Specifically, it targets political opposition and Western media and business sites. In his June 20, 2011 address to the nation, President Assad bestowed much praise upon the group for its efforts to undermine enemies of the country. By official reports, the SEA is not affiliated with the Syrian government. 
 
The SEA primarily defaces and compromises websites and initiates denials of service on others including Orient TV, Al-Arabiya, BBC News, and Al Jazeera. Site defacements commonly include language such as, “We Are the Syrian People , We Love our President Bashar Al Assad and we are going to return our Jolan Back , our Missiles will be landing on each one of you if you ever think of attacking our beloved land SYRIA”. For a complete overview of all of the SEA’s activities researched by Information Warfare Monitor, follow this link.
 
Government releases recent detainees
On Saturday July 16, all 28 intellectuals who were arrested while participating in anti-government protests in the Damascus suburb of Midan on Wednesday – 10 women and 18 men – were released from custody.
 
Pro-government rallies
In recent weeks, government supporters across the country have taken to unfurling a massive Syrian flag – stretching over 500 meters – down boulevards and highways in a show of support for the government. 
 
On Sunday evening, Umayyad Square in central Damascus was overtaken by Syrians commemorating the 11th anniversary of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s swearing in. Fireworks went off around the evening as government supporters took to the streets to celebrate.
 
Amnesty International – prisoners held incommunicado  
On Monday July 18, Amnesty International issued a report indicating that tens of men are “being held incommunicado at unknown locations” following mass arrests in the Damascus suburb of Qatana on Saturday and Sunday. According to Amnesty, the men are “at risk of torture”. The report also demanded that Syrian authorities announce the whereabouts of Ali al-Abdullah and all others detained over the weekend.  Last week, residents of Qatana held a number of anti-government protests. 
 
International Politics & Diplomacy
 
Travel Restriction – US & French ambassadors
On Wednesday, July 20, Syrian Foreign Minister Wallid Moallem announced that the US and French ambassadors to Syria, cannot leave the capital Damascus without first seeking official approval. Moallem warned that if either ambassador fails to heed the order, the government will officially impose a travel ban restricting their movement to within 25 kilometers of Damascus. Moallem made the announcement during a lecture at Damascus University, asserting that  “We did not evict the two ambassadors because we want the relations to develop in the future and in order for their governments to review their stances toward Syria. If these acts are repeated, we will impose a ban preventing diplomats from going more than 25 kilometers outside Damascus.”
 
United States – Clinton rhetoric softens
On Saturday while in Istanbul, Turkey US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a number of statements during a joint appearance with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, that suggested a softening of US rhetoric on Syria’s current crisis. With regard to the meeting held that day in the Turkish city by members of the Syrian opposition, Clinton said: “We’re encouraged by what we see the Syrian people doing for themselves, not anything the United States or any other country is doing. It’s what the Syrians are doing, trying to form an opposition that can provide a pathway, hopefully in peaceful cooperation with the government.”
 
Of the country-wide mass protests held across Syria only the day before, Clinton said Friday saw “the largest demonstrations to date in Syria, an effort to try to convey directly to the government the pent-up desire of the Syrian people for the kind of reforms they have been promised.” 
 
Clinton was in Turkey to participate in a two-day international conference on the Libyan issue. The revolutions across the Middle East have drawn the US and Turkey closer together. Following a failed bid to join the EU a decade ago, Turkey turned its attention toward fostering constructive relations with its neighbors in the Middle East – normalizing previously tense relations with Damascus, mediating between warring factions in Iraq, and upping trade with much of the region. The United States views Turkey as a critically important strategic ally, though there are key differences between the two, and is largely counting on Turkey’s ability to help bring Damascus in from the fray. The US views the Turkish political system as the model upon which Arabic governments should restructure themselves. As Clinton put it on Saturday, “People across the Middle East, and North Africa particularly, are seeking to draw lessons from Turkey’s experience. It is vital that they learn the lessons that Turkey has learned and is putting into practice every day.”
 
European Union – calls for investigations, further sanctions
On Monday July 18 during the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting, EU foreign ministers pressed for an “independent, transparent and effective investigation” in accordance with that proposed for by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The EU also pressed for the Syrian government to allow international media to operate freely within the country and indicated that, “The EU will pursue and carry forward its current policy, including through sanctions targeted against those responsible for or associated with the violent repression.” 
 
Arab League, Syria – necessity of reform
The head of the Arab League, Nabil Elaraby, reportedly travelled to Syria last week to discuss the “necessity of reform“. Elaraby did not provide further information regarding the outcome of his visit. His time in Damascus including a meeting with President al-Assad and was part of a tour of the region. Last week, Elaraby was also widely quoted as saying that the Arab League does not accept “outside interference in the internal affairs of the Arab countries” – regardless of mounting international pressure on the Syrian government to enact meaningful reforms and bring the violence against protestors to an end. Of his meeting with President Assad, Elaraby said, “I met with President Bashar Al-Assad … I spoke to him about the necessity of reform and I received a promise from him that he will work on that.”
 
Iraq – Iraqi refugees fleeing Syria
Last week, reports emerged indicating that growing numbers of Iraqi refugees living in Syria, are returning to Iraq amid rising fears of sectarian violence in Syria. According to Hayat Saad, a legal officer in an Iraqi refugee center in Baghdad, since May 1, an average of 20 families a day have returned to Iraq from Syria. The total number of returnees thus far, is estimated to be 7,000. 
 
Iran – economic bailout
According to international media, Iran is considering providing Syria with $5.8 billion in much-needed financial assistance, including a three month loan of $1.5 billion, set to be immediately available. According to the same reportage, Iran is also poised to provide Syria with 290,000 barrels of oil a day in the coming month. Damascus and Tehran are long-standing allies. For more analysis of the move, see here. The Syrian government adamantly denies such reports. 
 
Qatar – embassy closure
On Monday July 18, Qatar officially closed its embassy in Damascus and withdrew its ambassador, following two attacks on the embassy by men loyal to President Assad. Qatar and Syria formerly had strong diplomatic relations. However, relations deteriorated markedly in March following the onset of the violent crackdown against members of the Syrian opposition.
 
Lebanon – Syrian refugees
On July 19, international media reports indicated that Syrians were again fleeing violence in border towns under military siege, by taking refugee in the neighboring Lebanese town of Wadi Khaled. That day, some 300 reportedly crossed the border, after violence in the Syrian towns of Bouait and Heet flared. 
 
Further Reading
 
“Syrian Security Forces Accused of Killing 16 in Homs” – Los Angeles Times – Though cited above, this is an important read for those following the crisis in Syria. This report puts forth evidence that undermines widespread reportage of civilian-instigated sectarian conflict in Homs. No reportage on the Syrian revolution can ever be confirmed. This highlights the discrepancies. 
 
“The Torture of My Father by the Syrian Regime” – Maysaloon Blog – Another well-written and this time, notably personal, post by a well-respected Syrian expat blogger.
 
“Justice Isn’t Going to Fix Syria” – The Star – A provocative editorial by Josh Scheinert critiquing the idea of sending President Bashar a-Assad and other key Syrian officials to the International Criminal Court, asserting that the move is “an empty gesture”. Scheinert argues that bringing the Syrian case to the ICC would undermine the Court’s credibility and hinder a future peace process in Syria – should the country fall farther into disarray; a warrant for the arrest of the Syrian President would likely never be acted on. Meanwhile, the ICC would have taken on a massive and resource-consuming case with dismal prospects for a constructive outcome. A worthwhile read as the international community debates how to approach the Syrian crisis. 
 
“Brotherhood Seeks New Lease of Life in Syria” – The Financial Times – A well-written clip covering perceptions of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, the group’s tumultuous history here, its prospects for acquiring further power in a post-Assad state, and the debate over growing Islamist trends among Syria’s youths.
 
“Correspondent’s Diary: Hoping for Peace, Bracing for Violence” – The Economist – A short, but interesting read. The reporter met with a number of activists in Hama and puts forth their perspectives on the revolution.  
 
“Over the Wall: A Tale of Two Embassies” – The Weekly Standard – David Schenker, director of the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, offers up an interesting interpretation of the utility of US Ambassador Ford’s controversial trip to Hama early in July – and the subsequent attack on the US Embassy in Damascus. Schenker notes that this is not the first time such an attack against the Embassy has been employed by Syrian officials to make a firm statement about US policy and actions with regard to, and in this case, inside of Syria. 
 
“Why the US is No Longer an Effective Scarecrow in Syria” – Al-Arabiya – Abdul Rahman al-Rashed argues that while in past years, propaganda portraying forces of dissent as foreign conspirators worked well, at present, the tactic has lost its sway. According to Rashed, in the past Syrians would have been staunchly opposed to any sort of international intervention in their country’s domestic affairs, however, this is no longer the case. No doubt, many millions would take issue with this charge. However, Rashed does raise some interesting points with regard to shifting perceptions of government scare tactics and propaganda: “In the past it was enough to quote a US official statement in order to mobilize public opinion in the interests of the regime. Indeed some regimes have been able to live on a diet of inflammatory statements against Israel and claims of defending the homeland against western conspiracy. Since the beginning of the Arab Spring, the people here are no longer interested in such rhetoric, this has become a broken record.” He continues, “Why threats of Israel and the West are not effective any more? People, here, are fed up with lack of progress in their own communities. In Syria, for example the majority have suffered a long history of suppression, and they have risen up in a revolution against injustice, not in favor of any political trend or foreign country, such as the US or France. This revolution represents the majority of the Syrian people…”
 
“Aimless Syria Policy, Aimless President” – The Journal of the American Enterprise Institute – A short and telling editorial by Danielle Pletka, a well-known conservative analyst. Pletka takes aim at the Obama Administration’s failure to advance a coherent Syria policy and at the same time offers up a view increasingly held by Republicans and Democrats alike.
 
“Syria’s Struggle” – The New York Times – The NYT Editorial Board published its take on the Syrian revolution on July 18, stating that “We are in awe at the courage of the Syrian people and disgusted by the brutality of President Bashar al-Assad and his henchmen. Mr. Assad has lost all legitimacy.” The Board focused on the issue of how the international community could best support Syrian dissidents, noting that, “A foreign military intervention is out of the question. It is a far more complex case than Libya, and there is no international support for it.” The Board went on to highlight the inconsistency of the US’s response to the situation, called on Turkey to join the west in imposing sanctions against the Syrian government, and urged the US and Europe to stop sending mixed signals to the Syrian government.  
 
“US Falls Short of Moral High Ground on Syria” – The New York Times – Another article highlighting the trouble with the US’s Syria policy, this time highlighting the US’s confusion regarding how best to deal with the Russia/China veto on the UN Security Council.
 
“Ads Push For Middle Ground Amid Syrian Conflict” – National Public Radio – A good clip from NPR on an ad campaign in Damascus funded by local media professionals, seeking to mitigate rampant tensions. One of the ad images is of a large, raised hand with a caption, “I am for Syria.” At the top, it states “The goal of the initiative is to raise awareness and to accept different opinions.” Other captions read: “Arrests or bullets: I do not believe it”;  “I am with the law, but where is it?”;  “My way is your way, but there’s a tank in the way”; “I am those millions: thugs, thieves, lackeys — call me whatever you want,” and; “We thank all the brave Syrians who broke the silence and expressed their views.” Worth reading. 
 
Energy 
New power facility
On Tuesday, Syria opened a $50.5 million facility constructed by Alstom SA (ALO) that will manage the national power grid. The new building will operate 50 power transfer and generation stations and is set to expand to include a further 20 in the future.
 
Security
Transfer of missiles, Syria to Hezbollah
According to a report published in Australian media, the Syrian government has allegedly accelerated efforts to supply weapons, ballistic missiles among them, to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The report published on July 16, was derived from regional intelligence sources. The report also maintains that Damascus is moving ahead with efforts to build sophisticated missiles in a mountain not far from Hama. The ballistic missiles transferred to Hezbollah, Scud D surface-to-surface, and allegedly assembled with the aid of experts from North Korea, are highly accurate and place all of Israel, Jordan, and a significant portion of Turkey within range. The report alleges that the flow of weapons from Syria into Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, has been growing since the inception of the unrest in Syria in March. 

July 15, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

/in /by

Syria’s Protest Movement

The last 10 days saw international media coverage of the ongoing revolutionary tumult in Syria, largely hijacked by reportage on the increasing diplomatic tensions between Syria and the United States and France. While Syrians continue to take to the streets in massive numbers across the country, a controversial trip by US and French Ambassadors Ford and Chevallier to Hama on July 7- 8, followed by mob attacks on the US and French embassies on July 11, and harsh verbals exchanges between Damascus and Washington in the hours that ensued, took centre stage in foreign reportage. In the comparative background, the planning meetings of the government-led national dialogue started and finished with inconclusive results as the protest movement, now officially in its fifth month, carries on with another 19 protestors killed in unrest in Damascus, Idlib, and Deir ez-Zor today, July 15. 

 
Protest flash points, July 7th – 15th
On Thursday July 7, residents of both Hama and Homs staged general strikes while mass numbers of the city’s residents reportedly began fleeing the city to avoid expected violence. Most reportedly headed to Salamiyah, a city about 30 kilometers southeast. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that some 1,000 people in total fled. According to Rami Abdel Rahmad, the Observatory’s chief, two people were reportedly killed that day, after being shot in the legs by security forces and run over by a vehicle. 
 
A week ago on Friday July 8, hundreds of thousands of Syrians participated in anti-government demonstrations across the country. An estimated fifteen people were killed in the day’s protests, including six in Dumair – a town not far from Damascus, three in Maarat al-Numaan on the eastern border of Idlib province and two in the Damascus district of Midan. The day was termed the “Friday of No Dialogue” in reference to the government-promoted talks that were set to begin on July 10 to start the national dialogue. 
 
Protestors in Hama again came out in massive numbers – with a number of well-known activists estimating that a near half million joined the city’s demonstrations. Some 200 people were also arrested around the country – with some estimates suggesting more than half of them were from Homs. As the city of Hama has a deeply tumultuous history, many Syrian activists in and out of the country reportedly view the recent mass protests and their broader symbolism, with a sense of hope.
 
Ibrahim Qashqoush, one of the better known composers of the Syrian opposition movement’s protest songs, was also found dead on July 8 on the bank of the al-Assi river in Hama. His throat had reportedly been carved out. 
 
On Monday July 11, Syrian security forces reportedly ratcheted up the crackdown against those participating in the unrest in Homs. According to international media, one civilian was killed while another 20 were injured, as security forces engaged in raids allegedly backed by tanks and armor. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that armored vehicles had entered the city the night before, firing machine-guns in some of the city’s neighborhoods and arresting large numbers of suspected dissidents. 
 
The same reports indicated that a number of prominent figures were arrested around the country, including neurosurgeon Jalal al-Najjar, theatre director Osama Ghanem, journalist Omar al-Assad and veterinarian Abdelghani Khamis.
 
On Wednesday July 13, there were reports of further significant violence in the region of Jebel al-Zawiya – where the Syrian army was deployed just over two weeks ago to control anti-government unrest. Four people were reportedly killed that day, while international reports indicated that several minor oil pipelines in the town of Mayadin in the country’s northeastern province were also blown up. The same day, protestors in the Damascus neighborhood of Midan, numbering in the hundreds, were dispersed by baton-wielding security forces. Four protestors were reportedly arrested. 
 
*Today Friday July 15, Syria entered its fifth month of revolutionary tumult and hundreds of thousands of Syrians held demonstrations in cities and villages across the country. An estimated 19 people died today amid protests, some 13 of whom were killed as large numbers took to the streets in suburbs of Damascus. Other fatalities were reported in Daraa, Homs and Idlib. Thousands again came out in Hama and Deir ez-Zor in the country’s northeast where, according to international media, protestors have renamed the city’s central roundabout ‘Freedom Square’. The same reports indicate that the crowds in all three locations were the largest seen since the unrest began in March.
 
Reports suggest that protestors in Qaboun attempted to block the passage of security forces, while other sought to protect local government property from any damage so as not to provide further reason for security intervention. 
 
Residents of Hama reportedly removed some of the barricades they had previously erected to prevent security from entering the city, after securing agreement from officials that peaceful protests would be permitted. While central Damascus and Aleppo both continue to remain relatively quiet on Fridays, the country’s primary hot spots have seen increasingly large numbers of protestors take to the streets.
 
Government decrees, reforms
On Sunday July 10, President Assad also issued Decree No. 254 for 2011, which appointed Anas Abdul-Razzaq Na’em the new governor of Hama. Previously, Na’em served as the secretary of the Hama branch of the Baath Party and the head of the Hama branch of the Doctors’ Union. The move came as a disappointment to many, as Na’em is relatively unknown while the governor he replaced, Dr. Ahmad Khaled Abdul-Aziz, was quite popular with the city’s residents as a result of his alleged sympathy for the protest movement. 
 
The following day, Prime Minister Safar formed a committee tasked with studying a bill put forth by the General Women’s Union that seeks to amend Article 3 of Citizenship Law No. 267 (1969) in order to grant Syrian citizenship to the children of Syrian women who are married to non-Syrians. The committee is set to announce its results next week. 
 
During a meeting on Wednesday July 13, the Judicial Reform Committee stressed the significance of “the full independence of the judiciary authority from the legislative and executive authorities.” The committee also clarified that, “The legislative authority cannot in any way harm the immunity granted to judges, and the parliamentary control over the work of the government does not in any way extend to the judiciary work at courts because this constitutes a violation of the independence of the judiciary authority”. The executive authority, is also “not allowed to interfere in the appointment, promotion or accountability of the judges or invalidate judicial rulings”.
 
National dialogue
On July 10, the government moved forward with the first meeting of the planned national dialogue. The meetings spanned two days and served as a preliminary conference, intended to start discussions on political reforms and associated party laws, among much else. However, as key opposition members had boycotted any negotiations with the government so long as military and security forces continue use violence against civilians, the vast majority of the opposition members it invited to participate, refused to attend. As put by Ammar Qurabi, head of Syria’s National Organisation for Human Rights and a leading activist who turned down an invitation to participate in the meeting reportedly said of the dialogue, “If the government ordered the killing of people, then this is dialogue with murderers. And we will not enter into a discussion with murderers.”
 
Syrian Vice-President Farouk al-Sharaa opened the meeting with speech in which he stated he hoped it will be “a comprehensive conference that announces the transformation of Syria into a pluralistic, democratic state where its citizens are equal and participate in the formation of their homeland’s future.” Sharaa went on to state that, “this dialogue is not a favor from any one and it should not be considered a condescension on the part of the government for the people, but it is the duty of each citizen based on deep belief that the people are the source of authorities like all developed countries.”
 
For a government-organized event, some participants expressed surprisingly harsh criticisms of Syria’s political and security system, though many others expressed opinions in line with the state’s interpretation of the country’s current crisis – namely, that it has been perpetrated by foreign conspirators. A member of the country’s Parliament, Mohammad Habash, made a speech advocating for constitutional reform that would enable presidential elections, while Tayeb Tizini, a well-known member of the opposition” demanded the “dismantling of the security state”. Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa conceded that “a great deal of mistakes had been made”.  
 
According to many, the most troubling aspects of the meeting included the absence of key members of Syria’s opposition and the wide divide it revealed between those who concede that the current system must undergo some level of reform – and those who demand nothing less than ouster of the president and a complete restructuring of Syria’s system of government. 
 
Syrian opposition
By all accounts, the Syrian political landscape – and those willing to express critical views of it – is changing. Following the meeting in late June at the Semiramis Hotel in Damascus, during which some 190 intellectuals and members of the opposition expressed harsh criticisms of the Syrian government, members of the opposition created the National Board of Coordination – which put forth a plan to reform the country’s current system. 
 
Tomorrow, Saturday July 16, the National Salvation Council is scheduled to be launched in the Damascus suburb of Qaboun. The Council, organized by Meshaal Tamo and Haitham al-Maleh, is expected to draw members of the Local Coordination Committees, who are considered key players in the country’s current protest movement – though they have remained both secretive and disconnected from public meetings. Local Coordination Committees are run by Syrian youths and as put by Tammo, “Opposition meetings must include the youths who are risking their lives in the street for freedom. They are the real power behind the uprising.” As the meeting remains unauthorized, whether or not it happens serves as another test of the country’s progression toward political openness.
 
To that end, while many in and outside of Syria have pelted such meetings and efforts with allegations of ties to the government, or otherwise limited prospects for legitimately shaping the country’s future, all such moves reflect a critical change in the country’s political landscape – a political opening not seen in Syria since the 1960s. As put by rights activist Mazen Darwish, “Until now independent politics has meant secret meetings and people whispering between themselves inside their homes. We wanted to push it into the public realm. We wanted to show that politics means discussion, and different opinions, not just the state telling people what they are allowed to think and say. It sounds simple but in Syria that is an amazing idea.”
 
Some argue that the political ideas formerly construed as radical by the government and much of the Syrian populace, are now becoming concepts thrown around in everyday conversation. How this shift will likely play out in the future, remains unclear. Many believe that sustained and critical political dialogue will eventually result in broad-scale change across the current political system. As put by one activist in an interview with Phil Sands, a Damascus-based journalist for The National, “The protesters have opened the door and we all have to make sure we go through and together keep it open. In the end we all know there will have to be a political settlement in Syria, and for that we need this kind of politics to be happening.”
 
International Crisis Group
On July 6, the International Crisis Group released a report, “Popular Protest in North Africa and the Middle East (VI): The Syrian People’s Slow-motion Revolution,” that puts forth a comprehensive assessment of the progression of the Syrian protest movement, and the underlying causes for the unrest. The report asserts that “Demonstrations have been growing in impressive fashion…regime support has been declining as the security services’ brutality has intensified, but many constituents still prefer the status quo to an uncertain and potentially chaotic future.” The report continues, “What is clear, however, is the degree to which a wide array of social groups, many once pillars of the regime, have turned against it and how relations between state and society have been forever altered.”
 
According to the report, the Syrian government initially misdiagnosed the nature and causes of the protests, responding as if “each and every disturbance was an isolated case requiring a pin-point reaction rather than part of a national crisis that would only deepen short of radical change.” 
 
Also detailed are the country’s long-standing economic woes, including the stagnation of salaries, harm to local manufactures of inexpensive imports, the short-term costs of economic liberalization amid widespread drought in the country’s farmlands, and sprawling city suburbs populated with growing numbers of rural migrants and members of the middle class unable to meet increasing expenses with unchanged salaries. 
 
While many believe that members of the country’s elite military forces continue to remain loyal to the current government, the report suggestions that such conceptions might be incorrect. The report is the first of two – the latter of which, will be released in the coming weeks and is set to cover the Syrian government’s response to the crisis. 
 
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced on July 8 that it has expanded its humanitarian aid operations in Syria, in accordance with the negotiations it held with the Syrian government two weeks prior which resulted in its being granted unlimited access to the country’s flash points. 
 
Human Rights Watch
On Saturday July 9, Human Rights Watch issued a report alleging that the testimony of defectors from the Syrian army indicates they were given orders to shoot to kill unarmed protestors. With the release of the report, Human Rights Watch issued the following statement: “The testimony of these defectors provides further evidence that the killing of protesters was no accident but a result of a deliberate policy by senior figures in Syria to use deadly force to disperse protesters. Syrian soldiers and officials should know that they too have not just a right but a duty to refuse such unlawful orders, and that those who deliberately kill or injure peaceful protesters will be subject to prosecution. 
 
The individuals interviewed by the organization, were interviewed in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. The interviewees allegedly participated in military crackdowns in Izraa, Baniyas, Homs, Aleppo, Damascus, Jisr al-Shughour, and Daraa. 
 
As stated by Human Rights Watch, “Under international standards such as the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable to protect life. The UN Code of Conduct for law enforcement officials says that they shall to the best of their capability prevent and rigorously oppose any violations of the law or Code of Conduct.”
 
International Politics & Diplomacy
 
American & French ambassadors’ trip to Hama 
Background
On Thursday July 7, US Ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford and his French counterpart Eric Chevallier, each visited the central city of Hama, in anticipation of a violent crackdown against its protestors – an estimated 300,000 of whom had come out to demonstrate the week before. International sources reported that the cities residents greeted the ambassadors with olive branches and roses. The visits were allegedly intended to enable the ambassadors to make contact with Syrian dissidents as well as to extend their support for the protest movement. Both ambassadors remained in the city until the following morning, before the start of Friday’s protests. 
 
According to foreign press, residents of the city largely welcomed the trip and encouraged other ambassadors to engage in similar visits to the country’s myriad flash points, but were equally adamant in expressing disinterest in any possible foreign intervention in the current situation. As one dissident in Hama, Omar al-Habbal, reportedly asserted,  “…we do not want international intervention of any sort, not military or financial. We can do this ourselves. We just want moral support. We know that we are likely to face claims of being foreign stooges, but we’re confident that most people now know that Syrian state media is full of lies.”
 
Syrian government outraged
In response to Ford’s visit, the Syrian foreign ministry reported that, “The presence of the US ambassador in Hama without previous permission is obvious proof of the implication of the United States in the ongoing events, and of their attempts to increase [tensions], which damage Syria’s security and stability. Syria warns against such irresponsible behaviour and stresses its determination to continue to take all measures that will bring back calm and stability to the country.” The government, however, made no comment on the French Ambassador’s trip to the city.
 
On Sunday, according to state media, the Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry summoned both the French and American Ambassadors to Syria to “inform them of its strong protest on their visits to Hama governorate without ministry permission” which according to the Ministry, “violated Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations” which entails noninterference in the domestic matters of the states in which such officials work. According to the Ministry, the ambassador’s visit to Hama “constitutes a flagrant interference in Syria’s internal affairs and this affirms the existence of foreign encouragement…that could undermine security and stability in the country.”
 
However, according the US State Department, Ambassador Ford was not summoned by the government, but instead was attending a prescheduled meeting with Foreign Minister Walid Moallem – during which time, Moallem reportedly also “filed an official complaint” with Ford in response to his trip to Hama. 
 
Washington’s response to tensions over Hama trip
In a press conference on Friday July 8 in Washington, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland responded to the Syrian government’s condemnation of Ambassador Ford’s trip to Hama by stating, “Frankly we’re a little bit dismayed” and noting that the notion that the Syrian government was unaware of plans for the trip “doesn’t make sense”. Nuland went on to state that Ford “witnessed average Syrians asking for change in their country,” and went on to add that the allegation by the Syrian government that Fords visit was a provocation was “absolute rubbish.” 
 
The same day, JJ Harder, US embassy spokesman said of Ford’s visit that he “certainly did not incite anyone to anything” and that the ambassador “met with average Syrian citizens and received a warm welcome. Some had been part of the marches in the Syrian streets over the past few months…[Ford] wanted to see with his own eyes what was happening on the ground… [because] the lack of uninhibited access for international media makes this even more important.” Harder alleged that the US embassy had informed the Syrian government of the intention of a US delegation to travel to Hama on Thursday and Friday. In addition to noting that “We wish the Syrian government would allow international media to have unfettered access so that they could report on this,” Harder also stated that Ambassador Ford saw “no evidence” of armed groups in Hama.
 
Debate over US motivations
US President Obama’s decision to install a US ambassador in Damascus last winter was poorly received by his republican opponents, who maintain that diplomatic relations with a foreign government with alleged ties to terrorist organizations, as well as a host of other politically inconvenient associations, essentially condones such practices. Since the onslaught of the crisis in Syria, members of the republican party have jumped on the opportunity to point out Obama’s perceived failings with regard to the Syria issue – noting that Ambassador Ford has largely been unable to meet with key Syrian leaders, elected to go on a controversial government-organized tour of the embattled north, and has seemingly little connection to the country’s opposition. Ambassador Ford’s decision to visit Hama in advance of Friday protests is thought by many to reflect his, and indeed Obama’s, growing political need to demonstrate the legitimacy of his posting. Unsurprisingly, his trip to Hama was widely lauded back in the United States and bolstered the case for maintaining his post in the US embassy. 
 
While he and his French counterpart were reportedly well-received in Hama – it remains to be seen if his trip benefited the Syrian opposition as much as it did his own career. To that end, many argue that the trip actually hurt the cause of Syrian opposition, by creating more ‘evidence’ for the Syrian government of foreign meddling in Syria’s domestic issues and allowing it to run wild with anti-American proclamations. Indeed, the headline news on SANA on Saturday July 9, read: “Official Source at the Foreign Ministry: Presence of the US Ambassador in Hama without Prior Permission of the Foreign Ministry is Clear Evidence of US Involvement in Syria Events.”
 
Hama trip – authorized or not?
Adding to the post-Hama trip firestorm, is the debate over whether or not Ford and Chevallier received authorization from the Syrian government in advance of their travels. While the Syrian government adamantly denounced the trip as occurring “without permission” – given the high level of security across the country, many find that allegation absurd. The ambassadors would have passed through a large number of security checkpoints and likewise would have needed to arrange a secure location to spend the night as the trip spanned 24 hours. If the Syrian government had indeed not authorized the trip, there were many opportunities for it to stop the ambassadors en route – and know in advance, of their travels.
 
Attacks on US and French Embassies 
Background
On Friday July 8 in response to Ford and Chevallier’s trip to Hama, the French consulate in Aleppo and the US embassy in Damascus, became the scenes of pro-government, anti-French/American demonstrations. The protest in front of the US embassy was permitted to carry on for a lengthy 31 hours, during which time demonstrators threw tomatoes and stones at the embassy as well as some members of its staff. 
 
On Monday July 11, both the US and French embassies were attacked by mobs of pro-government, anti-US/French demonstrators – this time resulting in considerable damage to both facilities. There were no fatalities during the attacks.
 
At the US embassy, demonstrators were able to climb the fence surrounding the embassy, scale its walls, remove the American flag and replace it with that of Syria’s. Graffiti was sprayed on the walls and windows were smashed, as were the facility’s security cameras. US Marine guards fired tear gas on the crowds as Syrian security forces watched.
 
At the French embassy, protestors attempted to break into the facility using a battering ram. The Ambassador’s car was destroyed, a number of windows were smashed, and three security guards were injured. The mobs were dispersed by warning shots fired by French security forces as Syrian security forces looked on. 
 
US responds to protests & attacks
In a move perhaps intended to up the appearance of his accessibility to Syrian opposition, US Ambassador Ford responded to the controversy over his trip to Hama and the subsequent protests in front of the US embassy, with a Facebook message posted on July 10 entitled , “A Note from Ambassador Ford.” The text of Ford’s note is below (to view it and read the comments below it – which also make for interesting reading –  see this link): 
 
“Outside the Embassy demonstrators complained about U.S. policy towards the Syrian government and my trip to Hama.
 
“As I have said before, we respect the right of all Syrians – and people in all countries – to express their opinions freely and in a climate of mutual respect. We wish the Syrian government would do the same – and stop beating and shooting peaceful demonstrators. I have not seen the police assault a “mnhebak” demonstration yet. I am glad – I want all Syrians to enjoy the right to demonstrate peacefully. On July 9 a “mnhebak” group threw rocks at our embassy, causing some damage. They resorted to violence, unlike the people in Hama, who have stayed peaceful. Go look at the Ba’ath or police headquarters in Hama – no damage that I saw.
 
“Other protesters threw eggs and tomatoes at our embassy. If they cared about their fellow Syrians the protesters would stop throwing this food at us and donate it to those Syrians who don’t have enough to eat. And how ironic that the Syrian Government lets an anti-U.S. demonstration proceed freely while their security thugs beat down olive branch-carrying peaceful protesters elsewhere.
 
“The people in Hama have been demonstrating peacefully for weeks. Yes, there is a general strike, but what caused it? The government security measures that killed protesters in Hama. In addition, the government began arresting people at night and without any kind of judicial warrant. Assad had promised in his last speech that there would be no more arrests without judicial process. Families in Hama told me of repeated cases where this was not the reality. And I saw no signs of armed gangs anywhere – not at any of the civilian street barricades we passed.
 
“Hama and the Syrian crisis is not about the U.S. at all. This is a crisis the Syrian people are in the process of solving. It is a crisis about dignity, human rights, and the rule of law. We regret the loss of life of all Syrians killed, civilians and security members both, and hope that the Syrian people will be able to find their way out of this crisis soon. Respect for basic human rights is a key element of the solution.”
 
Clinton firestorm: “President Assad is not indispensable”
Washington condemned the attacks and accused the Syrian government of responding slowly to the situation and neglecting to prevent an assault on the US embassy. The US also accused Damascus of initiating the attacks in an effort to draw international and local attention away from the country’s internal crisis. State Department spokeswoman Nuland termed the attackers “thugs” and called the events “absolutely outrageous”. 
 
In a highly controversial statement, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, responded to the attacks by noting that “President Assad is not indispensable, and we have absolutely nothing invested in him remaining in power…From our perspective, he has lost legitimacy.” 
 
Clinton’s remarks brought tensions between Washington and Damascus to a new height, as the Syrian government responded to her comments by indicating that they served as “additional evidence on the U.S. flagrant interference in the Syrian internal affairs“. The government also termed her comments as “a provocative action as to prolong internal aggravation and for purposes that don’t serve the interests of the Syrian people and their legitimate aspirations”.
 
US embassy ends visa services
In response to the July 11 attack, the US embassy in Damascus announced on Wednesday July 13 that it has canceled visa services until further notice, with the exception of those individuals who had visa interviews before July 12. 
 
Syrian ambassador to US summoned to US State Department 
The Syrian Ambassador to the US, Imad Moustapha, was also summed to meet with high officials in the US State Department on Friday July 8, following reports that staff of the Syrian embassy had been sent out to film US protests against the Syrian government, with the aim of using the footage to identify dissidents and go after members of the their family still in Syria.
 
In an official statement on Friday, a US State Department spokesman stated,”The United States government takes very seriously reports of any foreign government actions attempting to intimidate individuals in the United States who are exercising their lawful right to freedom of speech as protected by the U.S. Constitution. We are also investigating reports that the Syrian government has sought retribution against Syrian family members for the actions of their relatives in the United States exercising their lawful rights in this country and will respond accordingly.” 
 
Some reports suggested that the US might impose severe travel restrictions against the Ambassador Moustapha as well as against the Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Jaafri. The restrictions would limit their movements to within five miles of their respective embassies.
 
Ambassador Moustapha has been notably popular in Washington. Well-connected and well-received, he is known for his social skills and popularity – as well as for his blog, which covers modern art. As a result, the allegations against him come as a surprise to many. A number of reports hint at the possibility of political motivations on the part of the US republican party behind the storm of accusations against him. Nevertheless, the same reports present troubling evidence of the monitoring and subsequent intimidation and maltreatment of Syrian-American protestors and their families back home. 
 
European Union imposes further sanctions
On July 7, international media reported that during a meeting in Strasbourg, France on Thursday July 7, European Union lawmakers called upon EU member states to impose further sanctions against the Syrian government. Specifically, the EU lawmakers issued a statement indicating that, “The Council (of EU governments) should continue to extend targeted sanctions to all persons and entities linked to the (Syrian) regime with the view to weakening and isolating them, paving the way for democratic transition.” The EU officials also voiced approval of possible plans for EU assistance to Turkey and Lebanon in possible efforts to set up a humanitarian corridor to meet the needs of Syrian refugees escaping violence.
 
United Nations
On Tuesday, the UN Security Council condemned “in the strongest terms” the attacks again both the French and US embassies in Damascus. The following day, a number of European governments, including that of France, circulated a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting, urging the UN to take action in response to the crisis in Syria. China and Russia, long-standing opponents of any such resolution, blocked the move. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov explained his country’s decision, noting that diplomacy is about “political scores. Our goal is to solve problems, but just condemning people without any solution will not lead us to anything.” 
 
France’s Defense Minister, Gerard Longuet, responded on LCI news channel, with a statement that ran wild in international media: “It is indecent because Bashar al-Assad has mobilised incredible resources to neutralise his opposition…Countries … like China … and Russia must accept common rules — one does not deal with one’s opposition with cannon fire.”
 
Lebanon
On July 8, the Secretary General of the Association of Banks in Lebanon, Makram Sadar, issued a statement indicating the international reports alleging massive capital flight from Syria into Lebanon, are exaggerated and incorrect. Specifically, Sadar stated that, “Our deposit growth in the last five and a half months was $3.3 billion — less than our normal growth.” Responding to international reports that some $20 billion had recently made its way out of Syria and into Lebanon since the start of the protests in March, Sadar said, “An outflow of $20 billion out of $28 billion — you would see a quick breakdown of the system.”
 
On Tuesday July 12, Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri issued a statement indicating that his Future Movement sympathizes with the people of Syria. Hariri stated that, “We think that what is happening in parts of Syria is an injustice.’ In a remark directed toward President Assad Hariri stated, “No one is greater than his country. The Syrians are the foundations of the country so you should protect them.”
 
Further Reading
 
“Syria in the Shadow of Libyan Parallels” – Asia Times – An important read by Victor Kotsev. Kotsev cautions against comparing the situation in Syria to those of Libya and Egypt, noting that as the Syrian unrest progresses, the narratives used by international media become “clearer and neater” as “on the surface, the fault lines appear simple”. The dominant narrative, according to Kotsev is “Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is sticking to his guns even as the pressure on him escalates and his legitimacy seemingly declines.” However, as Kotsev and many analysts see it,  with a “fragmented and opaque opposition, a growing sense of fear, frustration and foreign meddling” and little reason to believe that “a democratic transition can happen quickly and following a revolutionary model…the Syrian social fabric is in danger, and the basic issues and internal divisions can shift quickly if they haven’t already started to do so.” Kotsev also highlights the manner in which the conflict in Syria “is increasingly taking on a life of its own, independent from its original causes and fault lines.” According to Kotsev, this reality is exacerbated by international meddling – including the “symbolic exchange of ultimatums between the Syrian government and Western powers” last week following Hillary Clinton’s remarks that President Assad “is not indispensable”, the specter of Turkish intervention, and Iranian efforts to ‘cut losses’ if the government shows signs of collapse. Kotsev makes a strong case for avoiding “simplistic narratives”. 
 
“Arab Silence at Syria Crackdown Speaks Volumes” & “Analysis – Saudi Policy on Yemen and Syria Seen Floundering” – Reuters – In the former, Tom Pfeiffer and Shaimaa Fayed argue that the collapse of the Syrian government as a consequence of the country’s revolution, would bring about the broader destabilization of the heart of the Middle East – and threaten the likes of Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, with enlivened civil unrest. The leaders of these same countries also fear that should they express support for the Syrian movement only to see the revolution crushed, relations with Damascus would be irreparably severed. Political leaders the world over, have struggled to adopt a firm line in response to the Syrian crisis, as no one is positioned to predict the outcome of the unrest. The latter is a related clip covering the motivations behind the Saudi response, or lack there of, to the current situation in Syria.
 
“Fearful Syrians Use Coded Language to Mask Protest Activities” – Los Angeles Times – Years of monitoring and censorship have taught many how to skirt the system. Now ever popular, are code words used in telephone conversations and daily life, which allow dissidents to communicate about their political activities and leanings. 
 
“Did Syria Doctor this Odd Photo of Assad?” – The Guardian – An arguably comical clip covering debate over an odd picture of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad swearing in the new governor of Hama. 
 
“Syria’s Best-Known Dissident Reflects On Uprising” – National Public Radio – An July 8 interview with Michel Kilo, one of Syria’s most well-known political dissidents, on NPR. During the interview, Kilo credits Syrian youths for their bravery in organizing protests saying, “What the youth have managed to do is really enormous. They have managed to form a popular revolution.” Comparing the country’s older dissidents with the new generation, he says of the youths, “They are better, much better. They have organized the street and they are fighting for the street.” An interesting and informed interview, Kilo also spoke of his decision not to participate in the government-led national dialogue.
 
“Syria: Did Man Film Himself Getting Shot by Sniper?” – Global Voices Online – An article detailing the debate over a video released two weeks ago, in which an individual thought to be filming a member of Syrian security forces shooting randomly at civilians, ends up filming his own death when the gunman turns the weapon on him. Initially, the video was widely thought to be legitimate. In the days following its release, however, a number of significant concerns about is authenticity came out – including in comments posted on YouTube, where it was first shared.
 
“Syria’s Assad & America’s Decaying Credibility” – The Huffington Post – Former US Ambassador to Morocco, Marc Ginsberg, puts forth a scathing assessment of the US’s response to the crackdown against protestors in Syria, and discusses the manner in which Syria is allegedly linked to the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Many will find it an inflammatory read. Nonetheless, it sheds light on the foreign policy leanings of a broad swath of American politicians and analysts. 
 
“Syria’s Secret War Against the Cyber Dissidents” – AFP – An interesting article detailing the manner in which pro-government forces are using the internet to target and attack members of the Syrian opposition. 
 
“The Hard Man of Damascus” – Foreign Policy – Gary Gambill evaluates the likelihood of President al-Assad’s acceptance of “a peaceful transition to democracy” and adopts a harsh line of criticism against foreign policy that encourages Syrian dissidents to engage in dialogue with Syria’s current government. According to Gambill, “there are no plausible circumstances under which a democratic transition would constitute a rational choice” for President Assad. Gambill discusses the issues that both enable and necessitate the country’s security structure, sectarian issues that perpetuate the desire to maintain the status quo, the possibilities of a negotiated agreement between the government and the opposition, and the troubles of a pacted transition. 
 
“West Needs to Treat Sanctions Against Syria with Caution” – The National – Despite its broad title, this article discusses only the implications of oil sanctions against Syria, arguing that if they are indeed imposed by the west, governments with troubling human rights records and minimal concerns for regulatory oversight, such as China, will problematically step in to fill the void – an arguably convenient assessment. 
 
Security
 
International Atomic Energy Agency
On Thursday July 14, the International Atomic Energy Agency brought Syria’s case of alleged covert atomic work before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). During the UNSC meeting, both Russia and China called into question the utility of pursuing the issue, as the alleged nuclear site was destroyed by an Israeli bombing in 2007. Chinese envoy Wang Min was reportedly displeased with the council’s discussion of the issue, stating that “We should not talk about something that does not exist. There are a lot of things that happened in the past — should we discuss all of them?“
 
Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Ja’afari, reportedly said after the meeting that it “didn’t come to any conclusion because the Security Council considers only matters related to threats to peace and security, not to prefabricated, unfounded accusations against a member state of the United Nations. The point is that there is no case for the Security Council to consider in its deliberations.”
 
Energy
 
Gulfsands Petroleum
On July 11, Gulfsands Petroleum  (LON:GPX) announced that two of its wells in Syria have discovered “high quality oil reservoirs“. The wells are situated in the Khurbet East (KHE-19st) and Yousefieh (Yous-7) fields. In a statement to the press that day, the company’s CEO, Ric Malcolm, said “We are pleased to have encountered high quality, oil bearing reservoirs in both the Yous-7 and KHE-19st wells and expect that these wells will soon add incremental volumes to the production capacity of the Khurbet East and Yousefieh fields.” The Yous-7 field’s gross production is over 1 million barrels, while the KHE-19st field is over 15 million barrels. According to the company, the projected combined production of both fields for 2011, is an estimated 24,000 barrels of oil per day. 
 
Tourism
 
Cruise lines abandon Syrian calls 
A number of foreign cruise lines with calls along Syria’s coastal towns of Tartous and Lattakia, have now abandoned the stops and replaced them with extended stays in the Red Sea and calls in Israel. The move comes in response to the worsening security situation in Syria. Voyages to Antiquity, Noble Caledonia, Compagnie du Ponant, and Regent Seven Seas are among the lines now using alternate routes. 

July 6, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

/in /by

Syria’s Protest Movement

After 300,000 protestors took to the streets of Hama in reportedly peaceful protest on Friday July 1, and thousands of others demonstrated in towns across the country, it seems the Syrian protest movement is now gaining critical mass. Nevertheless, while members of the opposition grow increasingly organized, the chasm between older dissidents and young protestors widens. The date set by President al-Assad for the start of the National Dialogue – July 10 – is rapidly approaching, yet many members of the opposition refuse to participate. The stalemate between the government and the protestors drags on, with the economy in tatters and growing concern that anticipated unrest during the upcoming month of Ramadan will bring the country to its knees.

Protest flash points
On Wednesday June 29, international reports emerged indicating that Syrian military forces had consolidated their hold on Rameh and numerous other villages in the northern province of Jabal al-Zawiya. Following a number of days of allegedly heavy shelling, activists reported that a total of 11 civilians had died. 
 
At the same time, reports suggested that security and military forces had almost entirely withdrawn from Hama – leaving the city in the hands of demonstrators – many of whom subsequently referred to it as “a liberated city”. Traffic police were even reportedly absent. Large rallies were held in the city center Wednesday night, with some demonstrators allegedly chanting, “Oh youth of Damascus, we’re Hama, and we’ve toppled the regime!” 
 
International reports also suggested that protestors, like their earlier counterparts in Egypt, had taken to cleaning the streets after rallies. Many also reported that even in the absence of traffic police, drivers were largely adhering to driving regulations. 
 
Military forces had also reportedly withdrawn from Abu Kamal, a city on the border with Iraq, as well as some Damascus suburbs. 
 
On Thursday June 30, competing rallies of anti- and pro-government protesters were held in the northern city of Aleppo. Some 1,000 opposition members reportedly gathered in two locations. International media suggests that they were assaulted by pro-government demonstrators. As Aleppo remains a stronghold of government supporters, any such dissent is particularly significant.
 
Protests on Friday reached staggering numbers, the largest so far since the start of the protest movement in March. Somewhere between 9 and 14 people were killed in Homs and the Damascus suburbs of Daraya and Qadam, with estimates still rising. The Syrian government attributes the killings to the work of “armed men“, while international media blame the deaths on Syrian security forces.
 
The biggest protests were held in Hama, the country’s fourth largest city, where an estimated 300,000 took to the streets. The crowds on Friday undoubtedly dwarfed all those that came before – in any location in the country. With such large numbers taking to the streets – in by all accounts a peaceful manner – it seems the Syrian protest movement is beginning to reach a critical mass. 
 
To that end, demonstrations were also held in countless cities and villages across the country, including in Aleppo which until very recent weeks, has been largely free from the unrest.
 
On Sunday, some international reports indicated that armored carriers and tanks had begun passing through Hama, while other suggested that they had stationed themselves along the city’s permitter, setting up checkpoints at city entrances. Activists reported that numerous arrests were made in Hama’s suburbs and that gunfire could be heard throughout the day. Electricity and communications were also reportedly cut in some portions of the city – a confounding turn of events, given the peaceful nature of the protests held only two days prior. 
 
International reportage on Sunday likewise indicated that security forces had conducted night raids of homes in Idleb and Homs the night before, with tanks allegedly deploying to the Homs village of Qusair.
 
On Monday, international media indicated that soldiers and tanks arrived in central Hama, conducting further house raids and massive security sweeps. Three people were reportedly killed, among them a 12-year-old boy. Some reports suggest that the city’s residents “fought back, trying to block arrests“. According to international reportage, a Syrian ex-Olympic boxer was among those critically wounded amid the day’s security sweeps. Nasser al-Shami, a bronze medalist in the heavyweight division of the 2004 Olympics, was hit by shotgun pellets. His condition has stabilized, however, he remains in the hospital. 
 
The following day, tanks were reportedly remained deployed around Hama, with security operations still underway. International reports indicate that 22 people were shot dead that day and that the city’s electricity and water supplies were largely still cut.
 
Of the sudden violence in Hama, SANA reports: “A group of saboteurs cut off roads, set up roadblocks and burned tires in several areas in the city of Hama on Tuesday, in addition to committing acts of vandalism and burning a bus. An official source at Hama said that law-enforcement forces intervened to restore security and stability to the areas where the events took place, and were attacked by armed groups who opened fire on them and used Molotov cocktails and nail bombs. In the ensuing confrontation, one law-enforcement officer was martyred and 13 were injured, while a number of armed men were injured and others were arrested. Earlier on Monday, these groups cut off roads, committed vandalism, burned tires and prevented people from going to work. The source pointed out that citizens asked law-enforcement sources to intervene and protect them from the armed groups terrorizing them.” Given recent weeks of peace in Hama, such allegations come as a disappointment to many.
 
In recent weeks, Syrian security and military forces had appeared to exercise comparative restraint in their response to demonstrators, perhaps in a move to get Syrian opposition to participate in the national dialogue advocated for by President Assad. However at present, it appears that approach might have come to an end.
 
The prevailing view is that the protestors and government remain locked in a bitter stalemate, with the government maintaining its popular hold on Damascus and Aleppo – the country’s two largest cities – and protestors growing in numbers and stretching thin both the manpower and resources of the security and military forces in much of the rest of the country. 
 
The government puts forth a different interpretation of the situation, however, stating that security and military forces are absent where demonstrations are peaceful. A preponderance of unconfirmed evidence, however, suggests that this is not always the case. There is also the debate over the catalyst of violence perpetrated by demonstrators – with some sides arguing that it is in response to government repression and aggression, and others including the government, stating that armed militants are initiating attacks against Syrian security forces. 
 
Syrian activists now put the death toll from the unrest at an estimated 1450, including 91 children, 41 women and a further 193 Syrian soldiers, who activists claim were killed following their refusal to open fire on unarmed protestors. Activists also maintain that those still detained for participating in or supporting the unrest, number somewhere between 5,000 and 16,000.
 
Civil disobedience, or lawlessness?
As summer progresses and the protest movement grows in numbers and scope, many argue that the country is slowly edging toward a state of lawlessness. While pro-government demonstrators have allegedly waged assaults on members of the opposition, crime is reportedly increasing – as is illegal construction. In some areas basic services, such as garbage collection, are reportedly on the decline. Streets in Damascus are now peppered with illegal vendors, who in the recent past, police never permitted to set up shop. At the same time, there are allegations that the government itself is using non-state actors to quell the unrest. There is disagreement regarding who should be blamed for such trends, with some pointing fingers at Syrian citizens themselves, and others attributing the decline in obedience to the law, to precendents set by the government. What is certain, is that such developments only exacerbate the country’s trend toward broad scale disorder. 
 
Syrian Opposition
On Thursday June 30, The Guardian published an English version of “A Roadmap for Syria: Enabling the Syrian Authority to Make a Secure and Peaceful Transition to Civil Democracy” – a draft document put forth by activists Louay Hussein and Maan Abdul Salam, on behalf of the National Action Committee. The following is an abbreviated version of calls for reform detailed within the document, for the full text see here.
 
“The security forces should work according to specific regulations: Act in accordance with the principle of defense, not attack, meaning they should remain on the street for the protection of vital installations and public and private property and the safety of people and their lives. … Security and military personnel in the street should be wearing official or regular uniform, with proper insignia displayed, as well as name, rank and unit.
 
“Adoption of a mechanism for organized demonstrations to be conducted after a notice submitted to the concerned government official at the governorate…
 
“No security or military personnel are to be permitted to humiliate, insult, abuse or beat any demonstrator for any reason, whatsoever.
 
“Issue a clear decision and firm decree from the President of the Republic not to harass or arrest any Syrian citizen because of his peaceful political opinions.
 
“To allow…intellectuals to meet in public and private places in an open way, and not secretly, after notification of a specific government authority.
 
“Lifting the dominance of security services on public information and activities of local and foreign media institutions. This should start by allowing Syrian journalists working in local, Arab and international media institutions to cover the current events…
 
“Providing a clear and frank apology and regret for what happened in the country, and the accountability of executive bodies and personalities who failed to accommodate the movement of legitimate protest, and even hard-line rhetoric in the street.
 
“Providing material and moral compensation to the families of the victims, injured and the wounded who were killed during recent events. This would include care for all those wounded and detained at protest events.
 
“The release of all detainees involved in protest events, without the need to refer them to a court, unless it is proven that they were complicit in the murder of any Syrian citizen whether civilian or military.”
 
The “Road Map” continues on with a detailed proposal for the country’s political transition – which notably allows for President Assad himself, to oversee the reforms. The overall authenticity of the document as representative of the interests and demands of those participating in the unrest, has been heavily questioned. As the document surfaced on June 27 amid a public opposition meeting held in Damascus and sanctioned by the government, many view it as an extension of government interests. To that end, the proposed reforms are clearly inconsistent with those called for on the streets.
 
Further, political opposition with notable links to the Syrian government, also held another public meeting in Damascus on Sunday July 3. Participants called for the protection of peaceful protestors and further media rights, among much else. 
 
Nevertheless, there is also no doubt that members of Syrian opposition are becoming increasingly organized and influential. Local Coordination Committees, the organizing groups generally run by Syrian youths, are decentralized and secretive – and quite successful at organizing unrest as a result. They are also, however, viewed as the ‘wild card’ of the Syrian revolutionary movement, as few know how to engage with them. 
 
Thus far, international media report that they have played a critically important role in bridging the sectarian and economic divides that could pit Syrian protestors against each other. At present, it is thought that some 100 to 200 Syrian youths are active members of these committees, 35 of whom have assumed leadership positions. These committee members are reportedly virtual organizers, using the internet to plan protests.
 
Where older Syrian dissidents – particularly those who live overseas – are generally thought to espouse only their own political views unrepresentative of broader dissident groups, these younger opposition members are thought to be more in tune with opposition movement’s wider demands. The growing strength of this youthful opposition movement, however, also suggests the possibility of a tense divide between the big names of an older dissident generation, and Syrian youths’ comparatively furtive opposition members. While the Syrian government seems to acknowledge the views of the former, it has yet to indicate awareness of the later – a reality that could spark tensions down the road. 
 
Government reforms, efforts to mitigate tensions
On Tuesday June 28, President Assad issued Legislative Decree No. 76 on “regulating the work of the General Housing Establishment to meet demographic needs of population, particularly social housing.”
 
On Saturday July 2, the President issued a decree discharging the Governor of Hama, Dr. Ahmad Khaled Abdul-Aziz. Abdul-Aziz is the third governor sacked by the President since the start of the unrest on March 15. Previously, he had sacked the governors of Daraa and Homs. Some accuse the President of seeking to identify scapegoats for the crisis. The move to sack Abdul-Aziz was surprising to some, as Abdul-Aziz was respected by residents of Hama for his efforts to avoid further violence. Many fear that with his removal, military and security forces in Hama will adopt a more intolerant stance toward those participating in the unrest. 
 
Amnesty International 
On Wednesday July 6, Amnesty International released a troubling report, “Crackdown in Syria: Terror in Tell Kalakh,” that interprets available evidence of the military operations in the formerly besieged border town, beginning on May 14, as indicative of crimes against humanity. The report contains alleged eye-witness accounts of arbitrary detention, torture and deaths whilst in police custody. Interviews were conducted with over 50 individuals from the border town. Amnesty International has reiterated its call on the UN Security Council to send the Syria case to the International Criminal Court.
 
Further Reading:
 
“The Squeeze on Assad” – The Economist – One of the most comprehensive and well-written articles on the Syrian revolution to-date. The author details the evolution of the Syrian protest movement, from scattered and brazen, to organized and empowered. Far from just a “peasant revolt,” in recent weeks university students, important religious clergy, and members of the middle class, have joined forces with the country’s protesting laborers, showing “unity of purpose”. According to the author, the government’s grip over the Syrian populace is slipping, a shift in power likely to speed up amid anticipated daily mass protests during Ramadan. While clashes are likely short-term – as the author sees it – “a violent meltdown is not inevitable” and “patience” on the part of the protestors who continue taking to the streets week after week, will be both a “weapon” and a “virtue”. A must-read for all concerned. 
 
“How the Syrian Regime is Ensuring its Demise” – The Washington Post – Authors Peter Harling and Robert Malley maintain the view that the use of violence against those participating in the unrest is a self-defeating move, as “the longer unrest endures, the less the regime will represent the promise of order” – a promise that until recent months, had fortified its popular legitimacy. As the authors see it, the “violence has not stemmed the rising tide of protests and, even to those who commit it, it has had neither a defensible purpose nor visible effect. Crackdowns on armed Islamist groups are a task security forces could carry out possibly forever. But being asked to treat fellow citizens as foreign enemies is altogether different and far more difficult to justify.”
 
“The Least Free Places on Earth, 2011” – Foreign Policy – This year, Syria takes a place alongside of Chad, Somalia, Belarus, China, Cote d’Ivoire and some fourteen other countries categorized as the 20 “least free places on earth” in a Freedom House report – “Worst of the Worst: The World’s Most Repressive Societies.” Foreign Policy ran a related “The Least Free Places on Earth, 2011” last week in which Syria was featured. 
 
“SYRIA: Cameraman Apparently Shot by Security Officer” – Los Angeles Times – A crushing bit of citizen journalism that ran rampant across international media – a young man reportedly films is own death when he is fatally shot whilst filming a member of the security forces. 
 
“All in for Freedom in Syria” – Los Angeles Times – An op-ed by a Syrian dissident, Nazir al-Abdo, whose brother was arrested whilst protesting and later turned up on state-run TV confessing that he had filmed the “crimes of armed gangs” while other protestors had “doctored the footage to make the protests look larger” and to “appear as if the security services and the army were responsible for killing civilians”.
 
“Syria’s Minorities Fear Sectarian Split Amid Protests” – NPR – Locals and internationals analysts alike, have differing views on the country’s prospects for full-on sectarian conflict. This NPR article and audio clip, captures the debate. 
 
“Fighting the Syrian Regime From a Chicago Office” – The New York Times – Syrian expats work from outside the country to fortify the efforts of the Syria’s protest movement. Yaser Tabbara is one such individual, a Chicago lawyer who grew up in Damascus, and who now spends much of his time aiding efforts to build the legal case for charging the Syrian government with crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. 
 
“The roadmap to Nowhere: How Assad is Trying to Steal the Syrian Revolution” – The Telegraph – Michael Weiss argues that the US administration and elements of the US domestic media – including Anthony Shadid of The New York Times – have bought into Syrian government “propaganda” attributing the revolution in Syria to “the handiwork of terrorists”. According to Weiss, such “propaganda…is easy enough when you’ve got an administration that wants you to remain in power.” More interestingly, however, Weiss puts forth the details of his skeptical interpretation of “A Roadmap for Syria: Enabling the Syrian Authority to Make a Secure and Peaceful Transition to Civil Democracy” – a document he views as a mere extension of government interests and hyperbole.  
 
Politics & Diplomacy
 
United States
Treasury Department sanctions
On Wednesday June 29, the US Treasury Department formally imposed sanctions against Syrian security forces and Iran’s national police, on charges of broad scale human rights abuses committed in Syria since mid-March. Specifically, Syria’s Political Security Directorate, the head of Syrian Air Force Intelligence, and the Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran – along with two of its key leaders were put under sanctions.
 
Of the sanctions, the Treasury’s acting under-secretary for terrorism, David Cohen said, “Today’s action builds on the administration’s efforts to pressure Assad and his regime to end the use of wanton violence and begin transitioning to a system that ensures the universal rights of the Syrian people. We are exposing further Iran’s provision of its military and security forces to support the Syrian government’s ongoing violence and repression of the Syrian people.” Nevertheless, few outside of the US believe that Iran has substantively meddled in the Syrian crisis – setting aside likely technical assistance such as web monitoring.
 
Controversial support for roadmap for reform
On Thursday June 30, international reports also leaked information suggesting that the US is pushing hard for members of the Syrian opposition to engage in dialogue with President Assad. According to the reports, the US endorses the “roadmap” for reforms put forth by members of ‘The National Action Committee‘. The document proposes for Assad to remain in power, but only amid a “secure and peaceful transition to civil democracy”. Washington adamantly denies allegations that it has endorsed the document. 
 
For its alleged support for the continued rule of Syria’s president in exchange for his implementation of certain reforms, the US administration has fallen under heavy criticism. In a recent article, “Syria: Realpoltik or Folly?” Elliott Abrams, a well-known conservative analyst for The Council on Foreign Relations, wrote “The Assad regime has adopted a diplomatic and propaganda plan so clear in its duplicity that I had assumed no one would fall for it.” He continued, “…the United States wants the regime to talk, not to fall.  In recent trips to the Middle East and in conversations with Arab democracy activists, I have often been asked why the United States is backing Bashar.  After months of denying it, I can only conclude they were right. …The American call for such “dialogue” is an act of realpolitik that abandons all claim to morality.” According to Abrams, such realpolitik, “must then be judged by its logic and its fruits” and in the case of US policy with Syria, “there are none, except for undermining the moral position of the United States.” 
 
In a press briefing on July 1, US Department of State spokesman Mark Toner made the following statements regarding allegations published in The Guardian of US support for the “roadmap” for reform: “We are, indeed, encouraging dialogue between the opposition and the government. This is something we’ve talked about. And we call on the Syrian Government to create that space, to create the right climate to make possible a dialogue in negotiation. That’s got to be the first step in any kind of reconciliation and transition process. But in terms of promoting one plan over any other plan, that’s just not true. We want to see, again, dialogue and a transition process, but we certainly don’t back any plan. This is something that’s in the hands of the Syrian people.” To read Toner’s extensive emarks on Syria in their entirety, see here.
 
Clinton: Syrian government running out of time
At a press conference in Lithuania on Friday July 1, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton indicated that the Syrian government is quickly running out of time to deal with the crisis, stating that, “It is absolutely clear that the Syrian government is running out of time. They are either going to allow a serious political process that will include peaceful protests to take place throughout Syria and engage in a productive dialogue with members of the opposition and civil society, or they’re going to continue to see increasingly organized resistance.” 
 
Ambassador Ford to maintain post
Early last week, US State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland ruled out the possibility of removing US Ambassador Ford from his post in Syria. Nuland asserted that, “Our review remains that Ambassador Ford is doing useful work in Damascus and in Syria, he continues to meet with a broad cross- section of Syrian opposition…He is now occasionally meeting with members of the government as appropriate. We did think that his trip up north, even though it was organized by the Syrian government, allowed him to convey our messages. So we still see his role there as useful and helpful to our ability to have a stronger understanding of what’s going on inside Syria.”
 
Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Meanwhile, US conservative backlash against Congressman Kucinich’s meeting with President Assad and subsequent statements to the press, also took hold of American domestic media mid-week, with a number of mainstream newspapers printing scathing criticisms of Kucinich’s willingness to meet with Assad and alleged comments to the press afterwards – the most inflammatory of which, was that “Assad is highly loved and appreciated by the Syrians“. The Washington Post, known for its conservative leanings and the editorial board’s overall opposition to US diplomatic engagement with Syria, posted a ferocious editorial on Kucinich’s meeting with President Assad and subsequent statements to the press under the title: “Rep. Kucinich Takes the Side of Syria’s Murderous Dictator“. 
 
In the op-ed, the Post’s editorial board stated that, Kucinich “traveled to Damascus over the weekend to huddle with Syria’s dictator, who is desperately seeking to avoid being isolated and labeled illegitimate by the outside world. Thanks to the slaughter by his security forces of at least 1,400 people — the vast majority of them unarmed civilians — Mr. Assad has few friends these days… But Mr. Assad still has a friend: Mr. Kucinich. The Cleveland lawmaker chose not just to meet with the ruler but also to hold a “press conference. ” Though he might not have heaped praise on Mr. Assad, Mr. Kucinich did endorse the regime’s latest propaganda strategy, which is to claim that it intends to engage opponents in a “dialogue” and then carry out reforms…In fact, the hundreds of thousands of Syrians who have risked their lives to take to the streets since March are not seeking reforms from Mr. Assad — they are demanding the end of his regime. The idea that, having slaughtered so many of his people, Mr. Assad would agree to a political transition that would allow Syrians to vote for or against his ruling party — which is dominated by a minority ethnic group — is absurd.”
 
In response to domestic criticisms, Kucinich published his own op-ed in The Huffington Post, “Efforts for Non-Violence Help Achieve Security Pull Back in Syria,” defending his trip and subsequent press statement and blaming “mistranslations” that “did not reflect my direct quotes” for the more controversial of his alleged assertions. 
 
Kucinich rationalized his trip by stating that, “How the U.S. and the international community, including the media, assess the crisis in Syria will affect whether Syria experiences a transformation to democracy, or whether it becomes the flash point for a new war in the Middle East.” On the violence, Kucinich went on to state that, “I don’t support the violence..and by direct appeal to President Assad and in supporting those who are seeking freedom and serious reforms, I am working to end the violence.” In so many words, Kucinich also assumed a degree of credit for President Assad’s move to remove the military from some cities in the days immediately following the meeting. 
 
He argued that the situation in Syria is complex and involves far more than “two players” – the opposition and the government. “President Assad has communicated directly to the opposition, and to me personally, that he is prepared to do that,” Kucinich stated. 
 
In direct response to The Washington Post Editorial Board, Kucinich said: “Unfortunately, through demonizing prose and a ‘with us or against us’ mindset, the Washington Post Editorial Board rejoins the march of folly that has in the past decade fueled a misguided approach to conflict resolution and democracy building that has left America with thousands of dead young soldiers, over a million dead civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan and the surrounding region, trillions of dollars of debt, and a new generation of terrorists.” For better or worse, by virtue of his approach to diplomatic engagement in international hot spots, Kucinich stands nearly alone in the US government.
 
Debate over UN resolution 
On Thursday June 30, the US and Europe railed on Syria at the United Nations, following weeks of failed efforts to get Russian approval for a UN resolution condemning the Syrian government for its violent management of the country’s unrest. The countries used the renewal of the UN’s mandate for an observer force in Syria’s Israeli-occupied Golan heights. The resolution renewing support for the four-decade-old force was unanimous. 
 
The US and Europe pushed to include new text in the resolution, in condemnation of the “human rights abuses” committed by the Syrian government against Syrian protestors. Both China and Russia threatened to veto the renewal, however, if such text was included. The final version of the resolution included the following text, expressing “grave concern at the serious events that occurred in UNDOF’s area of operations on 15 May and 5 June that put the long held ceasefire in jeopardy.” 
 
Israel military forces shot and killed numerous Palestinian protestors who gathered along the border on both May 15 (Nakba Day) and June 5 (Naksa Day). It is widely believed that Syrian authorities permitted the protestors to enter the area (which is normally off limits) in an effort to heat up the conflict, drawing international attention away from its domestic crisis, and threatening Israel with renewed conflict. The Syrian government, however, continues to deny such charges.
 
Europe
Following a meeting with his Russian counterpart on July 1, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe stated that “The UN Security Council cannot remain silent on the situation in Syria. It must demand the immediate stop of hostilities and the launch of effective reforms [in the country].” On Sunday July 3, a spokeswoman for Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Antie Baertschi, informed Swiss media that the Swiss government has frozen 27 million Swiss franks ($31.8 m USD) connected to high-level Syrian officials – including President Assad and 21 other figures.
 
Turkey
Reports continue to emerge of Turkish plans to set up a buffer zone inside of Syria, in the event of the significant deepening of Syria’s current unrest. In addition to worries of a massive outflow of Syrian refugees, Turkish officials fear that hard-line Syrian PKK members would take advantage of the crisis to make their way across the border – with the potential outcome of sparking violence within Turkish borders. A buffer zone within Syria would presumably limit the flow of Syrian refugees into Turkey, whilst reducing the likelihood of presumed terrorists slipping across the border. Turkey made a similar move in 1991 during the Gulf War, when it set up a buffer zone in Iraq to contain the resulting outflow of Kurdish refugees. 
 
Russia
On Friday July 1, Russian Foreign MInister Sergey Lavrov reiterated the Russian government’s position against a UN resolution on Syria and pushed for members of the Syrian opposition to engage in talks with the Syrian government. In a statement to the press, Lavrov asserted that “If the opposition is truly interested in reforms in the Syrian society and state, then it is simply unacceptable to skate out of such proposals [of holding dialogue].” 
 
Lebanon
An article in Foreign Policy published on June 30 by John Hannah, “Countering Syria’s Lebanese Power Play,” details the complex relationship Beirut and Damascus, most notably allegations of Damascus’s extensive meddling the recent formation of Lebanon’s new government in an effort to ensure its political backing of Damascus, amid Syria’s deepening international isolation. Though many would find Hannah’s underlying interests problematic, much of the article’s content is of interest. As Hannah put it: “Assad’s purpose seems clear enough: to put all Lebanon’s political, economic, and security institutions at his regime’s disposal, to help him manage the mounting pressures until his security services succeed in crushing the internal rebellion that threatens his rule — a goal shared, of course, by both Iran and Hezbollah, for whom the loss of their longtime Syrian ally would be a potentially devastating strategic setback.” 
 
Also detailed, are links between the Syrian government and the Lebanese banking sector, including allegations that Syria’s central bank recently initiated the process of opening an account with its counterpart in Lebanon, allowing government assets to be shifted to Lebanon. 
 
NATO
On Thursday June 30, international media reported that NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen indicated at a press conference in Vienna, that “We do not foresee any intervention in Syria. In Libya, we are working on the basis of a UN mandate with the support of countries in the region. The conditions on Syria are not similar.”

June 29, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

In a development hailed as a sign of change in Syria by some, and deemed a mere PR exercise of the Syrian government by others, Syrian opposition met for the first time in public in Damascus on Monday June 27. The same day, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad set July 10, 2011 as the start date for national dialogue, stating that participation would be open to all “national and political figures”. Simultaneously, however, violence continued across the country. Another 15 people died in unrest on June 24 as thousands continued to flow across the border into Turkey and Lebanon. Meanwhile, the diplomatic spotlight remains firmly on Turkey, with many continuing to view its response to the turmoil in Syria, as the ultimate indicator of its future role in the region.

Protest flash points 
The Syrian protest movement is narrowing in on the country’s capital, as with each passing week, more citizens take to the streets, increasingly aggravated by alleged perceptions of unchanged and in the case of economic and security conditions, worsening circumstances. State media report that people gathered to protest in the suburbs and cities of Qaboun, Midan, Qadam, Barzeh, Qatana, Al-Hahar al-Aswad, Hasakeh, Amouda, Qamishli, Ras al-Ein, Deir ez-Zor, Boukamal, Mayadin, Kouriyeh, Bennesh, Kafer Nebel, Saraqeb and Al-Raml al-Janoubi in Lattakia. Indeed for well over a month, Friday’s have seen the outbreak of protests in hundreds of cities and villages nationwide. 
 
According to international media, Hama, the country’s fourth largest city, erupted in demonstrations as tens of thousands came out – reportedly filling the city’s center. Syrians in the country’s north continued streaming across the border into Turkey, seeking refuge from ongoing violence in the areas near Jisr al-Shughour. The number of Syrian refugees in Turkey grew to 11,739. Over 1,500 fled across the border on Friday alone. Friday’s flight was reportedly instigated by the arrival of Syrian army forces in the border village of Khirbet al-Jouz. 
 
There were further protests in Aleppo and Homs, the latter of which has not seen calm on a Friday since March, as well as in Damascus’s suburbs. International reports suggest a total of 15 people died in the town of Kiswa not far out of Damascus, Barzeh another suburb of the capital, Homs, and Qusair. Local media report that gunmen shot and killed three civilians as well as seven members of the security forces. International media report that Syrian security forces opened fire on protestors.
 
There were further protests in the southern city of Daraa, the country’s first flash point. Protestors reportedly waved banners encouraging the residents of Damascus to take to the streets. Some banners read, “People of Damascus, Here in Daraa We Toppled the Regime.” The same international reports indicate that there were also protests in the country’s coastal cities, as well as in cities along Syria’s border with Iraq. 
 
On Saturday, international media reported that security forces conducted mass arrests across the country. Thousands also came out to participate in funerals for those killed amid protests on Friday. International reports indicated that three people were killed amid security sweeps while another two died while participating in funeral processions. 
 
Syrian refugees in Turkey, others along border
While some Syrians in Turkish refugee camps are reportedly beginning to trickle home – an estimated 375 did so on Sunday and Monday – the majority now numbering around 11,100, remain in the camps. International media report that camp conditions are decent, with cooked meals, electricity, potable water, prayer compounds and play areas for children.
 
Nevertheless, as Turkey recently decided to lift the media ban in and around some of the camps, refugee interviews with foreign journalists indicate widespread gratitude for Turkish efforts to meet refugee needs, combined with homesickness. Yet, as the security situation in the country’s north remains volatile, few are willing to return home. According to Turkish authorities, 51 Syrian refugees remain in Turkish hospitals, undergoing treatment for a host of severe injuries, including gunshot wounds.
 
At the same time, thousands of other Syrians continue to congregate on the Syrian side of the country’s border with Turkey. In Khirbet al-Jouz, a village on the border, hundreds of Syrians have taken refuge in makeshift camps. For reasons unclear to reporting sources, those in the village camps initially were not monitored by Syrian security or military forces. According to the same report, they set up a media centre from which to report on the situation and held protests.  The situation changed on Thursday June 23, however, when military forces reportedly returned to the area. Most in the camps fled across the border into Turkey. According to Red Crescent sources, some 17,000 Syrians in border villages in towns are waiting to cross into Turkey – it is unclear how such a figure was calculated. 
 
Media war
One of the most challenging aspects of understanding the full scope of the crisis in Syria, results from the inability of foreign – and indeed local – press to access and report on events as they unfold. The outcome of this has been something akin to a media war – where state-run media report one perspective on the crisis and Syrian activists report another. International media are left attempting to ‘choose’ between the two, invariably resulting in inaccurate reportage. Patrick Galey published an interesting article on this issue on June 27 in The Huffington Post.
 
At the same time, locals endeavor to become ‘citizen journalists’ whilst confronting widespread internet shut downs. Relatedly, a recent article by Michael Weiss, a reporter for The Telegraph, alleges that a leaked official document indicates the Syrian government ordered the internet cut in a number of locations on May 22. 
 
Syrian opposition
On Monday, Syrian dissidents met publicly for the first time in a Damascus hotel, to discuss the current situation in the country and methods of transitioning the political system to democracy. The gathering was enshrouded in controversy. While many hailed it as sign that things are changing in Syria – a matter of months ago it would have been impossible to imagine dissidents meeting in the open – others viewed the government’s willingness to let the meeting take place as a public relations stunt with little grounding in the actual interests of the country’s opposition. 
 
Other points of controversy included participants in the meeting; many of the country’s most influential opposition members were not in attendance, and debate over whether or not the opposition should engage in the national dialogue proposed by the Syrian government. All in all, 190 opposition members attended the meeting. Absent, however, were members of the Local Coordination Committees – the groups of youngsters across Syria who organize and report on demonstrations, as well as members of the Damascus Declaration Coalition – the country’s most vital opposition group. Members of the latter were firmly opposed to the meeting, stating that it should not be held as long as violence against protestors continues. 
 
Reportage on the outcome of the meeting was mixed, with many highlighting that it revealed notable divisions within the country’s opposition. Participants issued a statement indicating that they support the country’s protest movement, viewed themselves as independents with no political affiliations or desire to act as representatives of the broader opposition movement, rejected any foreign intervention in the situation and encouraged the government to grant international and local media, the right to cover the events. 
 
Government efforts to mitigate tensions, response to international pressures
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem stated at a press conference on Wednesday June 22 that the EU through its negative reaction to President al-Assad’s speech, has “a plot to foment sedition and chaos in Syria…I say to those officials to stop meddling in Syrian affairs.” Adopting a tone of defiance in the face of then forthcoming extended sanctions, Minister Moallem stated that, “We have faced pressures and sanctions by the USA and Europe since their war against Iraq and this is the reason behind the slowdown of the reforms in Syria…The European sanctions target the livelihood of the Syrian citizens and this is equal to war. And I will recommend my leadership to freeze our membership in the Union for the Mediterranean. We had already frozen our talks for EU Association. We will forget that Europe is on the map and move eastwards, southwards and in every direction which extends its hands to Syria. The world isn’t only Europe. We will forget all the attempts to isolate us and will overcome the crisis.” Minister Moallem also denied allegations of Iranian aid in efforts to quell the unrest, stating that “I categorically deny that there is any interference by Iran or Hezbollah Party with regard to what is happening in Syria.”
 
In response to the Monday June 27 meeting of Syrian opposition in Damascus, President al-Assad set a date for national dialogue with government opponents, which will now begin on July 10. The July 10 meeting is set to be “consultative” in nature, and “all national intellectual and political figures” will be invited to attend. Bills pertaining to “new political parties, elections, local administration and media” are on the agenda for discussion. The National Dialogue Commission charged with organizing and holding the talks, affirmed on Monday “that there are no alternatives to political discussion and allowing all Syrians to participate in building a democratic, plural society that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people.”
 
In an interview with CNN and Sky New networks on June 28, Syrian media advisor Bouthaina Shaaban stated that, “Conducting the national dialogue and accelerating it will be in the interest of Syria. It will lead to a process into democracy where all parties compete and all citizens participate in the political life… we aspire for a prosperous era in Syria.” Shaaban also asserted that the government does not take issue with peaceful protests and that all security operations have target armed militants. 
 
On Tuesday President Assad issued Legislative Decree No. 76 on “regulating the work of the General Housing Establishment to meet demographic needs of population, particularly social housing.”
 
Further reading:
 
“The Baby and the Baath Water” – Adam Curtis-The Medium and the Message – A blog post from June 16 well worth reading. Curtis argues that Syria reached a similar political juncture between 1947 and 1949, but then an “odd group of idealists and hard realists in the American government set out to intervene in Syria”. Their goal was to “liberate the Syrian people from a corrupt and autocratic elite”. Curtis details the history that followed, noting that at present, “there is a terrible naivety in the West’s view of the ongoing revolt in Syria. It forgets its own history and the role it played in helping create the present situation”.  An important and highly readable post. 
 
“My Syria, Awake Again After 40 Years” – The New York Times – A compelling op-ed by Syrian journalist, human rights activist and filmmaker, Mohammad Ali Atassi on the Syrian revolution.
 
“Profiles: Syrian opposition figures” – Al Jazeera – A backgrounder on certain members of Syrian opposition, including: Michel Kilo, Aref Dalila, Anwar al-Bunni, Loay Hussein, Fayez Sara, and Mazen Darwish. 
 
“Chaos Feared as Syria Crisis Nears Bloody Impasse” – Associated Press – Perspective on prospects for political reform and concerns of civil war as the country becomes a “political no-man’s-land”. According to the author, Tim Sullivan, the Syrian President relies on the support of a “small but growing Syrian middle class” and wealthy elites, members of which congregate in the cities of Damascus and Aleppo. Such individuals have yet to take to the streets out of belief that the current government maintains needed stability. Much of the rest of the country, however, does not share their views. 
 
“Need Overwhelms Makeshift Clinic in Syria Camp” – The New York Times – Resources are stretched thin in border villages as Syrian unwilling to leave the country to take refuge in neighboring Syria, amass along the border. Medical care is meager at best, as makeshift clinics are unable to meet pressing needs. 
 
“Syrian Civilian Killings Leading to ‘Civil War’” – Australian Broadcasting Corporation – An interview with Robert Fisk, Middle East correspondent for The Independent, on the country’s prospects for civil war, the likelihood of the current government prevailing over the protest movement, the presumed loyalty of the senior officer class of the military, allegations of torture, the role of family in the government, Asma al-Assad’s alleged flight to London, the reality of armed groups instigating some aspects of the violence and the prospects for foreign intervention – including Turkish military plans to create a buffer zone in Syria if the situation in the north further deteriorates. 
 
“The Horrible Video Al Jazeera’s Been Playing All Day Long” – The Atlantic Wire – An interesting window into the debate over the nature and implications of the Syrian opposition’s meeting in Damascus on June 27.
 
“Russia Refuses to Intervene in Syria” and “Turkey’s Test with Syria” – Al-Arabiya News – The latter is a well-written article by Abdülhamit Bilici detailing the challenge Turkey is currently facing with regard to its management of the Syrian crisis. The former is a good piece by Mary E. Stonaker attributing Russia’s unwillingness to back any UN resolution on Syria nor denounce the Syrian government’s management of the current crisis, to concerns about maintaining its strategic access to Syria’s warm water ports and protecting lucrative weapons contracts. 
 
“Cold Reality of Confrontation with the Neighbours” – The Financial Times – An excellent article by David Gardner detailing how Syria, Turkey’s biggest ‘foreign policy investment’, is now putting the very foundation of Turkish foreign policy to test. 
 
“Turkey-Syria-Iran Triangle is Being Redrawn” – Hurriyet Daily News – A good backgrounder on the regional sectarian dynamics that Turkey has endeavored to use to its strategic advantage. Revolutions across the Arab world have thrown the underlying principles of Turkish foreign policy into question and recent Turkish moves suggest it has abandoned its backing of the Syrian government, in exchange for strengthening its relations with the US.
 
Politics & Diplomacy
 
United States
Clinton sees possible escalation of violence
In response to the Syrian military’s move into the border town of Khirbet al-Jouz on June 24, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that, “If true, that aggressive action will only exacerbate the already unstable refugee situation in Syria. Unless the Syrian forces immediately end their attacks and their provocations that are not only now affecting their own citizens but (raising) the potential of border clashes, then we’re going to see an escalation of conflict in the area.”
 
Congressman Dennis Kucinich
On Monday June 27, President Assad met with British Conservative MP Brooks Newmark and US Congressman Dennis Kucinich. The motives behind Newmark’s visit remain unclear – his trip to Syria was without government backing. Kucinich, however, is known for his opposition to US military engagement in Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq. His trip to Syria was part of a “fact-finding” mission that included meetings in neighboring Lebanon. As Kucinich explained, “Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace is a conscious, active pursuit that requires work and communication. My work as a member of Congress requires that I learn firsthand about events in order to better understand policy alternatives for America and other nations.”  
 
After Kucinich met with President Assad, he held a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus, during which Syrian state-run media alleges he made the following statements:
 
“There are some who want to give a wrong picture about what is going on in Syria…President Bashar al-Assad cares so much about what is taking place in Syria, which is evident in his effort towards a new Syria and everybody who meets him can be certain of this. President al-Assad is highly loved and appreciated by the Syrians…
 
What I saw in Syria in terms of the open discussion for change demanded by the people and the desire for national dialogue is a very positive thing…Syria has gone through hard times…
 
However, I believe there is a very strong desire for unity and democratic change, and the difficulties Syria has faced over the past few months can be overcome. All whom I talked to during the last few days spoke about the importance of stopping violence. It is very important to stop violence, and this is a responsibility the government is aware of and deals with seriously.
 
…at the same time, people know that their legitimate aspirations can not be ignored…I came here to understand what these aspirations are and to convey this to the members of the U.S. Congress and the U.S. administration, as well as to the international community…Syria is an important country and what is going on in it and the repercussions will not only affect it, but rather the region and the world as well.” 
 
Debate over recalling Ambassador Ford
On Monday, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen issued a statement urging the US to recall its ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford. In her statement, the Republican representative stressed that Ford’s appointment constituted an “ill-advised overture” and that the Syrian government “has made it clear through its brutal actions and through the refusal of senior officials to meet with the ambassador that it is not interested in diplomacy.”
 
Continuing with criticisms that ran rampant last week, Ros-Lehtinen also said that Ford’s participation in a Syrian government led tour of Jisr al-Shughour last week, “compromised U.S. credibility with freedom and pro-democracy advocates within Syria at a critical time.” 
 
War path? 
The US’s militarized track record in Muslim countries has left many skeptical with regard to its intentions for Syria – regardless of all official claims that US politicians are accountable to a public that has now lost its appetite for anything other than ‘engagement’ in US domestic affairs. Over the last week, rumors emerged of US plans for expanded military engagement in Libya and a military intervention in Syria. The rumors, though dismissed by senior US officials, are nevertheless grounded in real developments. 
 
With regard to the Syria case, the USS Bataan, which carries vertical takeoff planes, helicopters, tanks and artillery and is capable of landing over 2,000 marines, anchored off the coast of Italy in May and later left for an undisclosed location along the Syrian coast. DEBKAfile, an independent site for news, published statements by unnamed US military sources, claiming that the Bataan had assumed its new position in order to engage in a possible US-Turkish mission to thwart violence against Syrian protestors, as well as to prepare for any related response from Hezbollah and Iran. Both Iran and Syria have made numerous statements attempting to deter any US intervention in Syria, a move that some feel, substantiates allegations of possible future US military engagement. There is, however, no official evidence in the public domain of such US intentions. 
 
Europe
Further EU Sanctions
On Friday June 24, the EU officially imposed further sanctions against Syria and those deemed to be assisting the Syrian government in the crackdown against those participating in unrest across the country. The official list of those sanctioned was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Friday and included three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard: Hossein Taeb, the Guard’s deputy commander, Brigadier Commander Mohammad Ali Jafari and Major-General Qasem Soleimani. Also sanctioned were four Syrian officials, a Syrian firm dealing in property, two Syrian enterprises accused of funding the government and an investment fund. A total of 11 new individuals and entities were placed under sanctions. For further details, see here. 
 
Robert Baer on EU sanctions, foreign meddling
In an interview with the EUobserver on June 22, former CIA officer Robert Baer, now an analyst of regional security matters, accused the UK of including Iranian officials on the list of those sanctioned in order to bring about its further isolation and deter it from moving forward with its nuclear program.
 
Baer maintains a view shared by many others, seeing the scope of Iranian involvement in Syria’s management of the unrest as small at most. As Baer asserted, “If Iran is involved in Syria, it’s at a minor level like blocking the internet. At the end of the day, it’s Syrian tanks, Syrian artillery which is slaughtering people … I just see a general desire to frame Iran because of the nuclear issue. This kind of thing makes it easier to impose more economic sanctions [on Iran] down the line.” 
 
Baer also accused Turkey of permitting the channeling of weapons into Syria, in a bid to weaken the current government and strengthen its own standing in the region. As Baer put it, “I’m still talking to my Syrian contacts and they are quite convinced that weapons are coming in [to the opposition] not just from the Sunnis in Lebanon and through Iraq but also from Turkey.” 
 
He continued, “When you talk to Syrian diplomats, they are relaxed. Life in Damascus is pretty normal. We [the EU] don’t really know what our objectives are, but if it’s regime change, it will take more than sanctions.”
 
On the issue of extremists in the country, Baer asserted that “We have reports that Wahhabists, who are not necessarily controlled by any state, are coming into Syria from Iraq and from Saudi Arabia to create chaos. Inside Syria, there are snipers shooting at demonstrators who are not controlled by Al-Assad but by the deep state, and other snipers who are shooting at both demonstrators and police. The EU has reacted like [former US president] Bush did in 2001 and 2003, in black and white terms, but life is more grey.” 
 
Turkey
On Thursday June 23, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu Syrian Foreign Minister Wallid Moallem met to discuss military movements in the Syria-Turkish border regions as well as Syrian refugees in Turkey. According to Prime Minister Moallem, the movement of Syrian forces in the area sought to “catch the terrorists” and carry out “military exercises.” 
 
Tensions between Turkey and Syria are unmistakably worsening. Further reportage from Sunday indicates that Nidal Kabalan, the Syrian Ambassador to Turkey, expressed frustration with Ankara over individuals in the refugee camps in Turkey who Syrian authorities claim to be members of armed gangs and terrorist groups. 
 
In a statement in a Turkish newspaper, Kabalan indicated that Damascus wants such individuals sent back to Syria. However, Turkey denies that any of the individuals seeking refuge in the camps are criminals. According to Damascus, the alleged terrorists are channeling weapons across the border into Syria, an accusation Damascus states is supported by videos, photographs and testimonies. However, neither Turkey nor much of the broader international community accept the validity of such assertions or the evidence Damascus has furnished in their support. 
 
The issue is a sensitive one, as tension between Syria and Turkey in the time Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, revolved primarily around Damascus’s refusal to turn over then PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who was living in Damascus. As Kabalan stated, “We have an anti-terrorism agreement that has been signed between Syria and Turkey. This agreement provides the transfer of terrorists and armed people from one country to another. We have handed dozens of outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party PKK terrorists in recent months and years as part of agreement. So if there are any members of armed members of the Muslim Brotherhood or any other terrorist organizations, we expect our Turkish friends to hand them to us.”
 
Ambassador Kabalan also expressed disappointment that a Syrian parliamentary delegation seeking to visit the refugee camps on Saturday to “deliver a message of solidarity,” were permitted entrance to Turkey but were not allowed to visit the camps – or get anywhere near them. In Kabalan’s own words, a “Kuwaiti delegation is allowed, Angelina Jolie is allowed to the camps. But Syrian MPs are not allowed. It was important because the MPs were with some local religious figures. They did not want to create tension. It’s double standard.” According to Kabalan, the delegation was refused access out of Turkish fears that it would raise “tension.” 
 
In the meantime, a number of reports have emerged, indicating the Turkish military’s intent to develop a buffer zone in Syria’s northern region, in an effort to curb massive refugee flows into the country, should the Syrian government collapse and/or sectarian strife take hold. Of related concern, is Turkey’s own struggle with its Kurdish population and ongoing fight against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Syria’s Kurdish population, thus far, has not taken to the streets en masse to participate in the anti-government protests. However, if the Syrian military and security forces employed harsh violence in the country’s Kurdish areas, that could trigger a massive outflow of Syrian Kurds into Turkey. There are also concerns that PKK members would seek safe haven in a suddenly destabilized Syria. Turkish concerns about Kurdish nationalism and related violence are key components of Turkey’s relationship with Syria – this has been the case since the 1980s. For more on Turkish relations with Syria, see here. 
 
Lebanon
On Thursday June 24, an estimated one thousand Syrian refugees reportedly fled into Lebanon, a number of whom were suffering from gunshot wounds. According to reporting sources, those who were taken to a Lebanese hospital with gunshot wounds, were soldiers who were shot upon after refusing to obey orders to shoot Syrian civilians. Most of the one thousand refugees took refuge in the northern Lebanese town of Wadi Khaled which is approximately 5 km from the Lebanon-Syria border.
 
Russia
On Tuesday June 28, Russian envoy to Africa, Mikhail Margelov, urged the Syrian government to bring and end to “all forms of violence”. In a statement to reporters in Moscow, Margelov said: “We want to see an end to all forms of violence. For us, the important thing is political dialogue.”
 
Margelov’s statement came following his meeting with a delegation of human rights activists from Syria. The meeting was held in Moscow after Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin indicated that the Syrian government must be encouraged to bring an end to its crackdown against protestors.
 
In a statement on June 21, Putin asserted that his country had no “special interests” in Syria. He went on to state that, “Certainly, it is necessary to pressure leadership of any country, where mass unrest and, all the more, bloodshed take place. It is necessary to demand from any country’s leadership to use those measures that would not lead to human deaths, and, vice versa, to demand the use of political instruments during solution of domestic issues.”
 
United Nations
On Wednesday June 22, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reiterated his request for Syria to permit UN humanitarian and fact-finding missions to carry out their work in Syria. 
 
The following day at a press conference in New York, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated that a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Syria, would be “very helpful”. Speaking about President Assad, Ki-Moon stated that “He has to respect the will and aspirations of his own people. He has to really take firm measures” to meet the demands for reform of Syria’s protestors. At present, the UN remains unable to secure such a resolution as China and Russia continue to head opposition against it. South Africa, India and Brazil have also stood in opposition to such a move.
 
The US is working to curtail UNSC opposition to the draft resolution on Syria first put forth by France, Germany, Britain and Portugal, by including relevant text in a proposal to renew the mandate of the UN’s peacekeeping operation in the Golan Heights. Specifically, the US wants to include text that expresses “concern over reported human rights abuses in Syria” and refers to a report by Ki-moon that indicates that “anti-government demonstrations have spread” to Syria’s border with Israel. On May 15 and June 5, Israeli’s forces used lethal force against demonstrators marking the anniversary of the 1967 Middle East War.
 
Energy
In July, Syrian state-owned oil company Sytrol intends to cut its daily Souedie crude exports from its Tartous port by 37 percent. The company will ship two shipments of 35,000 tons and four shipments of 80,000 metric tons in July, totaling 87,058 barrels a day – compared to 137,247 barrels a day in June.
 
On June 27, the German company Siemens AG added 350 megawatts of generating capacity to a power plant in Syria. No further details about the work were released.   

June 22, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

On Monday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made his third address to the nation since the start of the unrest on March 15. The President attributed the country’s unrest to conspirators and proclaimed the economic crisis as Syria’s most pressing problem. Protestors continued to take to the streets throughout the week, irregardless of reforms either implemented or forthcoming. An estimated 24 died in anti-government protests across the country on Friday June 17. At the same time, hundreds of thousands came out in Damascus and a number of locations across the country on Tuesday June 21, in a show of support for the government. As the crisis stretches into the summer, Syria’s frustrated populace is becoming increasingly polarized. 
 

Protest flash points
Friday ushered in more violence across Syria, as unrest flash points were met with heavy force on the part of Syria’s security forces. Activists put the death toll from the day’s turmoil at 24. Amateur videos leaked onto the internet suggest that security forces opened fire on children in Dael, a city in the country’s south. A 13-year-old boy was killed while another 16-year-old was critically wounded.
 
International reports also suggest that there was heavy gunfire amid protests in the central city of Homs. According to Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, the fatalities included five people in Homs, two in Deir ez-Zor in the country’s east, two in the Damascus suburb of Harasta and one in Douma – another of the capital’s suburbs, and two in Dael. International media also report that Aleppo, the country’s second largest city, saw the death of one protestor. Aside from sporadic university protests, Aleppo has been quiet as its wealthy and well-connected tradesmen and their families, have few incentives to take to the streets.
 
Foreign media also reported violence in the coastal city of Baniyas. Some sources report that an estimated 5,000 people took to the streets in Homs. Jableh in the west and Suweida in the south also saw protests, as did Lattakia, Qamishli, and Amuda in the north. The same reports allege that gunmen opened fire on a police station in Rukn al-Deen, a neighborhood in Damascus, killing a policeman. Another four were allegedly injured in the attack. Three other policemen were injured by gunfire in Qabboun, a neighborhood in Damascus. Local media report that a member of Homs security forces was killed in the unrest, while a number of officers were reportedly wounded in Deir ez-Zor.
 
Tanks and troops were reportedly deployed to Khan Sheikhun, a town in the country’s northwest. The army also allegedly waged an attack against Janudiyeh, a town only a few kilometers from Syria’s border with Turkey. 
 
Reports continued to emerge across international media on Saturday, suggesting that security forces in the country’s north were continuing to carry out widespread house raids and according to some, summary executions of alleged dissidents. Though the accusations are grave and manifold, international media cannot confirm their accuracy. At present, more than 10,000 Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring Turkey.
 
On Sunday, international reports indicated that Syrian military forces had spread out along the edge of the country’s border with Turkey in an effort to stem the tide of Syrian refugees flowing across the border. Some activists alleged that security forces were waging attacks against those found to be helping the refugees escape. Ammara Qurabi, a Syrian human rights activist, stated that “The Syrian army has spread around the border area to prevent frightened residents from fleeing across the border to Turkey. Militiamen close to the regime are attacking people in Bdama and the surrounding areas who are trying to deliver relief and food to thousands of refugees stuck along the border and trying to flee.” Reporting sources were unable to confirm such allegations, though they are consistent with a broad swath of international reportage. 
 
Reports also suggested that fields in the fertile north famous for its olive trees, apple orchards and wheat production, were set on fire – along with a number of bakeries in Bdama. At present, Bdama is among the principle suppliers of goods and food to those Syrians who have sought refugee on the Syrian side of the country’s border with Turkey.
 
The Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies and the International Federation for Human Rights both allege that over 130 people have been killed in the northern city of Jisr al-Shughour and its neighboring villages over the course of the last week, and that more than 2,000 others have been arrested.  
 
Turkey extends aid across border
Turkey initiated its first cross-border aid campaign on Sunday June 19 by distributing humanitarian supplies to Syrians seeking refuge on their country’s side of the border with Turkey. Thousands of Syrians have congregated inside Syria along the border, stretching limited resources in host communities thin.
 
Mass grave, surrounding controversy
On Monday June 20, Syrian authorities released reports indicating that a new mass grave containing the bodies of security forces and police, was discovered in Jisr al-Shughour. The contents of the grave were unearthed before an audience of 70 foreign and Arab diplomats, as well as some members of the media. A tour of the gravesite, as well as of the largely deserted city, was organized by the Political Administration and the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry. According to a forensic examiner hired by the sate, Zaher Hajjo, the bodies in the grave were mutilated. The owner of a nearby quarry interviewed by SANA, Jamal Sleiman, explained that on June 6, his youngest son was asked to dig a hole by individuals who arrived in “a number of cars”. Once Sleiman’s son had completed the digging, “they brought out of the cars more than 20 bodies and buried them in the hole”.
 
The delegation that inspected the grave included US Ambassador Robert Ford. Ambassador Ford’s participation in what some call “a sanitized trip” to the country’s troubled north, sparked much controversy in the US; joining a government organized visit to ‘view’ the area was perceived to lend credence to the Syrian government’s take on the nature of the situation.
 
On Tuesday, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland explained that the trip enabled Ambassador Ford to “see for himself the results of the Syrian government’s brutality“. However, no residents were in the town to speak of their experiences. At the same time, given the stringent banning of all foreign media and outsiders from entering such areas, it remains unclear how else Ambassador Ford could assess the situation. In Nuland’s words, “This is a government that has not allowed … any of the domestic press, any of the foreign press into its country…This is a government that has closed off the Internet and tried to keep its own people from speaking out. So to go north to bear witness, to see with our own eyes what the results of this awful encounter were, has been valuable for us.”
 
Ambassador Ford assumed his position in Damascus in January, marking a shift toward engagement in US diplomacy with Syria. Republicans in the US have eagerly derided all aspects of US President Obama’s approach to managing US-Syria relations, noting that no concrete gains have resulted from the Ambassador’s appointment and instead, such diplomatic engagement serves as tacit approval of the Syrian government’s foreign and domestic policy.  On Tuesday, Nuland defended Ambassador Ford’s appointment, explaining that “The fact that we have an ambassador there, the fact that we have somebody of such seniority, gives us the chance to make the point again and again…We stand with the side of those who want change in Syria.”
 
Syrian President’s national address
On Monday June 20 at Damascus University, President Bashar al-Assad made a long-awaited address to the nation – his third since the inception of unrest on March 15. The speech came two months after his last address to the Syrian public, during which time the country’s security and economic environment markedly declined. In his speech, which bordered on 11,000 words and ran 70 minutes, President Assad explained that he did not want his speech to function as a “platform for propaganda”. 
 
On the results of the recent unrest, the President stated that “What happened was an unprecedented ordeal that overshadowed our country and led to a situation of distress, confusion, and frustration. This was due to riots, the killing of innocents, terrorizing the population, and sabotaging both public and private property.”
 
The President attributed the turmoil to conspiracy, noting that “I do not think there is a stage in Syria’s history where it was not the target of some sort of conspiracy, both before and after independence…Conspiracies are like germs, after all, multiplying every moment everywhere.” 
 
President Assad also asserted that there are “three components” to the country’s current turmoil: “First are those who have demands or needs that they want the state to meet. I have previously spoken about rightful demands. This is one of the duties of the state towards its citizens; where it should work tirelessly in order to meet those demands to the best of its capacities….The second component consists of outlaws and wanted for various criminal cases who found in the state’s institutions an enemy and a target because they constitute an obstacle for their illegitimate interests and because they are sought by the state’s institutions… The third and more dangerous component, despite its small size, consists of those who have extremist and takfiri ideology. We have known and experienced this kind of ideology decades ago…and Syria was able to eliminate it thanks to the wisdom and intelligence of the Syrian people.”
 
President Assad addressed the issue of corruption, attributing it to “moral degradation, the spread of patronage and nepotism”. He called for the strengthening of institutions by “passing developed legislation and providing these institutions with officials capable of bearing responsibility” and noted that the Anti-Corruption Commission has been charged with identifying remedies for the problem.
 
The President also asserted that the National Dialogue Committee will “consult with different stakeholders in order to arrive at the best format which enables us to accomplish our reform project within a specific timeframe.” According to the President, in a matter of days the Committee will hold a consultative meeting with “more than a hundred personalities from different sections of the Syrian society” in order to set a foundation for ensuing dialogue. The Committee will draft a law that “will give the opportunity to citizens to elect the people who will represent them and represent their interests,” the President explained. He also noted that “we have started a large workshop in order to modernize the media, expand the scope of its freedom and strengthen its responsibility so they become a transparent medium of communication between citizens and the state.”
 
Addressing rampant criticisms of the rate at which reforms have been implemented, President Assad stated that “Some people believe that there is a certain degree of procrastination on the part of the state regarding political reform. In other words, they imply that the state is not serious about this reform. I want to stress that the reform process for us is a matter of complete and absolute conviction because it represents the interest of the country, and because it expresses the desire of the people, and no reasonable person can oppose the people or the interest of the country.” 
 
Finally, in acknowledgment of the severity of the country’s economic crisis, the President stated that “The most dangerous thing we will face is the weakness or the collapse of the Syrian economy. A large part of the problem is psychological; and we should not allow fear or frustration to defeat us. We should defeat the problem by returning to normal life.”
 
Many in and outside of Syria maintain that President Assad’s speech did not adequately address the most pressing demands of those pushing for reform. Indeed, after the speech, international media reported that protestors rushed out to the streets in Hama, Homs, Lattakia, Idleb and even Damascus, calling for the fall of the government.  Protestor banners reportedly read, “Bashar go away, the Syrian people want freedom,” “Homs pharmaceutical company presents, the best vomit-inducing medication: listening to Bashar’s speech,” “No to dialogue with murderers,” “We have one demand, that the regime is overthrown” and “God, Syria and freedom are all we need.” Such declarations stood in stark contrast to the only political slogan chanted in Syria for a decade prior: “God, Syria and Bashar – only.”  
 
Massive pro-government rallies, ensuing clashes
On Tuesday June 21, pro-government demonstrators came out in massive numbers in a number of locations in the country – Damascus, most notable among them. The day before, MTN and Syriatel, the country’s mobile networks, sent out text messages encouraging Syrians to join the rallies. Indeed in Damascus, hundreds of thousands came out and while many maintain that this was a consequence of government pressure, it is clear that the President maintains a broad base of support in the country’s capital and in this regard, many maintain the country is becoming increasingly polarized. 
 
International media reported that anti-government protests on the same day in Homs, resulted in the deaths of another four protestors. In Hama, a 13-year-old boy was allegedly shot and killed, while three others were killed in Deir ez-Zor’s eastern district of Mayadin. International reports allege that pro-government demonstrators clashed with anti-government protestors in a number of locations around the country. 
 
Government reforms, efforts to mitigate tensions
On Thursday June 16, Syrian business tycoon Rami Makhlouf, announced his intention to extricate himself from the world of business to instead focus on charitable work. Makhlouf, the owner of Syriatel, one of the country’s mobile networks and the richest man in the country, is loathed by many in Syria. Just weeks ago, Makhlouf was on the receiving end of US sanctions. Many speculate that he has become a government ‘scapegoat’.
 
On Monday June 20, Syrian Prime Minster Adel Safar issued a decision creating an administrative council for the National Observatory for Competitiveness. The Council is charged with “suggesting the policies and strategies needed to improve the business and investment environment” in the country.
 
Prime Minister Safar also established a Committee to Study Costs of Strategic Projects, charged with evaluating the costs of major infrastructure and development projects. The Minister’s decisions come at a time when the country is suffering from a severe economic crisis as a consequence of the recent turmoil.
 
The same day, the government announced that it would publish the report of the committee tasked with “classifying corruption crimes and mechanisms of combating corruption” on Al-Tasharukia website with the intent of allowing citizens to review the report and submit their comments and concerns.
 
On Tuesday June 21, President Assad issued Legislative Decree No. 72, which grants general amnesty for crimes committed before June 20, 2011. The amnesty applies to chronically ill prisoners in addition to those held for certain types of offenses committed before June 20 – smuggling and theft among them. However, the amnesty does not apply to those engaged in the recent protests, thus meaning it did little to assuage current tensions.
 
Amnesty International issued a statement on the President’s latest decree, stating that the amnesty “falls far short of the political reforms called for by protesters” and calling for the trial and or release of all those currently held without charge in Syria. 
 
Finally, the government also announced that it was posting a preliminary draft of the country’s proposed new political parties law on Al-Tasharukia website. The reported goal of the draft law is “for establishing a party away from any religious or tribal bases, gender or racial discrimination. The party formations, leadership and work should be according to a democratic basis, in addition to avoiding any public or secret, military or semi-military formations and not using violence or threatening of using it.”
 
International Committee of the Red Cross 
On June 20, Prime Minister Adel Safar and Foreign Minister Wallid Moallem met with Jakob Kellenberger, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to discuss the country’s current crisis. During the meeting, the officials promised Kellenberger that Syria would increase the ICRC’s access to the country’s troubled regions. 
 
Syrian opposition, formation of National Council
Syrian opposition also made a critical move on Sunday June 19, through the formation of a National Council comprised of dissidents both in and outside the country. The formation of the Council comes just a week after dissidents formed coordination committees in a number of Syria’s provinces. The formation of the Council calls into question the impact of any future reforms the government might choose to enact. 
 
Further reading
 
“Syria: ‘Now It’s Turned Out to Be a War’” – The New Yorker – One of the more interesting bits of journalism in recent days. Journalist Jonathan Stock snuck into Syria on a tourist visa and interviewed a number of people from Lattakia and Damascus. The content of the interviews covers allegations of outside interference and frustrated civilians with little to lose, taking up arms. 
 
“Syria Stalemate Heads into the Unknown” – The National – An article by Phil Sands, one of the few foreign journalists still permitted to work in Syria, on the stalemate between the government and the country’s opposition forces. 
 
“Complex Revolt Puts Syria at Crossroads” – Financial Times – The revolt in Syria is the most complex of those that have hit the Middle East in recent months. 
 
“Syria: Cracks in the Armor” – Time – The authors, Rania Abouzeid and Near Khirbet al-Jouz, interviewed a Syrian soldier who defected from the military. The soldier puts forth troubling account of his experiences in Daraa and later Jisr al-Shughour. 
 
“It’s Family Tradition: Brother, Cousins, In-laws Give Syrian Leader Many Hands in Crackdown” – The Washington Post – A look at the role of family in Syria’s current political and military dynamics. 
 
“Syrian Dissidents Unite to Oust Assad” – Reuters – An interesting perspective on the country’s dissident movement that discourages the West from even pushing for further reform in Syria and takes a critical stance on the international community’s collective decision to ‘turn its back on the Syrian people.’
 
“Syria Eyewitness: Damascus Divided on the Assad Regime” – BBC – Interviews suggest that the perspectives in Damascus on the current crisis in Syria are diverse and increasingly divided. 
 
“Syrian Representative Discusses Assad’s Speech” – NPR – An audio clip featuring Robert Siegel’s interview with President Bashar’s spokeswoman Bouthaina Shaaban.
 
“Two-Word Summaries of Bashar al-Assad’s Speech” and “Is Syria’s Assad Cracking?” – The Atlantic – The former offers up arguably comical interpretations of President al-Assad’s speech on June 20. The latter is a more serious take on the internal dynamics that likely motivated the President’s address. The author, Max Fisher, terms the speech a “desperate last-ditch effort to save an ailing regime” and details the country’s growing economic and security woes.
 
“Activists Using Video Bear Witness in Syria” – The New York Times – An account of how Syrian activists are using videos to document the country’s crisis. 
 
“Despite Cohesion, Syria Regime Could Fall” – AFP – A review of various analysts’ perspectives on the likelihood of the Syrian government’s collapse.
 
Politics & Diplomacy
 
United States
Condemnation of violence, possibility of war crimes
In a statement on Thursday June 16, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that the US condemned the Syrian government’s “outrageous use of violence” against Syrian citizens. Specifically, Nuland stated that “The international community has been shocked by the horrific reports of torture and arbitrary arrests, and widespread use of violence against peaceful protesters…The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the use of force by the Syrian government against peaceful demonstrators. This outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end now.”
 
On Sunday June 19, officials in the Obama Administration indicated that the US was considering whether charges of war crimes could be brought against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The officials indicated that the US government was looking into whether legal action could be brought against the President and or members of the Syrian government and military.
 
Public diplomacy
On Friday June 17, Clinton also released an op-ed, “There is No Going Back in Syria,” in Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. An exercise in heavy public diplomacy, Clinton used the op-ed to express the US’s support for the Syrian people and view that the situation in Syria has progressed far beyond the point of return to the status quo. In abbreviated form, the op-ed was as follows (for the full text, see here):
 
“As the violent crackdown in Syria continues, President Assad has shown that he is more interested in his own power than his people. … In his May 19 speech, President Obama echoed demonstrators’ basic and legitimate demands: the Assad government must stop shooting demonstrators, allow peaceful protest, release political prisoners, stop unjust arrests, give access to human rights monitors, and start an inclusive dialogue to advance a democratic transition. President Assad, he said, could either lead that transition or get out of the way.
 
It is increasingly clear that President Assad has made his choice. But while continued brutality may allow him to delay the change that is underway in Syria, it will not reverse it. …there should be no doubt about the nature of the protests in Syria. Like Tunisians, Egyptians, Libyans and others across the Middle East and North Africa, the Syrian people are demanding their long-denied universal rights and rejecting a government that rules through fear, squanders their talents through corruption, and denies them the dignity of having a voice in their own future. …
 
If President Assad believes that the protests are the work of foreign instigators – as his government has claimed – he is wrong. …President Assad is showing his true colors by embracing the repressive tactics of his ally Iran and putting Syria onto the path of a pariah state. … President Assad’s violent crackdown has shattered his claims to be a reformer. … If President Assad believes he can act with impunity because the international community hopes for his cooperation on other issues, he is wrong about this as well. He and his regime are certainly not indispensable. … 
 
There is no going back. Syria is headed toward a new political order — and the Syrian people should be the ones to shape it. … the United States chooses to stand with the Syrian people and their universal rights. We condemn the Assad regime’s disregard for the will of its citizens and Iran’s insidious interference. … The United States will continue coordinating closely with our partners in the region and around world to increase pressure on and further isolate the Assad regime.”
 
War path?
Meanwhile, as the US continues to put pressure on the Syrian government whilst endeavoring to persuade the Syrian and broader international public that it has the interest of the Syrian people at heart, many are concerned that it could be headed on a path to war with Syria. The “Obama Doctrine” put forth in President Obama’s March 29 address pertaining to his decision to engage in military action in Libya, can be understood from his statement: “For generations, the United States of America has played a unique role as an anchor of global security and advocate for human freedom. Mindful of the risks and costs of military action, we are naturally reluctant to use force to solve the world’s many challenges. But when our interests and values are at stake, we have a responsibility to act. That is what happened in Libya over the course of these last six weeks.” 
 
An arguably problematic doctrine that readily lends itself to the US military engaging in myriad conflict zones, a growing body of politicians and members of the US public are pushing for Obama to apply it to Syria. At the same time, many others are using the example of the US’s inconsistent response to the situation in Syria (as compared to that of Libya) to argue that it is time for a complete overhaul of US foreign policy – an overhaul that would take it in the direction of a retreat from its extensive engagement in trouble spots in Muslim countries. 
 
Europe
On Thursday June 16, the European Union announced that it was moving forward with its efforts to impose a third round of sanctions against Syria. Just days later on June 21, the EU diplomats indicated that the UN would proceed with imposing new sanctions against Syria. The new sanctions will be officially imposed on Friday June 24 and reportedly will be imposed against a number of Syrian officials and entities, including four firms linked to the military. 
 
The new sanctions are set to target another 12 European official and associated firms and entities. The EU has already imposed a travel ban and asset freeze against 23 Syrian figures, including the Syrian president himself. The EU also warned that it would seek even harsher measures if the violence in the country did not come to an end. 
 
On Saturday June 18, British citizens in Syria were advised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to leave Syria as soon as possible. Specifically, the advisory stated that: “We advise against all travel to the Syrian Arab Republic. British nationals in Syria should leave now by commercial means whilst these are still available. Those who choose to remain in Syria, or to visit against our advice should be aware that it is highly unlikely that the British Embassy would be able to provide a normal consular service in the event of a further breakdown in law and order and increased violent civil disorder.  Evacuation options would be limited because of likely communication and travel restrictions. This is because of continued violent disturbances in urban centres across the country, including the capital Damascus; military operations and clashes between protestors and security forces have resulted in a significant number of deaths.”
 
A number of European officials expressed disappointment in Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s speech on June 20. EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton was among them, noting that “President Assad has to launch a credible, genuine and inclusive dialogue, and it’s up to the people of Syria to judge the willingness to reform. But I have to say at first glance, the speech today was disappointing.”
 
Turkey
On Sunday June 19, reports emerged disclosing the content of a letter sent from Ankara to Damascus following the visit of Syrian special envoy, Hasan Turkmani, to Turkey last week. The letter to Damascus called for Maher al-Assad’s removal as the commander of Syria’s Fourth Division and Republican Guard. Mr. Assad is the widely feared brother of President Assad who has been blamed for much of the worst of the violent acts allegedly committed by military forces in Daraa, Homs, Baniyas and Idlib. The letter also urged Damascus to bring an end to the violence and announce a clear schedule for reform. 
 
According to Turkish media, the Turkish government is concerned that the Syrian military will wage an attack against those seeking safety along the border. Such a move would render it nearly impossible for Turkey to maintain a comparatively unobtrusive presence in the area. Turkish political and military officials have made a number of high-level appearances in the border region in recent days, suggesting that Turkey will not turn a blind a to further violence. 
 
For an interesting interpretation of Turkey’s foreign policy, particularly with regard to Syria, see here. The author, Bulent Kenes, maintains that as Ankara is unable to predict the outcome of the situation in Syria it oscillates between thinking that “Damascus is trying to gain time” and “Assad is sincere about his reform promises”. Ankara’s confusion is exacerbated by widespread belief that Iran is aiding the government in its current efforts to quell the unrest and an overall lack of clarity about the nature and intent of Syria’s opposition.
 
Finally, in response to President Assad’s speech on Monday, Turkish President Abdullah Gul stated that it was “not enough” and that the Syrian President should work to create a multi-party system in the country. 
 
Lebanon
Clashes on Friday June 17 between rival groups in the Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen neighborhoods of the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli resulted in fatalities. The clashes began following a rally in Nour Square in Tripoli. In a development that does not portend well for the containment of Syria’s unrest, the rally was staged in support of Syrian anti-government protestors. Bab al-Tebbaneh is a Sunni stronghold while Jabal Mohsen is populated by Alawites. Tensions between the two communities are long-running. The clashes between the two groups resulted in the deaths of between four and seven, including a soldier and a young boy. Street fighters reportedly used assault rifles and grenades to attack each other. Another 48 people were wounded. 
 
United Nations 
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also made a statement on Thursday June 16 urging the Syrian government to end the violence. Ki-moon called on President Assad to “stop killing people” and instead “engage in inclusive dialogue and to take bold measures before it’s too late.” 
 
Energy
 
On Monday June 20, INA – Industrija Nafte d.d. announced that it anticipates that its Hayan plant in Syria will hit maximum production in 2011. The plant produces liquefied petroleum and natural gas. According to INA’s interim Chief Executive Officer Zoltan Aldott, Syria’s current turmoil will not impact production.

June 16, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

/in /by

Syria’s Protest Movement

The death toll from the unrest in Syria now exceeds an estimated 1,400. Tensions across the country continue to mount as talk of sectarian strife and impending civil war increasingly dominate local and international commentary on the crisis. Growing numbers of Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring Turkey, with official Turkish estimates putting the figure at around 8,500. Many fear that tensions between Syria’s religious communities, which have lived in relative balance for decades, will seep into Turkey and Lebanon, thus catalyzing the large-scale destabilization of the surrounding region. 

 
Protest flash points
On Wednesday June 8 in Sha’alan, an upscale district of Damascus, protestors organized a demonstration – a rare occurrence in central Damascus. Though they were quickly dispersed, an estimated 300 demonstrators took to the streets. Hundreds of other protestors rallied in the town of Jeeza, after the body of another boy allegedly arrested at the same time as Hamza Ali al-Khatib, was returned to his family. His body showed signs of severe torture, though no such allegations can be confirmed. The boy, Thamer al-Sahri, is one of over 70 children who have reportedly died in Syria as a consequence of the country’s worsening tumult.  
 
June 10, termed “Friday of Tribes” by protestors, pushed the country even deeper into crisis. Protests were reportedly held in a staggering 138 cities and towns across the country, Izram, Daraa, Deir ez-Zor, Lattakia, and Homs among them. In Homs, tanks had been in position since June 8 as the city braced for more unrest. Live ammunition was allegedly used against protestors there on Friday.  
 
Some international reports suggest that Syrian security forces are becoming increasingly impudent. Video footage – all unconfirmed – of blindfolded protestors being beaten and stomped on in a number of locations has run rampant across international media – all painting a rapidly deteriorating picture of the country’s security environment. 
 
Two protestors were reportedly killed in the southern town of Bosra al-Harir. Another eight were allegedly wounded by live ammunition in Daraa.  In Jisr al-Shughour, military forces used helicopters and tanks to shoot at those allegedly participating in the unrest. Some estimate that over 25 were killed in the city that day, though no reports could be confirmed. According to a number of international reports, some 15,000 troops and 40 tanks have been deployed to the city and surrounding region. In total, over thirty people were reportedly killed across the country in Friday’s violence.  
 
Protests and violence continued on Saturday, with more Syrian refugees arriving in Turkey. Reports of the violence in Jisr al-Shughour as put forth by the refugees, suggested that military forces set fire to farmlands in the region, and though the government has amassed huge numbers of forces in and around the city, it had not yet waged a full-fledged assault.
 
The situation changed on Sunday, however, when according to international media, the Fourth Brigade was sent in to quell the unrest. The city was reportedly surrounded by tanks and helicopter gunships were used to confront armed locals who had allegedly formed ‘an alliance’ with the members of the military who had previously defected. It was and remains impossible for reporting sources to confirm these charges. 
 
By the end of the day Sunday, reports suggested that the situation in Jisr al-Shughour had returned to ‘calm’ with much of the city reportedly abandoned. At present, local media are also reporting that the violence in the city is over and that some residents who sought refugee in Turkey, have begun returning.
 
International reports on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, suggested that Syrian military had ‘fanned out’ across the country’s northern regions, employing a ‘scorched earth policy‘ to stifle any lingering unrest. 
 
A mass grave with the bodies of a number of uniformed members of security forces was also recovered in Jisr al-Shughour on Sunday, hinting at the severity of the previous days of turmoil. 
 
 
Allegations of defection
According to the Local Coordination Committee, the organization that documents the country’s unrest, 15 Syrian soldiers defected and joined the ranks of the protestors in Jisr al-Shughour on Saturday June 11. Accounts of defections in the military are rampant (this is one such example, here is another), though no reports suggest that those who have defected are large in numbers or high in rank.
 
A number of international reports likewise continue to allege that the over 120 military men reportedly killed in Jisr al-Shughour, were shot by security forces for refusing to follow orders to shoot on unarmed protestors. Such accusations, however, remain impossible to substantiate and the Syrian government adamantly rejects all such allegations.  
 
Syrian refugees in Turkey
Throughout the week, ongoing violence in Jisr al-Shughour and the specter of its marked increase prompted thousands of Syrians to continue fleeing across the country’s border with Turkey, while thousands of others congregated on the Syrian side of the border. On Thursday June 9, official Turkish estimates put the total number of Syrian refugees in Turkey at 2,700. However, by Saturday that number had climbed to 4,300 and at present, the number has risen to over 8,500 – more than half of whom, are reportedly children. The refugees allege that protests had initially been organized in Jisr al-Shughour to demand improved economic conditions.
 
On Wednesday June 15, Turkish aid workers focused on constructing new tent cities. Nearly all of the refugees are located in the border province of Hatay. Jisr al-Shughour is approximately 40 kilometers from Syria’s border with Turkey. In the tent cities on the Turkish side of the border, refugees are provided with food and children are offered mental health support. 
 
Sectarian concerns
As the situation across the country worsens, fears of sectarian strife and civil war continue to spread. While some maintain that such fears have been encouraged by the government and are not grounded in reality, a broad number of reports suggest that the concern is an increasingly relevant one.
 
The population of Jisr al-Shughour, for example, is predominantly Sunni and known for its conservatism and resentment of the government. In the 1980s, along with the central city of Hama, the area came under attack by the Syrian military as the government sought to rid it of its extremist elements. Its inhabitants took up arms, putting up a strong fight. Next door, lies a region of the country inhabited by a large portion of Syria’s Alawi people. Tensions between the communities are not new and many speculate that the severity of the crackdown against the population of Jisr al-Shughour has roots in sectarian tensions.
 
The international media, however, is also troublingly careless with such accusations, often for example, sloppily equating Alawites with the nefarious ‘Shabbiha’ or making sweeping generalizations about the ‘collective sentiments’ of the country’s various religious sects. 
 
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
On June 10, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) demanded “immediate access” to the areas of Syria fraught with violence. President of the ICRC, Jakob Kellenberger, stated that “Despite repeated requests to the Syrian authorities, we have not been granted meaningful access to those in need. We are determined to assist people who are having to cope with the violence.” Kellenberger went on to state that he was willing to go to Damascus to hold meetings with relevant authorities. The ICRC has been granted occasional access to the country’s flash points, however, according to Kellenberger, “they [the visits] were so short that we were not able to really know what was going on or the real magnitude of the problems.”
 
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged the Syrian government on June 10 to grant a UN fact-finding commission access to the country’s troubled regions and end the violence against those participating in the unrest. Pillay stated that, “In my view, this is nothing more than a government waging a war on its own people, people who are asking for fundamental human rights that are accepted in most democratic countries. They should be responding to those calls for ending corruption, a greater say in government and rights. Instead the government has unleashed a highly cruel and vicious violence against its people.” Pillay also asserted that the Syrian government is working to “bludgeon its population into submission” and urged the “government to halt this assault on its own people’s most fundamental human rights. We are receiving an increasing number of alarming reports pointing to the Syrian government’s continuing efforts to ruthlessly crush civilian protests.” Pillay is a former UN war crimes judge. 
 
Government reforms, efforts to mitigate tensions
On Monday June 13, SANA reported that the Syrian government had imposed a travel ban on Brig. Gen. Atef Najeeb. Najeeb had run the security department in the southern province of Daraa. According to Judge Mohammed Deeb al-Muqatran, Chairman of the Special Judicial Committee, “no one has immunity, whoever he is.” The travel ban is reportedly a “precautionary measure” to ensure that Najeeb is available for questioning. 
 
Further reading
 
“Translating Human Suffering” – The Huffington Post – arguably one of the saddest of recent articles covering the issues reportedly driving some Syrians out of the country and in this case, into Jordan. The author, Hani Hazaimeh, took a job with Human Rights Watch in the spring and soon found himself in Ramtha translating interviews with Syrian refugees who had fled the country’s violence. The author describes the content of the interviews as well as the difficulty of ‘passive listening’. 
 
“Patrick Seale: Journalist and Syria Expert” – DayPress News/Syria Today – an unusually balanced take on the situation in Syria.
 
“In Syria, We Need a Revolution in Our Heads” – The Guardian – an article by Imad al-Rasheed, placing part of the blame for the country’s current turmoil on Arab intellectuals, who Rasheed maintains have in some cases, put forth the intellectual discourse necessary to back the status quo. 
 
“The Syrian Conflict: Confusion Central” – Time – a telling and intermittently amusing article by Bruce Crumley, summarizing international confusion surrounding the events in Syria. 
 
“Inside Syria’s Slaughter: A Journalist Sneaks into Daraa, the ‘Ghetto of Death’” – Time/Le Monde – an article by a journalist who snuck into Syria on tourist visa. The reporter, Christian Clanet, interviewed a number of dissidents in Daraa, one of whom spoke on the topic of alleged defections within the Syrian army. 
 
“Syria’s Ruling Alawite Sect” – The New York Times – a backgrounder on the Alawi people covering components of recent and far history. In the last several paragraphs, the author highlights an issue raised in this 2006 blog post on Syria Comment: “What do Sunnis intend for Alawis following regime change?” 
 
“Syria is in Defining Moment for Arab World: Analysis by Paul J. Sullivan” – Al-Arabiya – Sullivan offers up a concise assessment of Syria’s relations with its neighbors and overall regional significance. 
 
“How Banned Foreign Journalists are Covering Syrian Refugees” – The Atlantic – a collection of video clips and commentary regarding Syrian refugees in Turkey. The first clip put forward by CNN’s Arwa Damon, “Dire Conditions for Syrian Refugees” arguably exemplifies the manner in which the international media, eager to report on the situation in Syria, often goes over the top in its efforts to ‘shed light’ on the crisis. 
 
“Analysis: Civil War Fears Grow in Syria” – Reuters – As weeks of unrest have stretched into progressively worsening months, the country is rife with talk of sectarian conflict and civil war.  
 
Politics & Diplomacy
United States
On Friday June 10, White House press secretary Jay Carney, made a statement indicating that Syria is on a “dangerous path” and that the US vehemently condemns the Syrian government’s “outrageous use of violence”. The following day, the White House released a statement accusing Syria of creating a “humanitarian crisis” through its management of the country’s unrest. The statement said, “The Syrian government’s offensive in northern Syria has created a humanitarian crisis. The United States calls upon the Syrian government to stop this violence, and to give the International Committee for the Red Cross immediate, unfettered access to this region. If Syria’s leaders fail to provide this access, they will once again be showing contempt for the dignity of the Syrian people.” 
 
Europe
On Sunday June 12, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague made a statement indicating that he was “deeply concerned by the very serious situation in Syria” and that violence in the country was “unacceptable and must stop“. Hague went on to say of the UK, that “We will continue to work with our international partners, including in the UN, to condemn the repression in Syria and call for the Syrian government to meet their people’s legitimate demands.”
 
In a statement to Sky News earlier on Sunday, Hague had noted that close ties between Syria and Lebanon rendered it impossible for the latter country to take a firm stance on the unrest. He also clarified that there was “no prospect” for the UN to authorize air raids in Syria. Finally, on the issue of the UN, Hague stated that, “I do believe it is time for the Security Council to make a clear statement of the kind that we’re advocating.”
 
Just two days earlier, France issued a travel warning for Syria indicating that French citizens without “imperative reasons” for remaining in the country, should leave. 
 
The Western world has struggled to respond to the situation in Syria as the unpopularity of its recent military actions in Libya, combined with economic constraints and fears of the complexity of the crisis in Syria producing ‘another Iraq’, leave it ill-positioned to adopt a firm line against the Syrian government. See the following for further commentary on the ‘declining power of the West‘, its growing interest in relying on Turkey to clean up the mess in Syria, and fears of the economic cost of yet another military campaign in the region.  
 
Turkey
As the situation in Syria continues to deteriorate, Turkey is left managing much of the fallout. Throughout the week, international reports suggested that the growing numbers of Syrian refugees in Turkey were prompting a spike in local religious and racial tensions. On Wednesday June 15, Samandag, a town in the Turkish province of Hatay, saw rallies by the local Alevi community. The Alevis have links to Syrian Alawites and those who protested were allegedly rallying against Turkey allowing predominately Sunni Syrian refugees into the country. The protestors shouted slogans in support of the Syrian President and expressed anger toward those in Syria who were participating in the unrest. The rallies prompted much concern that balance between Turkey’s own religious communities would be disrupted as a result of the tensions in Syria. According to international media, Syrian refugees in Hatay are not permitted to mix with locals and instead are kept within their own ‘tent cities’.
 
Over the weekend, Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party succeeded in winning a near 50 percent of the vote in parliamentary elections held on Sunday. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a highly successful politician who has succeeded in improving the country’s economic conditions, has been under considerable pressure from Turkish opposition to take a firmer stance in response to the situation in Syria. Last week, Erdogan accused the Syrian government of committing an “atrocity” against Syrian protestors. In the days that followed, however, his tone shifted quite markedly, as he urged President Bashar al-Assad to “refrain from violence and end the unrest“, noting that “it would be useful to draw up a timetable of reforms as soon as possible and urgently implement them.” He also reiterated that, “We will in no way close our doors to our Syrian brothers… but we wish that a [reform] process that would prevent a continued and growing wave of refugees is launched in the shortest possible time.” Many analysts, however, remain skeptical of Erdogan’s ability to influence decision-making in Damascus.
 
On Wednesday June 15, Erdogan was set to hold talks with special envoy of President Assad, Hassan Turkmani, in an attempt to ‘refresh’ pressures on Damascus to move forward with rapid and genuine reform. 
 
Arab League
On Tuesday June 14, international media reported that certain members of the Arab League had proposed suspending Syria’s right to participate in the League’s meetings, in protest against the recent violence in Syria. A number of other members, however, appear to be opposed to such measures. 
 
Security
International Atomic Energy Agency
On Friday June 9, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) voted to send Syria to the United Nations Security Council, in response to its alleged efforts to construct a nuclear weapon facility. The facility in question was destroyed during an Israeli air raid in 2007. The IAEA’s decision is considered a huge victory for the US, which has pushed for such a decision for a number of years. 
 
Border with Jordan
On Wednesday June 15, the Syrian government reopened its border with Jordan near the previously besieged southern city of Daraa. The border had been closed for more than two months. 
 
Energy
Last week, the government announced plans to solicit bids beginning next year for a number of solar and wind power projects. According to the Electricity Ministry, the country intends to spend 7.61 billion between 2011 and 2015 on new power generation and distribution facilities. Demand for electricity in Syria is growing annually by between five and seven percent thus meaning that the country needs to add an estimated 700 megawatts a year to its supply. 
 
On June 12, the government also announced plans to construct a 750 megawatt power plant in the coming two months in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor. The Electricity Ministry also intends to restore aging power networks and transformer stations in the region. 

June 8, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

/in /by

Syria’s Protest Movement

Protests across Syria on Friday June 3 were among the most violent thus far in the country’s near 12 weeks of revolutionary unrest. The death toll from Friday sits at over 80, with between 40 and 60 people killed in the central city of Hama alone. In a foreboding development, violence worsened in the days that followed, as the northern city of Jisr al-Shughour became the scene of an alleged massacre of police and military forces – with estimates suggesting that more than 120 were killed in the city on Monday. To date, over 1,300 Syrians have died in the country’s turmoil since March 15. Protracted conflict in Syria has undoubtedly begun and as grim videos and accounts of the last week of unrest seep across the internet and out into the international media, contradictory accounts of the nature – and perpetrators – of the violence only prompt more dismay, outrage and confusion across the country.

 
Protest flash points
On Thursday June 2, Homs and the nearby towns of Talbiseh, Rastan and Deir Maaleh, remained besieged by military forces. International media also reported further unrest in the province of Daraa. In Rastan, shelling allegedly damaged a number of mosques as well as a cemetery, the town bakery and numerous homes. International reports indicated that 23 people died. In total, over 70 people were reportedly killed in Rastan over the course of last week. The same reports also suggest further violence in Hirak, a town in the south, with another 13 reported dead and an estimated 50 arrested. In Da’al, a town not far from Hirak, military operations allegedly lead to the deaths of three people. 
 
On Friday, in advance of anticipated protests, internet services were cut across the country. Beginning at approximately 7am, an estimated two-thirds of all Syrian networks were unreachable. According the Renesys, in the course of only 30 minutes, routes to 40 of Syria’s 59 networks were removed from the global routing table – thus affecting SyriaTel’s 3G mobile data networks, as well a numerous of the country’s ISPs including iNet, RunNet and Sawa. Even Damascus’s city government page was down. There were only a few government-owned networks that ran, including that of the ministry of oil. To view Google’s transparency report for Syria’s internet activity, click here.
 
After prayers, thousands took to the streets, marking the start of one of the most violent days of the unrest thus far – with over 80 people reportedly killed. International reportage also strongly suggested that protestors came out in the largest numbers yet – with an alleged 50,000 taking to the streets in Hama and large rallies in Homs and Dael. The day was termed ‘Children’s Friday‘ in honor of the 72 children killed in the unrest since March. 
 
According to the same reports, security forces are alleged to have opened fire against the massive crowds in Hama, killing between 30 and 60. At the start of the rally, protestors allegedly burned the Baath Party headquarters. According to international reports, the exact catalyst for the shootings, is unclear. 
 
There were also reports of fatalities in Homs, Rastan (where seven reportedly died) and Damascus suburbs. Protestors across the country displayed pictures of the young boy Hamza Ali al-Khatib, who some allege, was tortured to death whilst in police custody in Daraa. 
 
In Daraa, hundreds reportedly took to the streets chanting, “No dialogue with killers!” Dael allegedly saw 5,000 protestors take to the streets. There were further demonstrations in Deir ez-Zor, Idlib, Madaya and Zabadani in the west, as well as the Damascus district of Barzeh, among numerous other locales. For video footage of the day’s rallies, see here. 
 
Local media reported that a total of four members of Syrian security and military forces were killed on Friday. The deaths occurred in Barzeh, Rastan and Talbiseh. The Syrian government continues to attribute the violence to armed groups and terrorists.
 
Some activists have emphasized the significance of protestors gathering in Hama, a former stronghold of the Muslim Brotherhood that in 1982, was effectively obliterated by Syrian military. They suggest that the massive numbers seen in Hama, are meant to signal the Muslim Brotherhood’s interest in upping the intensity of the unrest. At this point, however, all such reports are speculative. 
 
On Saturday, international reports indicate that thousands in Hama participated in funerals for those killed in Friday’s unrest. According to Rami Abdel-Rahman, president of the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, over 100,000 joined the funeral processions. International media also reported that tanks were sent to the southern entrance of Hama. 
 
Protests in the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour that day reportedly resulted in the deaths of another six people. Some reports suggest that the military used helicopters to shoot at the town’s protestors. 
 
On Sunday, violence continued in the governorate of Idlib with 28 killed Jisr al-Shughour and ten killed in the neighboring village of Khan Sheikhoun. International media reported that machine gun-mounted armored cars and helicopter gunships were used by the military in Jisr al-Shughour. State media report that four policemen were killed in the town and another twenty injured in violence on Sunday. According to local media, armed groups were responsible for the violence and “used various types of weapons in their attack, seized arms from the police stations and blew up the post building in the city”. 
 
Army forces in the coastal city of Baniyas as well as in Hama, also began pulling out of both cities on Sunday. According to international reports, thousands again came out in Hama to participate in further funeral processions for those killed on Friday. Across much of the city, stores were allegedly closed in a general strike. Hama is Syria’s fourth largest city, with a population of an estimated 800,000. On Sunday, a local doctor and activist reported that leaked information from the local governorate office indicated that 72 people were killed in the unrest in Hama on Friday, over 350 injured and another 90 missing. The reports could not be confirmed by the reporting media.
 
Rastan and Talbiseh also remained under siege on Sunday, with large numbers of alleged dissidents reportedly arrested on Saturday and Sunday. Deir ez-Zor allegedly saw its biggest protests yet, with some reports suggesting that 60,000 took to the streets to demonstrate. Protestors set fire to two Baath Party buildings and some residents reportedly picked up rifles to shoot back at security forces. Many were angry as a young 14-year-old boy, Moath al-Rakkad, was shot and killed during protests there on Friday. International media also alleged that protestors in Deir ez-Zor have been trying to topple a statue of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad for over a week while a number of other similar statues in the area have been destroyed.
 
Monday saw a significant worsening of violence, when local and international reports alleged that over 120 Syrian military forces were killed in an assault in Jisr al-Shughour.  According to state media, on Monday “armed groups barricading themselves in some areas” ambushed security and police forces en route to the city, killing 28 and injuring numerous others. The forces were apparently responding to “a call for help from civilians who were terrorized and fled their homes towards police and security stations.” Eight post office guards were also reportedly killed by “armed gangs using gas cylinder bombs” while another 37 officers were reportedly killed when a security post was attacked. State media reported that “the groups committed a real massacre…they mutilated some bodies and threw others in the Orontes River”. The armed groups allegedly used “medium-sized weapons, machine-guns, hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades”. In total, local media reported that over 120 members of Syria’s police and security forces were killed in the “intense clashes”. The government has since released graphic photographs of those security forces killed in the violence. 
 
Reportage on the events in Jisr al-Shughour exemplifies the difficulty associated with ascertaining the facts about the crisis in Syria. While state media reported the events as described above, international media reported that some residents of Jisr al-Shughour were fiercely denying the government’s reports. In a number of instances, BBC interviews with locals contradicted Syrian state media. One resident reported, “We don’t have any kind of weapons. The soldiers were coming our way, then they were shot in the back by some Syrian security elements. All the dead were shot in the back or in the back of their heads.” Of the events in Jisr al-Shughour, activist Wissam Tarif, director of rights group Insan, stated “There is no armed conflict. Those are peaceful protestors. The only armed part in this uprising is the state.” 
 
Yet, another resident of the besieged city stated that, “Some people in some areas have taken up arms. The situation is grave, what is happening is an armed rebellion. I oppose violence from whatever side it comes from.” In contrast, another activist reported that, “The security forces and Shabiha…are already storming houses and trying to steal things and to rape women. We know for sure that most of the people in the street believe in the peaceful protest. We are trying to get ourselves more into forming an entity that can defend the revolution.” And finally, in another account, a resident of the city said, “There are army soldiers who gave themselves up to the civilians and the army killed them. I swear to God, that we are civilians… there are no terrorists in Jisr al-Shughour. For the source of such accounts and more of them, see here. 
 
On Tuesday, Al Jazeera ran a report that called into question the government’s account of what happened in Jisr al-Shughour. The report featured a statement by a man who called himself Syrian Army First Lt. Abdul Razaq Tlass, who announced that he had defected from the military and was encouraging other men to do the same. Tlass claimed that “I joined the army to protect the people…and after what we saw in of crimes in Daraa and all of Daraa and all of Syria I am not able to stay in the Arab Syrian army.  I have witnessed the violations against the people of Daraa and the heroes and the rebels who were just protecting themselves and were fearing for their land and their children.” Some allege that members of the Syrian military might be defecting from the army and joining the protest movement. Such concerns are increasingly put forth by international media, accompanied by eyewitness accounts.
 
As more videos are leaked onto the internet, confusion over the nature of the violence across the country deepens. Some videos show men in military uniform planting ammunition on the bodies of men who died from severe gunshot wounds (example – warning, this is very graphic and disturbing –  this video from Daraa apparently filmed a number of weeks ago). Others show Syrian women and children in Jisr al-Shughour giving enraged accounts of military violence against unarmed protestors in the city. At the same time, others have posted videos allegedly indicating that Syrian security forces are being killed by armed gangs and terrorists (example – warning, this is graphic and also contains inappropriate language –  this video of dead security forces in Jisr al-Shughour being picked over by armed men). As long as international media (and often times, local media) are banned from accessing the country’s flash points, it will remain impossible to ascertain the truth. 
 
Meanwhile, in response to the massive reported fatalities among the country’s security forces, Interior Minister Major-General Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar stated the following, “In the past few days, Syria has witnessed armed and concentrated attacks targeting state institutions, public and private buildings, police stations and security centers in various areas. The latest of these attacks has taken place in Jisr al-Shughour, where armed terrorist groups burnt and demolished a number of institutions, using weapons, bullets and hand grenades in their attacks on the personnel; civilians and army members. Stemming from the state’s responsibility in protecting the lives of citizens; civilians and army members alike, and protecting state institutions owned by the people, we will react with strictness and power and according to law.” The Minister’s statement was interpreted by many as indicating that the government intends to react with grave force against any unrestful elements within the city. 
 
Unsurprisingly, international reports now indicate that the city of Jisr al-Shughour has effectively emptied out as residents flee what all anticipate will be further violence; dozens of tanks and thousands of members of the country’s elite military forces now reportedly surround the city. Hundreds of residents have also headed across the border into Turkey, prompting increased concerns about the country’s security crisis seeping into neighboring lands. 
 
Opposition outside Syria
On Friday June 3, the Conference for Change in Syria, organized by members of the country’s opposition and held in Antalya, Turkey, issued a lengthy declaration that included the following text:
 
“Today, Syria is witnessing the most difficult and painful days; however, it is also witnessing the birth of a new dawn of freedom quenched by the blood and sacrifice of the Syrian youth demonstrating peacefully in the ground. This puts the burden of urgent action on the shoulders of all Syrians, living all over the world, to work along side their brothers and sisters in and outside Syria to build a new future for their country. … participants agreed to the following:
 
1- Participants are committed to the demands of the Syrian people in calling on the Syrian president to step down, in demanding the toppling of the regime, and in supporting the great, peaceful revolution of the Syrian people towards freedom and dignity. 
 
2- Participants call on president Bashar al-Assad to resign immediately from all of his duties and positions and to hand over authority to his vice-president in accordance with constitutional procedures until the election of a transitional council which will draft and implement a new Syrian constitution that shall call for free and transparent parliamentary and presidential elections within a period not to exceed one year from the resignation of president Bashar al-Assad.
 
3- Participants assert their continuous support of the Syrian revolution until it achieves its objectives while emphasizing peace, patriotism, the unity of Syrian soil, the unequivocal rejection of foreign military intervention and national unity of Syrian revolution – one that does not represent any partisan direction nor does it target any particular group of Syrian society. 
 
4- Participants affirm that the Syrian people are of many ethnicities, Arab, Kurd, Caldean, Assyrian, Syriac, Turkmen, Chechen, Armenian and others. The conference establishes the legitimate and equal rights of all under a new Syrian constitution based on national unity, civil state and a pluralistic, parliamentary, and democratic regime.
 
5- Participants commit to exert all efforts towards achieving a democratic future of Syria which respects human rights and protects freedom for all Syrians, including the freedom of belief, expression and practice of religion, under a civil state based on the separation of legislative, judicial and executive powers, while adopting democracy and the ballot box as the sole medium of governance.
 
6- Participants are committed to the hard and serious missions of ensuring economic prosperity, scientific and cultural advancements under the umbrella of justice, peace and security.
 
7- Participants call on all Arabs, the Organisation of Islamic Conference, the Arab League and the International Community to take legal and ethical responsibility in order to stop the violation of human rights and crimes against humanity committed against unarmed civilians, and to support the ambition of the Syrian people of freedom and democracy.”
 
For the full statement, see here.
 
Michael Wiess recently ran a controversial ‘backgrounder’ on Syria’s opposition for Slate Magazine. Weiss’s piece sheds light on the views held by those who believe that there is little reason to fear the motives of Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood – and have faith in the motives of those organizing outside Syria. On the other hand, Fadwa al-Fatem offers up a different take on the opposition, placing more emphasis on the significance and legitimacy of those inside Syria who are taking to the streets and considering for the first time ever, the possibilities for their collective future. 
 
Lamia Shakkour

In a particularly bizarre and still unexplained development, reports emerged on Tuesday June 7 Syria’s Ambassador to France, Lamia Shakkour had allegedly resigned from her position in protest against the violent management of the country’s protest movement. The confusion began when a woman who identified herself as Shakkour announced her resignation from her post during a telephone interview with news channel France 24. The woman specifically cited her opposition to the Syrian government’s treatment of the protest movement, saying “I can no longer continue to support the cycle of extreme violence against unarmed civilians…I recognize the legitimacy of the people’s demands for more democracy and freedom.” According to the television station, it had called the same number it has used to talk to her a number of different occasions. Later, Reuters also indicated that it had received an email from the Syrian Embassy in Paris website that confirmed the resignation. 
 
However, Syrian news agencies immediately denied the resignation and on Wednesday, the Ambassador appeared on another French news station, BFM TV, to adamantly deny that she had resigned. Shakkour maintains that she was a victim of “identity fraud.” France 24 is now conducting an investigation into the incident. 

 
Amina Abdallah
On Monday, a Syrian-American blogger, who allegedly lives in Damascus and goes by the name of Amina Abdallah, was reportedly abducted by armed men in Damascus. Abdallah writes the well-known blog, A Gay Girl in Damascus. Within 24 hours of her disappearance, international reports emerged that called into question both her identity and the content of her blog. It seems according Andy Carvin, a senior strategist for National Public Radio (NPR – national radio in the US), that a number of people believe that Amina does not actually exist. Carvin followed related leads and discovered that no one had ever actually met Amina in person – their interactions with her were limited to email exchanges and Skype. Further research suggested that some of the content of her blog was fictitious. At this time, Carvin is exploring related leads. For his detailed take on the situation, see here.
 
Government reforms, efforts to mitigate tensions
On June 5, President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree granting temporary state employees who have been working for over two years (and in some cases, over four years), permanent employee status. The move is one of many by the government, to offer short-term fixes for the country’s growing economic crisis. Many are increasingly frustrated by all such efforts, however, noting that while reforms are pushed through, violence against those participating in the unrest continues. 
 
Further reading
 
“In Damascus, Uprising Against Regime Brings Fundamental Changes” – Los Angeles Times – the Syrian protest movement, for many, has unleashed a newfound sense of freedom. The article is based on an interview with an activist in the country’s capital. 
 
“Syrians Stare into the Abyss” – Maysaloon (blog) – a troubling post on the country’s prospects for avoiding further bloodshed. Maysaloon is a well-respected often political blog, written by a Syrian. 
 
“Syria: Inside Bashar Assad’s Dungeons” – TIME – Journalist Khaled Sid Mohan’s account of his time in prison in Damascus. 
 
“In Syria: ‘City of Ghost’ Waits for Government Forces to Attack” – NPR – an account by an activist in Jisr Al-Shughour of the situation in the besieged northern city. 
 
“What Diplomatic Options Still Exist for Syria?” – NPR – another bit from NPR, this time an audio segment exploring accusations of mutiny within the army in Jisr al-Shughour as well as the ongoing struggle among international powers to respond to the crisis.
 
“Syrian Violence Tests US: Effort to Court Assad Crumbles Amid Crackdown; Sen. Kerry’s Secret Mission” – Wall Street Journal – a good summary of Washington’s recent diplomatic engagements with Damascus. While US Senator John Kerry forged improved ties with President Assad, Syria’s alleged duplicity on the matter of Hezbollah and Hamas threw such gestures into question. Kerry’s frequent visits to Damascus were brought to an end in the winter of 2011 following Damascus’s failure to help stabilize Lebanon – and no one in Washington anticipated the arrival of the ‘Arab Spring’ in Syria. 
 
“In Syria, the Death of Tourism” – Washington Post – the latest in a long line of international reports on the impact of the unrest on Syria’s economy and tourism industry. 
 
“After Golan Clashes, is Israel Rethinking the Assad (or Palestine) File?” – Foreign Policy – an interesting assessment of how’s Israel’s perceptions of the crisis in Syria likely changed following Sunday’s violence at the Israel/Syria disengagement line. 
 
Politics & Diplomacy
 
United States 
In a press conference on June 7, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner made the following statements on the issue of US Ambassador Ford’s engagement with officials in Syria: “…he’s had requests in to meet with the Syrian government – I think I mentioned this last week – and those requests have been deferred, denied…But he continues to meet with a wide range of actors within Syria, and again, it helps provide us with a better picture of what’s going on there.” 
 
Regarding whether or not the Syrian government had granted the Ambassador access to Syrian officials, Toner conceded that the Ambassador has not been permitted to meet with them. Regarding President Assad, Toner said, “It’s pretty clear that while he’s talked a great game about reform from the time he came into power, he delivered very little, if nothing, and continues to do so, and meets the demands of legitimate protests or legitimate demands of these protests, rather, with a brutal crackdown and repression. We continue – our focus remains on garnering international pressure and bearing it down on his regime through sanctions and through other ways and means, and we’re looking at other ways and means to do so, to put pressure on him.”
 
Europe
Extreme violence in Syria over the course of the last six days has prompted both Britain and France to push harder for a UN resolution in condemnation of the violence. On Monday, the Foreign Minister of France Alain Juppe said that, “In Syria, the process of reform is dead, and we think that Bashar has lost his legitimacy to rule the country.” On the matter of passing a UN resolution on the violence, Juppe said that Russia “will veto any resolution … even if it’s a mild one.” He went on to state that, “We think it would be possible to get 11 votes in favor of the resolution…Maybe if [Russia] see[s] that there are 11 votes in favor … they will change their minds. It is a risk to take, and we are willing to take it.”
 
Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary William Hague  made a similar statement on Tuesday to the British parliament, indicating that “President Assad is losing legitimacy and should reform or step aside… We are working to persuade other countries that the Security Council has a responsibility to speak out”. He went on to explain that the draft UN resolution calls upon the government of Syria “to meet their people’s legitimate demands, release all prisoners of conscience, lift restrictions on the media and Internet and cooperate with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights”.
 
Turkey
The crisis in Syria has becoming an acute problem for Turkey. The violence in the northern city of Jisr al-Shughour has prompted hundreds of Syrian’s to flee across the border to Turkey. Meanwhile, many hundreds of others have congregated on the Syrian side of the border. In a statement on Wednesday June 8, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan pledged that Turkey will not “close its doors” to Syrian refugees. 
 
Meanwhile over the weekend, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said the following whilst meeting with Egyptian pro-democracy activists: “I would like to remind rulers in Muslim Arab countries of the necessity of being realistic, of perceiving the world better and of seeing that there is already no place for authoritarian regimes in the Islamic world.” He went on to state, “Everyone is aware that I am speaking about countries such as Syria and Libya.”
 
Russia
On June 2, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov advised against US and European efforts to encourage Syrian protestors, by suggesting the possibility of international military support for their efforts. Lavrov stated that, “It is not in the interests of anyone to send messages to the opposition in Syria or elsewhere that if you reject all reasonable offers we will come and help you as we did in Libya. It’s a very dangerous position. Lavrov went on to state that, “First of all, the situation doesn’t present a threat to international peace and security. Second, Syria is a very important country in the Middle East and destabilizing Syria would have repercussions far beyond its borders.” The cut lead to a worsening of both fear and anger across the country. At present, Russia remains the principle impediment to current international efforts to issue an UN resolution against the violence in Syria. 
 
Iran
On Tuesday June 7, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made a statement at a news conference in Tehran, condemning US efforts to meddle in Syria’s internal affairs. Mr. Ahmadinejad said, “I condemn the meddling of the US and its allies in Syrian affairs….Syria is on the front line of the resistance. I believe the nation and government of Syria are resolving their issues and there is no need for the meddling of others. Unfortunately some regional governments are (meddling) in line with America. I advise them against this. Because as soon as the US interests are achieved, America will go after them and will confront them. We stand by all the revolutionary nations and governments. We believe that the Syrians are themselves capable of managing their own affairs.”
 
United Nations
Vannina Maestracci, spokeswoman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, said of the Secretary General on Friday June 3, that he “is deeply troubled by the continued serious violations of human rights, including disturbing reports of the deaths of children under torture, live ammunition and shelling…violent repression by security and military forces must end immediately for a genuine and inclusive dialogue to take place and lead to the comprehensive reforms and change called for by the Syrian people.” 
 
Just the day before, two UN special advisers issued statements expressing concern about “systematic and deliberate attacks” by the government against civilians in Syria. Edward Luck, a UN special adviser on the ‘responsibility to protect’ and Francis Deng, a UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, said in a joint statement that they were “gravely concerned at the increasing loss of life in Syria [caused by] continued violent suppression of anti-government protests. We are particularly alarmed at the apparently systematic and deliberate attacks by police, military, and other security forces against unarmed civilians taking part in the last two months of protests.The deployment of armed forces and the use of live fire, tanks and artillery in response to peaceful protests, and the targeting of residential areas where protests have taken place, are unacceptable under any circumstance. In addition to the deaths of protestors, there have also been reports of mass arrests, arbitrary detentions, disappearances and other serious human rights violations in the towns where protests have taken place.” The joint statement called for “an independent, thorough, and objective investigation into all alleged violations of international human rights law.”
 
Security
 
Naksa Day 
June 5, Naksa Day (or ‘setback’ day) marks the anniversary of the 1967 Middle East War, during which in the course of just six days, Israel defeated the military forces of Jordan, Syria and Egypt and left more than 250,000 Palestinians and over 100,000 Syrians refugees. It captured the Gaza Strip from Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria and East Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan. 
 
On Sunday, hundreds of Palestinian refugees sought to breach the Israeli border of the Golan Heights, sparking Israeli troops to open fire on the demonstrators. Twenty-three people were subsequently killed with another 350 injured. International media ran wild with accusations against the Syrian government, as many analysts assert that it allowed the protestors to reach the border knowing full well that resulting violence would distract from the country’s current turmoil. 
 
On Monday, Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak, made a related statement asserting that, “We have no choice, we have to defend our border and Assad, in my opinion will fall in the end…I think he will fall, he’s lost his legitimacy, he may be able to stabilize for another six or nine months, he will be very weakened.” Specifically, on the violence at the Israel border of the Golan Heights Barak stated, “It may be something that the Syrians are encouraging, it may be that they are pleased with it, they may think it distracts attention.” 
 
On Tuesday, Syrian state media reported that more protestors intend to rally at the border, thus prompting a worsening of tensions between the two countries.
 
Energy
 
On June 1, Syria’s Public Establishment for Electricity Generation and Transmission opened up bids for the design and building of an outdoor substation in the coastal city of Lattakia. Bids will be accepted for the 18-month contract until August 2, 2011. In November of last year, the Syrian government passed a law allowing both private local and foreign investors to generate and distribute electricity across the country. The law, however, is still waiting on executive approval. According to the Syrian Ministry of Electricity, Syria’s power exports increased by 70 percent to 1.05 terawatt-hours in 2010. Domestic output increased by 7.2 percent to 46.4 terawatt-hours. 
 
The following day, Gulfsands Petroleum Plc (GPX) dropped more than it has in over two years following an announcement that it has suspended its work at an exploration site, Abu Ghazal-1, in Syria. No commercial quantities of oil were discovered at the site. The drop was its biggest since October 15, 2008.

June 1, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

The Syrian protest movement appears both resilient and increasingly skilled. Though its numbers are still dwarfed by those found in Egypt in Tunisia only months ago, it is nevertheless spreading to a growing number of locales across Syria. On the Friday May 27 alone, protestors gathered in 91 cities, towns and villages across the country. Syrian opposition outside of the country has also become more organized, holding a controversial organizational conference in Turkey this week amid mixed international and local reception. At the same time, two well-respected rights groups, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, issued troubling reports on the management of the unrest in Syria, while reports emerged on May 31, that protestors in Homs had taken up weapons to fight against Syrian security forces. Turkey, arguably the international community’s greatest hope for inspiring a reduction of tensions and violence in Syria, has failed in its efforts to bring Damascus in from the fray.

 
Protest flash points
Few if any days pass now, without demonstrations occurring in Syria. Though protestor numbers have yet to reach the critical mass necessary to pose the sort of threat to the government seen in Tunisia and Egypt, the locales in which demonstrations are held, are numerous and expanding. 
 
On May 27, termed ‘Homeland Protector Friday’ by activists seeking to earn sway and increased solidarity with the Syrian military, protests were held in a total of 91 locations across the country, including Deir ez-Zor in the east, Albu Kamal on the border with Iraq, Qatana, a town about 20 kilometers outside of Damascus, Zabadani near the border with Lebanon, Dael a town just outside of Dara, the coastal city of Baniyas, Aleppo, Qamishli and Idleb in the northwest, the central cities of Homs and Hama and the Damascus suburbs of Midan and Barzeh.
 
Initial reports by international media indicated that a total of eight people died when security forces used live ammunition against protestors in Homs, Dael, Deir ez-Zor, and Baniyas. That figure was raised to 12 the following day. In many areas, however, protestors were met with comparative restraint. Some unconfirmed international media reports suggest that about 2,000 people protested in Homs. In Dael, fatal shootings were reported before after-prayers protests began. 
 
In Albu Kamal near Iraq, protestors allegedly burned pictures of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Only a few days earlier, Nasrallah had made an address in Beirut calling for Syrians to stand by the Syrian government. Many Syrian activists were reportedly enraged by Nasrallah’s remarks. 
 
State news reported on the unrest, noting that dozens and in some places, hundreds held gatherings. Two Syrian security personnel were killed in Zabadani, while others were injured in Deir ez-Zor and Hasakeh. Local media report that 142 Syrian security and military personnel have died in the unrest since March 15. 
 
On Saturday May 28, funerals were held in a number of cities across the country for protestors killed in Friday’s rallies.There were also protests in some Damascus suburbs. International media also reported that protestors in the central towns of Talbiseh and Rastan, were fired upon by military forces. Thirteen people were injured when the military fired upon a school bus and another eight were reportedly killed. There were also reports of seven more deaths in Homs, including of a woman and child. No such reports, as put forth by the international media, could be confirmed. 
 
On Sunday, violence worsened in Talbiseh and Rastan. Armored vehicles and tanks were brought into both towns, with reports of power and telephone cuts in advance of their arrival. There were also reports of violent unrest in Deir ez-Zor early Sunday morning. 
 
The situation in Talbiseh and Rastan, as of June 1, continues. On Monday, more security forces entered Talbiseh in an effort to manage the unrest. Three civilians were reportedly killed that day, bringing the total killed in the outskirts of the city of Homs since May 29, to 14. Talbiseh and Rastan are 10 and 25 km north of Homs, respectively.
 
On Monday, there were also reports of mass arrests in the town of Kirak, situated in the southern plain of Hauran and about 20 km from Syria’s border with Jordan. Further violence in both Rastan and Kirak reportedly resulted in another five deaths on Tuesday.
 
Importantly, on Monday international media reported for the first time that protestors in Homs had taken up arms, including automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, to wage an assault on Syrian military forces. Beginning in early May, international and local media reported a spike in black-market weapons sales in Lebanon to Syrian buyers. Some media reported accusations of protestors taking up arms in Tal Kalakh, a previously besieged town near to the country’s border with Lebanon. But all international media maintained that they were unable to confirm any such accounts, thus leading many to dismiss them. At the same time, foreign and local media outlets have consistently reported high fatality rates among Syria’s security and police forces since the start of the unrest in March. Even after the Associated Press published accounts of protestors wielding arms in Homs on Monday May 30, most international media continued to focus on the violence against those engaged in unarmed rallying. Such vast inconsistencies in reportage, reflect not only the complexity of the crisis in Syria, but also likely biases among all media outlets that simultaneously have no ability to access the country’s flashpoints. 
 
Evolving protest tactics, organization 
Syrian protestors seem a resilient bunch, with ever-evolving tactics for taking to the streets. Evening protests have become commonplace, with activists claiming that such an approach wears down tired security forces, better protects the identities of participants and allows people who would otherwise be at work or school, to join. The tactic of gathering in the evening is termed tayyara, or ‘flying’. At the same time, activists are showing greater skill at filming and documenting their activities. According to reports put forth by international media, protestors have plans to reveal more tactics in the coming weeks and indeed have become more organized and cooperative in their efforts.
 
Opposition outside Syria
While protestors inside the country seem to be becoming increasingly organized, so too are members of Syrian opposition outside the country. On Wednesday June 1, Syrian opposition held an organizational conference in Antalya, Turkey. Their intent was reportedly to develop a ‘roadmap for a peaceful transition‘ of the government. More than 300 participated – including Syrians from a wide range of economic, political and religious backgrounds. The meeting, titled “Conference for Change in Syria,” began with the singing of the Syrian national anthem. In a particularly controversial development, members of Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood also joined, though none expressed interest in wielding strong political influence. Participants are expected to issue a statement on Friday June 3. 
 
In response to the meeting, local media ran a story indicating that young Syrians are deeply suspicious of those at the conference, and “could recognize the magnitude of conspiracy against Syria and the Syrian people.” Many activists within Syria have expressed concerns about the motivations of Syrian expats pushing for political change in the country. Such tensions undoubtedly result in part from the experience of neighboring post-war Iraq, a country whose political landscape in the post-war power vacuum, was largely hijacked by a combination of foreign and troubled expat interests. 
 
Government reforms, efforts to mitigate tensions 
Last week, Prime Minister Adel Safar chaired a cabinet meeting that formed committees for media development and law as well as economic reform. Regarding the latter, the new committee has two months to develop a draft proposal for the country’s new economic policy. Many economic experts are concerned that the country’s volatile security environment, combined with political challenges brought about by the recent unrest, will compel the government to rescind its recent policy of economic and trade liberalization. For more, see here.
 
Regarding the committee responsible for developing new media laws, the committee will consider previous draft laws and consult with the UNDP, which has agreed to provide logistical and technical support. 
 
On Wednesday June 1, President Assad issued a decree to create an ad hoc committee charged with initiating national dialogue. The committee must establish both the dialogue’s structure and timeline. Officials on the committee include Mr. Farouk al-Shara, Dr. Safwan Qudsi, Dr. Haitham Sataihi, Dr. Yaser Houriea, Mr. Hanin Nimr, Mr. Abdullah al-Khani, Mr. Waild Ekhlasi, Dr. Muneer al-Himish and Dr. Ibrahim Daraji. Of the committee, President Assad said, “The national dialogue Committee has to formulate the general bases for the intended dialogue to provide a proper environment for all national trends to express their ideas, present their suggestions and notions regarding the social, economic and political life future in Syria in order to achieve wide changes that contribute to expanding participation, particularly in regards to the laws of parties, elections and the media law.” For more, see here.
 
The government also reportedly released 500 prisoners on June 1. The release came just one day after President Assad granted general amnesty for crimes committed before May 31, 2011. All members of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as detainees who belong to political movements were included in the amnesty. International reports, however, suggest that protestors are not satisfied with the measures, which exclude most political prisoners – one activist is reported saying, “I think Assad is the one who needs amnesty now, not the Syrian people.” Some estimate that over 8,000 people have been detained across the country since the start of the unrest in March. 
 
Finally, as local journalist Phils Sands reports, illegal construction has been booming in Damascus in recent weeks, as government officials are either too bogged down in the unrest to tackle it, or perhaps have turned a blind eye to it for now, not wanting to spark further tensions. According to Sands, the majority of the building is occurring in working class and poorer neighborhoods. 
 
One builder noted that, “The police come around and take photos of the work and they tell us they’ll demolish it in a few months. We just joke with them and say, ‘Only if you’re still running the neighborhood by then’. We don’t even bother paying them a bribe anymore.” 
 
Another person was quoted as saying, “I’m happy to see every new building and every new floor. It’s a sign that normal Syrians are taking their rights.” Problematically, most new buildings are not properly linked to electric, plumbing and water grids. This new and growing form of civil disobedience is also accompanied by increased disregard for traffic lights, increases in illegal street markets, and many choosing not to wear their seat belts – violations officials also suddenly seem less interested in enforcing.
 
Hamza Ali al-Khatib
Over the weekend, reports emerged that a 13-year-old boy, Hamza Ali al-Khatib, had been tortured to death by Syrian authorities while detained. The boy reportedly was rounded up in April whilst protesting in Daraa. His body was returned to his family early last week. Photos (and – warning – a very graphic video), allegedly depicting his battered body, were posted widely across the internet. International media report that his body had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and a broken neck and knees, among much else. 
 
The Syrian government fiercely denies that Hamza was tortured whilst in police custody. According to local media reports, Hamza was shot and killed when a group of men and boys, Hamza allegedly among them, were persuaded to attack a military compound on Daraa. Hamza reportedly died in the subsequent gunfire. The state coroner alleges that Hamza died from gunshot wounds and that his body, when brought to authorities, showed no signs of abuse or torture. State authorities accuse the international media of using the images of Hamza to provoke more violence and assert that as depicted in the video posted across the internet, Hamza’s body was in advanced stages of decomposition and did not show signs of torture. The government has nevertheless agreed to set up a committee to investigate Hamza’s death. The boy has become a symbol of the Syrian protest movement.
 
Accusations of abuse
Accusations of broader patterns of torture also spiked last week, amid a surge of accounts by Syrians and foreign journalists of torture and abuse in prisons, following arrest for participating in the unrest or otherwise attempting to report on it. Such accounts have been heavily reported by the international media and rights organizations and no doubt play a huge role in shaping how foreign governments publicly respond to the crisis amid growing pressures from their concerned constituencies. 
 
Amnesty International
On Thursday May 26, a video of violence against protestors made its way to Amnesty International, which responded to the footage by issuing a statement indicating that the video revealed a ‘shoot to kill’ policy on the part of Syrian security forces. Specifically, it stated that “These extraordinary images were taken by Syrians who have risked their lives to document the callous attempts of the authorities to terrorize the pro-reform movement from going out onto the streets. Faced with this and other compelling evidence of rampant abuses, President Bashar al-Assad must stop the Syrian security forces shooting unarmed protestors and ensure that perpetrators are held to account for their treatment of fellow Syrians.” For a related video report, see here. 
 
Human Rights Watch 
On June 1, Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a report, “‘We’ve Never Seen Such Horror’: Crimes Against Humanity in Daraa,” that has prompted widespread international concern. The 54-page report details alleged crimes against humanity committed by security forces in Daraa. 
 
The definition of crimes against humanity put forth by HRW, is the one adopted by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which states that “crime against humanity means any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack: extermination…torture…persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious…or other grounds that are universally recognized as impermissible under international law, in connection with any act referred to in this paragraph.” 
 
Use of the term crimes against humanity carries a particularly heavy weight; its advancement has its origins in the Nuremberg Charter and was intended not only to shape international criminal law, but also to compel international action against related violations of it.
 
Further reading:
 
“Under Pressure, Syria Ends Economic Liberalization, Worsening Outlook” – The Atlantic – Though Syria has, in recent years, been on a encouraging path of economic liberalization, political pressures resulting from the recent unrest have led the government to abandon many such economic reforms.
 
“Unhappy in Homs: Unrest in Syria’s Third City Shows No Sign of Abating” – The Economist – Protests in Homs, initially characterized by nonsectarianism, have taken a divisive turn for the worse. As storefronts in the city remain closed and more protestors take up arms, the window of opportunity to engage protestors in constructive dialogue becomes increasingly narrow.
 
“Change Appears Inevitable in Syria, Analysts Say” – NPR – An audio clip exploring the likelihood of government change in Syria, interesting in part for the perspective it offers of American conceptions of how the US should  endeavor to ‘shape’ the outcome of Syria’s unrest.
 
“Crunch-time for the Syrian Regime” – Foreign Policy – The view from Damascus of media reportage of the crisis in Syria is a murky and frustrating one. Syrians have largely stopped relying solely on media for information about the situation and many, regardless of anger at the government, remain wary of the idea of a post-Assad Syria.
 
“A Third Way on Syria is Still Possible” – The Huffington Post – A provocative and interesting read, exploring the manner in which the crisis in Syria could be turned around, noting that few proposals use ‘carrots’ to influence the Syrian government’s policies. Among the proposed action items, are serious negotiations for the return of Golan Heights and an economic recovery plan akin to the Marshall Plan following WWI. 
 
“Arab Pundits Play a Waiting Game on Saleh and Assad: World View” – Bloomberg – An interesting collection of translated quotes by Arab political commentators on the situation in Syria. 
 
“Syria: If Protestors Don’t Get Assad, the Economy Will” – TIME – In the last week, there have been a number of high profile articles on Syria’s economic crisis. This one paints a particularly grim picture and sheds light on the country’s harsh and worsening economic reality. 
 
“As Syrian Unrest Hammers Economy, New Test for Assad’s Regime as Merchant Class Squeezed” – Washington Post – While Syria’s wealthy elites have largely remained supportive of the government and disinterested in the country’s protest movement, the growing economic crisis could shift their allegiances. 
 
Politics & Diplomacy
 
United States
Returning to its policy of isolation, the US is now reportedly increasing its pressure on Lebanon for the country to reduce its links to Syria. US State Department special envoy, Jeffrey D. Feltman, visited Beirut last week and openly encouraged Lebanon to turn against the Syrian government, warning that Lebanese officials “risk being as isolated as Syria.’ Feltman went on to state that Syria is “potentially the North Korea of the Middle East”. 
 
US officials also continue to accuse Iran of aiding the Syrian government’s efforts to quell the country’s unrest. According to US officials, Iran continues to send growing numbers of advisers, trainers and members of Iran’s elite Quds Force to Syria. They also maintain that Iran is aiding with computer surveillance and providing materials needed to control and disperse crowds. 
 
US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton also made a statement about Hamza al-Khatib’s death. In a conference in Washington, Clinton stated that “I too was very concerned by the reports about the young boy. In fact, what I think that symbolizes for many Syrians is the total collapse of any effort by the Syrian government to work with and listen to their own people. I can only hope that this child did not die in vain, but that the Syrian government will end the brutality and begin a transition to real democracy.”
 
G8 Summit, Europe
On Friday May 27, participants in the two-day G8 summit held in France, issued a communique on the issue of Syria that was softer in tone than earlier drafts leaked to the press. The leaders stated that, “We are appalled by the deaths of many peaceful protesters as a result of the sweeping use of violence in Syria as well as by repeated and serious violations of human rights. We call on the Syrian leadership to immediately stop using force and intimidation against the Syrian people and to respond to their legitimate demands for freedom of expression and universal rights and aspirations. We also call for the release of all political prisoners in Syria. Only the path of dialogue and fundamental reforms will lead to democracy, and thus to long-term security and prosperity in Syria. Should the Syrian authorities not heed this call, we will consider further measures. We are convinced that only by implementing meaningful reforms will a democratic Syria be able to play a positive role in the region.”
 
Importantly, the communique did not make reference to a UN Security Council resolution – a move likely thwarted by Syria’s ally and G8 member Russia. Many also feel that the G8 leaders have encountered difficulty in part due to the fact that the recent UN resolution on Libya gave the international community too much leeway – according to some.
 
Last week, UK Prime Minister David Cameron also stated that he believed there was still hope for the UN Security Council to pass a resolution on the issue of Syria, regardless of ongoing failed efforts to do so. Cameron also stated that, “The British Government is very clear: what’s happened is unacceptable, the outrages committed by the regime, the amount of people who have been shot on streets, this all adds up to a very serious indictment of that regime…That is why we have been at the vanguard of pushing for travel bans and asset freezes at the European level and also pushing for a UN Security Council [resolution].” 
 
On the issue of passing a UN resolution on Syria, the Prime Minister said, “The difficulty is that there is not the same unity in the Arab world as there was over Libya for action and I think there also is a sense from some countries, particularly those who have dealt with Syria for a long time, that there is still a fork in the road where Assad could choose reform rather than repression…Although do not underestimate the fact that the EU has taken action and I think there are prospects for Security Council resolutions as well.”
 
Turkey
On Thursday May 26, the Syrian government announced its intention to replace the country’s current ambassador to Turkey, Nidal Kabalan, with Abdullah Dardari, Syria’s former deputy prime minister for economic affairs. The change appears to be in response to Kabalan’s recent criticism of Syrian opposition meetings in Turkey, which apparently included members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Specifically, Kabalan said in an interview with Daily News, “I think Turkey has been trying to play a role, and maybe in principle it has a good intention, but the Muslim Brotherhood, who took part in armed operations against the Syrian army in the 1980s, has Syrian blood on their hands.” 
 
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made a statement on Friday May 27, urging President Assad to implement “shock therapy [reforms] to gain the heart of his people.” According to Davutoglu, the reforms must come on security, economic, political and judicial fronts. Davutoglu’s statement was among the most forceful yet by Turkish officials who, thus far, have failed to influence the Syrian government’s response to the country’s crisis – to the surprise and disappointment of many.
 
To that end, in recent weeks international political analysts have adopted a harsh line of criticism against Turkish foreign policy, with many arguing that Turkey’s approach of ‘behind-the-scenes prodding’ has minimal potential to bring about desired results. Others have argued that Turkey was unwise not to press the Syrian government to adopt reforms years before the unrest began. Many have been disappointed with Turkey’s seemingly limited powers of persuasion over Damascus, believing that “If Bashar is not listening to Turkey, then he is not listening to anyone.“
 
Lebanon, Hezbollah
In the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, city inhabitants fear the destabilization of their own communities in the event that unrest in Syria deepens. Tripoli, like neighboring Syria, is home to a wide variety of religious groups and has indeed seen related conflict in recent years. Thousands of Syria refugees have reportedly taken up residence in the city and many fear a resurgence of sectarian violence and instability in Lebanon. 
 
There were also large protests in Tripoli on Saturday May 28 against Lebanese officials reportedly holding hundreds of Syrian refugees in custody. The protestors called for their immediate release.
 
Meanwhile, the backlash against Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s statement calling on Syrians to stand with their government continues. Many are frustrated with Nasrallah’s ‘selective’ approach to backing some manifestations of the Arab Spring, but not others – namely Syria’s. 
 
Russia 
This week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov advised against US and European efforts to encourage Syrian protestors, by suggesting the possibility of international military support for their efforts. Lavrov stated that, “It is not in the interests of anyone to send messages to the opposition in Syria or elsewhere that if you reject all reasonable offers we will come and help you as we did in Libya. It’s a very dangerous position. Lavrov went on to state that, “First of all, the situation doesn’t present a threat to international peace and security. Second, Syria is a very important country in the Middle East and destabilizing Syria would have repercussions far beyond its borders.”
 
China
China also came forward with a warning against international interference in the situation in Syria, indicating that it would likely block a UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu, “The stability of Syria has a bearing on the stability of the whole region. The Chinese government supports Syria’s efforts to protect its sovereignty and stability and we hope that stability and order in Syria will be restored as soon as possible…In the current circumstances, we believe that the adoption of the U.N. Security Council resolution would do no good for the easing of tensions and stability in Syria.”
 
Security
 
Iraq
On June 1, a spokesperson for the government of Iraq stated that Baghdad is intensifying its efforts to reduce the flow of weapons from Iraq into Syria. The spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh stated that the country’s security committees are focused on reducing the trafficking of weapons between militants in both countries. 
 
International Atomic Energy Agency
The US is pushing ahead with efforts to report Syria to the UN Security Council for its alleged nuclear activity. The US wants Syria brought to the council for the three years it spent avoiding efforts by the IAEA to investigate its alleged nuclear sites. Just last week, the IAEA backed a long-standing US allegation that the site in Deir ez-Zor bombed by Israel in 2007, “was very likely” home to a nuclear reactor. Many argue against the utility of sending the Syria case to the UN Security Council, as any such issue of non-compliance, was effectively ‘terminated’ with Israel’s destruction of the site. The issue is a thorny one, however, as others counter that failure to address the Syria case head-on at the UN, effectively destroys whatever shred of legitimacy to which the IAEA hopes to cling.
 
Energy
 
The unrest in Syria and corresponding recent increase of international sanctions agains the government, have taken a serious toll on the country’s oil shipments. Tight bank credit lines, violent unrest and sanctions (which do not ban oil trade with Syria), have left ship owners concerned about threats to their vessels. Though Syria’s crude exports are relatively small, the revenue they yield is critically important to the Syrian economy. The unrest has prompted a spike in freight rates as shippers resist taking on cargo head for Syria. Though in 1996, Syria produced an estimated 600,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), that number dropped to 380,000 in 2010.
 
Transport
 
On May 25 at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Syria signed the Agreement on Multimodal Transport of Goods among the Arab countries. The agreement also includes Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, and Jordan and aims to boost trade between its signatories. 

May 25, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

An extreme resurgence of after-prayers violence on Friday May 20, in conjunction with stalled government efforts to engage in constructive dialogue with members of the Syrian opposition, suggest few alternatives to a long, hot summer of continued tumult across the country. The US and EU have now both placed direct sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and US President Barack Obama has formally expressed the hardened view that President Assad must reform, or go. However, no such outside force appears to hold sway with the Syrian government. In the meantime as of Tuesday May 24, a well-respected rights group puts the civilian death toll since March 15 at a shocking 1,062 – a figure that does not include fatalities among Syrian security and military forces. 

 
Protest flash points
In Tal Kalakh, five security personnel were reportedly killed amid continued fighting on Wednesday May 18. Local media ran a story describing how residents of the border town were living in fear as armed gangs wearing security uniforms and coming from neighboring Wadi Khalid in Lebanon, had stormed several houses and demanded that the residents obtain weapons for them. 
 
International media have run a number of reports indicating that as the border city falls further under siege, the anti-government views of its unrestful inhabitants are solidifying. Many assert that they will not cease their activities until the government has fallen. In the words of one such activist – whose account of the turmoil inTal Kalakh could not be confirmed by the reporting media, “We used to demand freedom…But after we saw this freedom in the shape of tanks and terrorizing by the army, we will not accept anything less than him [President Bashar al-Assad] stepping down.”
 
Turbulence spiked again on ‘Azadi’  Friday (azadi is the Kurdish word for freedom) as increased numbers of protestors held after-prayers demonstrations in several cities across the country. Reports of fatalities vary widely, with state sources reporting that a total of 17 were killed – security forces among them, the Syrian Observatory for Human rights stating that 35 died and the National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria reporting that 44 were killed. 
 
In response to the day’s violence, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement saying: “After Friday prayers, a number of armed saboteur groups exploited a number of sporadic gatherings of protestors and the police’s commitment to not open fire to preserve lives, with these armed groups opening fire on policemen and vandalizing and burning public and private properties and a number of police departments in a number of areas.”
 
The worst of the day’s unrest occurred in Idlib, a province in the central region of Homs. Some international reports suggest that 30 people were killed there. There were also protests in Baniyas, Hama, Lattakia, Sanamin – a village near Daraa, Deir ez-Zor, Ariha, Midan – a neighborhood in Damascus, Damascus’s Old City, and Amouda. The same reports suggest that the protestor numbers might have reached 1,000 in Midan and 6,000 in Amouda – however, as all reports are unconfirmed, they are often subject to inaccuracy. 
 
Some reports indicate that a young man in the eastern town of Mayadeen, set himself on fire on Friday in protest against the government. He had apparently been released from jail only a few hours earlier, where activists allege he was tortured and sexually abused. According to the same sources, he died in a hospital shortly thereafter.
 
While the protestors seem to have come out in greater numbers than two weeks ago, many activists expressed disappointment at the turnout and likewise expected more of Syria’s Kurdish population to take to the streets. This was in fact, the principle reason for terming the day with the Kurdish word azadi; organizers hoped it would spur further Kurdish participation. Thus far, protests in the Kurd-majority portions of the country have not seen much violence.
 
On Saturday, as a funerals were carried out in Homs for those who died in the unrest the day before, international media allege that Syrian security forces opened fire on funeral participants. Initial reports stated that five people were subsequently killed, though the following day, the number was raised to 11. 
 
On May 22, further funeral marches in Homs evolved into political rallies.  Residents of Bayda and Khaldiyah reportedly joined together to march to Tal Nasser cemetery. There was also reportedly a small protest in the coastal city of Lattakia, which has been largely quiet since fierce violence broke out there in April. International media also report that Ghabagheb, a village close to Daraa, also underwent security raids Sunday morning. Activists reported that in only three days, a total of 76 people were killed amid unrest.
 
On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, international media reported that there were further protests in Hama, Aleppo, Homs, and the Damascus suburb of Kaboun. The gatherings took place at night, an approach that protestors adopted with the alleged aim of attempting to exhaust Syrian security forces, who must remain on the streets 24 hours a day. To that end, there is no doubt that the recent unrest that has destabilized the country in the last several months has taken an extreme toll on the Syria’s security and military forces – particularly inexperienced youngsters.
 
According to the well-respected rights group, National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria, the civilian death toll since the start of the unrest on March 15, now totals 1,062. This figure does not include deaths among members of security and military forces – a figure that many speculate could be in the high hundreds. 
 
Though revolutionary unrest has spread across much of the Middle East since the beginning of the year, no country other than Libya has seen so many fatalities. In Egypt, the death toll before the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak reached 846. In Libya, thousands have perished. What makes the case of Syria particularly troublesome in comparison to its regional counterparts, is that both its population size and numbers of people participating in the unrest, are vastly smaller than those in Egypt. Egypt’s population totals about 80 million. Syria’s amounts to about 21 million. Millions of Egyptians took to the streets across the whole of Egypt. Syrian protestors are likely to have totaled around 150,000 and have never succeeded in rallying in huge numbers in either Damascus or Aleppo. The fierceness of the violence here, regardless of who it is attributed to, does not bode will for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. 
 
Further Reading:
 
“Syria Comment” – Qunfuz – an important critique of Joshua Landis’s (the principle writer of Syria Comment) interpretation of the situation in Syria – particularly Landis’s recent posting that dismissed the protest movement in the country as fueled by sectarianism. 
 
“Western Media Fraud in the Middle East: Too Many Journalists Report Official Narratives of the Powerful, Missing the Stories of Working Class People” – Al Jazeera – A worthwhile read for all relying on Western media to make sense of the recent unrest in Syria, as well as in the region at large. The author, Nir Rosen, is an Iranian-American with years of experience reporting on conflict and events in the region. His perspective sheds light on the biases inevitably inherent within most such reporting.
 
“Welcome to Bashar’s Syria!”  – The News: International – A bitter (and unfortunately not particularly well-written) account in a Pakistani paper by activist Maryam Hasan, of her view of the sacrifices made for the maintenance of security in Syria. Hasan emphasizes the manner in which the unrest and violence in particular parts of the country, impacts its agricultural production, food production, industrial activities, employment  of temporary workers, cultural life and overall intellectual capital.
 
“Protester Who Exposed Lies at the Heart of Syria’s Regime: Ahmad Biasi Risked His Life to Reveal State Violence.” – The Independent – An account of the activities of a young Syrian activist who many now call one of the heroes of Syria’s unrest.
 
“Old Divisions Threaten Moves Toward New Identities: Sects, Clans are Beginning to Drift Apart” – The Boston Globe – How fears of insecurity and of fellow citizens, have been propagated to guarantee support for strong governments across the region. Though revolutionary unrest across the Middle East has awakened potential for solidarity among citizens, pervasive violence threatens to break new bonds.
 
“Dorothy Parvaz: Inside Syria’s Secret Prisons” – Al Jazeera – Dorothy Parvaz, the Al Jazeera reporter detained upon her arrival in Damascus on April 29 and released on May 18 after being deported to Iran and held there for a number of weeks, offers a harrowing account of her time in prison in Syria.
 
“Syria Does Not Believe in Barack Obama” – Time – The harsh words of US President Barack Obama in his address on May 19 have fallen on deaf ears.  
 
“Protests in Syria: Not Over Yet” – The Economist – A closer examination of the motives of some of the protesters out on the streets of Syria’s third largest city, Homs. 
 
“Stories of Syria’s Crackdown Seep Across the Border” – NPR – Accounts of life in Daraa trickle across the border into Jordan and reveal the hardening sentiments of the city’s anti-government protestors. 
 
Politics & Diplomacy
 
United States
On Wednesday May 18, the US imposed sanctions against President Assad as well as a number of other officials in the Syrian government, including Vice President Faruq al-Shara, Prime Minister Adel Safar, Interior Minister Mohamad Ibrahim al-Shaar and Defense Minister Ali Habib Mahmoud. The Obama Administration had been reluctant to make such a move given the US President’s recent efforts to engage Syria in increased dialogue. Obama is facing growing pressure to up his response to the situation in Syria, with many conservative opponents calling upon him to recall the recently appointed US Ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford. 
 
In response to the US imposition of sanctions against the Syrian president, official Syrian sources stated that, “These measures are part of a series of sanctions imposed by the successive US administrations against the Syrian people in the framework of their regional plans, particularly in terms of serving the Israeli interests…These measures have not influenced and will not influence Syria’s independent decision or its steadfastness against the American repeated attempts to dominate its national decision, nor will they influence its determination to achieve comprehensive reform.” 
 
On Thursday May 19, US President Barack Obama made a much awaited address on the issue of US Mideast policy. In it, he asserted that in the US’s view, President Assad must make the necessary reforms or, step aside: “The Syrian people have shown their courage in demanding a transition to democracy. President Assad now has a choice: He can lead that transition, or get out of the way. The Syrian government must stop shooting demonstrators and allow peaceful protests. It must release political prisoners and stop unjust arrests. It must allow human rights monitors to have access to cities like Dara’a; and start a serious dialogue to advance a democratic transition. Otherwise, President Assad and his regime will continue to be challenged from within and will continue to be isolated abroad.”
 
Following Obama’s speech, Hillary Clinton did an interview with CBS News on the crisis in Syria. Her statements shed more light on White House’s position on the situation in Syria: “I think we also know that there are many different forces at work in Syria, like in so many of the countries in the region. And we think it would be better if the people of Syria themselves made it clear to Assad that there have to be changes. And part of what the President – our President – Obama was doing today, was to say, “Do you want to end up like Iran, Syria? And President Asad, do you want to end up like a leader of a country that is further and further isolated?” So each of these situations has to be carefully calibrated, and I think the President got it just right.” 
 
Regarding whether or not the US would pursue “regime change in Syria” (as put by Clinton’s interviewer Katie Couric), Clinton stated that, “What we are doing is exactly what President Obama said: Either you lead the transition or get out of the way. How that happens is up to the people of that country.”
 
On Friday, Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the meeting, Obama conceded that Syria was of “acute concern” for both the US and Israel and detailed the “significant steps” the US was taking to respond to the violence in Syria. 
 
Canada
On Friday May 20, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the Canadian government was exploring options for imposing sanctions against the Syrian government. In an official statement a spokesperson for Harper said, “The actions of the [Syrian] government are simply unacceptable.” The spokesperson also stated that the Canadian government is “deeply troubled” by recent events in Syria.
 
Europe
 
On Monday May 23, the EU announced that it is imposing direct sanctions against President Assad, as well as a number of other important Syrian officials. UK Foreign Secretary stated that, “The repression in Syria continues…It is important to see the right to peaceful protest, the release of political prisoners and taking the path of reform, not repression, in Syria over the coming days.” On the Syrian government, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton also stated that “The government needs to understand that people are asking by peaceful protests for the kind of reforms that the government had said they’d be interested in and they now ought to try and engage properly and do that…And they should do it now because there are so many people who have died and been injured. It’s a terrible tragedy.”
 
Syrian Foreign Minister, Walid al-Moallem responded to the EU’s measures by stating that, ”History repeats itself. They are inciting violence and persistence of the crisis. They hinder the Syrian government’s measures to improve the living standards of citizens through a series of economic procedures, which harms the Syrian people…Because Syria is the ”hard number” in the face of their plots and the Israeli expansionism.” Moallem went on to state that,  ”Europe needs us just as much as we need it…Like the US, Europe is not the whole world.” Specifically, he asserted that ”pressure has no effect on Syria which is impervious to pressure. Syria can never be but an independent country with an independent decision.” 
 
The Swiss government also announced last week that it was following in the path of the EU and imposing an arms embargo against Syria as well as travel bans and assets blocks Syrian officials and prominent figures.
 
Russia & Turkey
At a conference on Wednesday May 18, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated that Russia will not endorse a UN Security Council Resolution imposing sanctions against Syria, as he believes that Syria must be granted more time to move forward with reforms. 
 
Last week, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that President Assad should remain in power, but take immediate steps to enact democratic reforms. The Turkish government is deeply concerned about the security situation in Syria, as any conflict in the country would be quick to spread into Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Israel. Further, in recent years Turkey has made serious efforts to shape its foreign policy around a “zero problems” approach to dealing with its neighbors. Syria and Turkey, enemies not too long ago, have seen a strengthening of their political and economic ties. Further, Erdogan is personal friends with President Assad. The crisis in Syria throws all such relations and efforts into the air – marring Turkey’s efforts to be leader of constructive relations between states in the Middle East and indeed the world more broadly. Turkey is not alone in its quandary, as the violence in Syria has also left the US and a number of big players in Europe in an impossibly awkward position; many such leaders had ventured a lot of personal political capital on efforts to paint the Syrian government in a reformist light and bring the country out of relative seclusion following decades of isolation.
 
Lebanon
On Thursday May 19, the MP of the Lebanese Future Movement, Ahmad Fatfat said that while unlikely, Syria might use its military to interfere in Lebanon. Fatfat stated that, “Syrian allies in Lebanon [March 8 members] are insisting on accusing the Future Movement in the ongoing events in Syria … Syria might take advantage of that and intervene militarily in Lebanon.” The government of Syria has accused the Future Movement of bankrolling members of the Syrian protest movement. Fatfat accused the state-run Syrian media of “attempting to distract from what is going on inside Syria away from the popular uprisings. Syrian President Bashar Assad [even] admitted the uprising was aiming at reforms.” He went on to state that, “The Future Movement is not part of the Syrian conflict and Syria’s stability is of great concern to us.” 
 
Kuwait
Kuwait was elected to the UN Human Rights Council on May 20 following Syria’s decision to drop its bid for the seat. On Sunday, Kuwait also declared that it is banning nationals from Syria, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan from entering the country. The ban includes visits pertaining to tourism and trade, as well as visas sponsored by spouses. According to Kuwaiti media, the decision was based on growing concerns that nationals from such countries would seek to foment unrest and insecurity within Kuwait whilst escaping from unrest in their own countries. For more details, see here.
 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
On Wednesday May 18, international media reported that IAEA safeguards chief Olli Heinonen made a statement regarding the bombed site of Syria’s alleged nuclear reactor indicating that, “Satellite imagery, procurement and infrastructure information tend to point (in the) direction that the destroyed building at Dair Alzour was, indeed, a nuclear reactor at an advanced state of construction.” Heinonen also stated that the organization believes that Syria had been moving forward with its nuclear activities with the help of North Korea.  The IAEA will hold a governing meeting in June of this year, during which many expect it to refer the issue to the UN Security Council for possible punitive actions.
 
Economic Development & Trade
 
One of the few certainties of the recent turmoil in Syria, is its devastating impact on the country’s economy. Tourism has come to a complete halt, foreign investment has faltered and Syrians – profoundly worried about the country’s prospects for peace – have stopped spending money. Businesses are laying off employees and stores are closing as many lack the financial reserves necessary to carry on in such volatile circumstances. As the economic situation worsens in response to the unrest, the crisis runs the risk of becoming self-perpetuating; abysmal economic conditions were among the protest movement’s original catalysts.
 
Agriculture
 
Silverleaf nightshade, an invasive alien weed, is reportedly threatening both wheat and cotton crops in Syria and Iraq. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) predicts that it will soon spread to Jordan and Lebanon. In Syria, the FAO reports that more than 60 percent of the country’s cotton and wheat crops have been infested with the weed. Silverleaf nightshade is an agricultural killer, starving desired crops of water and nutrients. 
 
Energy
 
On May 23, the vice president of Azerbaijan’s State Oil Co., Elshad Nassirov, stated that unrest in Syria might impact the construction of natural gas pipelines from Azerbaijan to Syria. Nassirov stated that “The implementation of these plans will depend on the developments” in Syria. The construction of the pipeline was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011. 

May 18, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

The deadlock between the Syrian government and those fomenting unrest across the country continues, as protestors continue to take to the streets, albeit in vastly lower numbers, and more civilians and members of Syrian security personnel perish in the violence. International condemnation of the Syrian government’s response to the crisis seems to have reached a near tipping point, with many speculating that it will not be long before the EU imposes targeted sanctions against the Syrian President himself.

 
Protest flash points 
On Wednesday May 11, Syria’s third largest city Homs saw an escalation of military force against those participating in the unrest. Reports indicate that a number of people were killed in the ensuing violence and hundreds more were detained. The city’s neighborhood of Bab Amro also reportedly underwent cuts to phone lines, electricity and water as tanks shelled the area. Homs has been the scene of some of the most serious unrest in the country in recent weeks. 
 
Later that night, international media reported that large numbers of protestors (perhaps in the thousands, but no media source could confirm) rallied on the campus of Aleppo University. Some suggest that the rally was the biggest orchestrated by students in the country thus far. It was allegedly dispersed by plainclothes security forces. A number of arrests were also made. 
 
According to international media, on May 11 Syrians fleeing violence in Tal Kalakh, a town on the Syrian side of the country’s border with Lebanon and 45 kilometers from Homs, entered Lebanon only to be summarily rounded up and deported by Lebanese officials. The move prompted outcry from human rights activists who noted that most of those fleeing where either women and children or individuals who had been injured in violence on the Syrian side. However, many reports now indicate that there has been a significant influx of weapons into Syria from the same area and that black market selling of weapons in Lebanon has skyrocketed in recent weeks, with international sources reporting Syrians as principle customers. Local news agencies have also covered the influx of weapons into Syria from neighboring Lebanon.  
 
Serious violence continued throughout the week in the besieged border town, with deaths and casualties of military personnel and civilians reported by all sources. Three military men were killed in clashes on Sunday May 15, eight were killed on Tuesday May 17 while another five were injured, another five security personnel were killed today May 18.
 
Numbers of civilian casualties and fatalities are unclear, though international reports suggest they are likely in the dozens. To that end, on May 15 international media reported that one woman was killed and five others were injured when they were shot at while attempting to cross into Lebanon. A Lebanese solider was among those injured and international media report that the gunshots originated in Syria. The same reports also allege that over a dozen people had been killed in Tal Kalakh over the course of two days, at least seven of whom perished on May 15 as the Syrian military reportedly shelled the city.
 
Given the high number of military fatalities reported from the town, it is reasonable to believe that international reports that those participating in unrest in Tal Kalakh are peaceful and unarmed, are inaccurate.
 
On May 12, international sources reported that an estimated 24 protestors had been killed across the country over the course of protests on Wednesday and Thursday, including 13 in Hara, a small village outside of Daraa, six in Homs, and five in Jassem. Two Syrian soldiers were also reportedly killed. Mass arrests were also carried out in the suburbs of Damascus, most likely in an effort to stifle any attempts by activists to participate in after-prayers protests the following day.
 
On Friday May 13, irregardless of the mass arrests, communications blackouts and the heavy presence of military and security forces intended to quell unrest across the country, protestors nevertheless took to the streets. Their numbers had dwindled even more so than the week prior, but their brazenness was all the more apparent; many came out in cities that had been besieged by military forces only days before – Hama and three suburbs of Damascus, among them. Reports indicate that an estimated six protestors died in the unrest, including two in Homs. 
 
According to a statement released by the Syrian Interior Ministry on May 14, a total of 6,131 people “involved in riot acts” have voluntarily surrendered to authorities in order to gain amnesty for their actions. Syrian Minister of Islamic Endowments, Mohammad Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyed also stated on Saturday that “Syria has overcome the conspiracy and crisis which hit it, thanks to the awareness of the Syrians and their standing by their leadership.”
 
Local media also reported that “normal life returned to Daraa” on Sunday, as people went back to work and school and resumed shopping in the markets. Khalid al-Hanous, the governor of Daraa, came forward to state that “all the provisions and the basic services such electricity, communications and water are available” and that “the coming days will witness a huge activity to stress that the institutions retuned to play their role, in addition to opening new prospects of in-depth dialogue with all the bodies concerned to implement future plans”.
 
On Tuesday, international media put forth reports of a mass grave allegedly discovered in Zemla Mohammad Sari Hill, an area just outside of the southern city of Daraa. The reports  state that the grave contains the bodies of an estimated 40 anti-government protestors, including those of women and children. According to activists, the bodies found in the grave had suffered from gunshot wounds. A graphic video of individuals unearthing the bodies was widely circulated across the internet. The Syrian government strongly denies all such reports, terming them “absolutely baseless“.
 
The same day, Syrian protesters used their official Facebook page to call for a general strike today, May 18 terming it “a day of punishment for the regime by the revolutionaries an the people of free will.” There were also attempted protests at Aleppo University on May 17.
 
Government reforms, efforts to mitigate tensions 
The Syrian government continues to move forward with reforms, though many find the pace at which it is moving to be slow. On Wednesday May 11, it announced plans to issue a draft bill regulating parliamentary elections within two weeks time. Prime Minister Adel Safar created a committee tasked with developing a bill to meet the “best internationally recognized standards”. Many find the move insufficient, however, noting that the President and the Baath Party are the true holders of power in the country. For more details, see here.  
 
Syrian Minister of Information Dr. Adnan Mahmoud also made a statement on Friday May 13, indicating that in the coming days, all Syrian governorates will participate in comprehensive national dialogue. Dr. Mahmoud stated that the government is implementing comprehensive reforms and that “There is a correlation between security and stability from one hand and the reform from the other hand.” He also reiterated that the government is working to pursue the armed groups responsible for the disruption of security across the country. Dr. Mahmoud indicated that the turmoil in Syria has led to the deaths of 98 security and military personnel, the injuring of another 1,040 others, as well as the deaths of 22 policemen and the injuring of 451 others. 
 
On May 15, a number of prominent dissidents detained following association with the protests throughout the country, were freed. Riad Seif, a well-known opposition figure and Catherine Talli, a rights activist were among those released. Activists allege that over 8,000 people have been detained since the start of the unrest on March 15.
 
The same day, the Ministry of Interior set forth instructions for Legislative Decree No. 54, the law that regulates the right to hold peaceful demonstrations. The instructions are comprised of 15 articles and define demonstration as a “peaceful gathering or walking of a number of people in a public place or road or near them for the purpose of expressing an opinion, demonstrating something, or affirming the execution of specific demands.” No such demonstrations are allowed until the necessary approvals have been obtained. Those seeking to demonstrate must also specify the “goals, reasons, locations, line of movement, place of termination and time, in addition to stating the demands and slogans that will be used”. Importantly, applications to demonstrate must be submitted a minimum of five days before the date of the demonstrations and in the event that applicants do not receive a response to their application within five days, the applicant can consider the request effectively approved. For more details, see here. 
 
On Monday May 16, President Bashar al-Assad held a meeting with a delegation from the Daraa governorate. The meeting covered ongoing reforms in Daraa and efforts to restore and maintain its security. 
 
The Ministry of Local Administration announced the same day that the Local Administration Law Amendment Draft is in development and will seek to create “qualified administrative units capable of planning, implementation and laying out development strategies related to local society” by “enhancing decentralization, putting management of local affairs in the hands of citizens and reinforcing democracy and partnership.” 
 
The cabinet also approved a draft law on May 17 that reclassifies temporary employees on short-term contracts as fixed term, permanent employees where there are public sector job vacancies. It also agreed on a number of proposals intended to boost tourism in 2011 and improve agricultural output. 
 
United Nations & UN Human Rights Council
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced on Wednesday May 11, that it was suspending all of its operations for an estimated 50,000 people in southern and central Syria. The move was in direct response to recent turmoil in Syria. It will no longer provide services at its refugee camps in Homs and Daraa. The operations impacted by the UNRWA’s decision include three health centers, 17 schools, a youth center, a women’s center and two community centers. Chief among the organization’s problems, was the issue of transporting necessities from Damascus to the country’s hotspots. UNRWA also stated that even in instances where it was able to transport the necessary supplies, the security situation in the aforementioned cities left it unable to administer them.   
 
The Syrian government also officially withdrew its controversial bid for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday May 11.
 
On Thursday May 12, reports emerged that the UN Refugee Agency in Iraq had begun amassing hundreds of blankets, tents, and related supplies on Iraq’s border with Syria, in anticipation of a mass out-flux from Syria of Iraqi refugees fleeing worsening violence in the country. The same organization has also stockpiled supplies that could help an estimated 30,000 Iraqi refugees on the Jordanian side of Iraq’s border with the country. The government of Iraq has also expressed its willingness to charter flights from Damascus to Iraq to assist Iraqi refugees should the security situation deteriorate suddenly.
 
Finally, though President Assad had previously granted the UN aid workers access to troubled areas within the country, reports on Friday indicated such assurances were reneged. The Syrian government has also not yet responded to requests from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct a fact-finding mission within the country. 
 
Dorothy Parvaz
Al Jazeera came forward with information on May 11 indicating that its reporter Dorothy Parvaz, who had been detained immediately upon her arrival in Damascus on April 29, had been deported to Iran. Parvaz has triple citizenship in Iran, Canada and the US. She had apparently attempted to enter Syria on an expired Iranian passport, having insufficient time to obtain a proper journalist visa. On Tuesday May 17, both Syrian and Iranian authorities denied having any information about her whereabouts, though the Iranian Foreign Ministry did state that she had committed “violations” and it was “getting information about her status”. Amid increasing international consternation of Parvaz’s disappearance, the 39-year-old reporter was released from custody in Iran today, May 18. Reports indicate she is in good health. 
 
Further Reading:
 
“What Will a Post-Assad Syria Look Like?” – in Syria Comment – Joshua Landis  adopts a pessimistic outlook on the prospects for peace in Syria and puts forth useful background information on sectarianism, coups, military divides and outside influences in Syria. 
 
“Is This the End of the Assad Dynasty?” in Middle East Online – an article by Patrick Seale actually published over a week ago. Seale’s analysis of the plight of the Syrian government is well worth the read.
 
“Starving the Rebellion: Syria’s Brutal Tactics” – in Time – a take on the lives of some of those currently fomenting unrest in Daraa. 
 
“Bashar al-Assad: The Dictator Who Cannot Dictate” – in The Guardian – a scathing interpretation of the power dynamics within the Syrian government.
 
“Syria: An Inconvenient Revolution” – for PBS Newshour – a critique of Washington’s assessment of the prospects for reform in Syria. 
 
“Clinton Contradiction” – in The Hindu – a summary of Washington’s troubled approach to responding to Syria’s unrest. 
 
“Brotherhood Raises Syria Profile: Islamist Group Tries to Organize Opposition to Assad Regime, as Protests Waver” in The Wall Street Journal  – according to the author, Nour Malas, the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria is seeking to capitalize on the current deadlock between the protestors and the government to up its own political sway. 
 
Politics & Diplomacy
 
United States, Europe & Australia 
US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton made her harshest comments yet regarding the unrest in Syria on Thursday May 12. While on an official trip to Greenland, Clinton said of the Syrian government, “They engage in unlawful detention, torture and the denial of medical care to wounded persons. There may be some who think that this is a sign of strength. But treating one’s own people in this way is in fact a sign of remarkable weakness.” She went on to state that, “Relying on Iran as your best friend and your only strategic ally is not a viable way forward…The United States respects the right of these demonstrators to express themselves in peaceful marches…there should be no double standard. The Syrian government should grant all Syrians the right to express themselves peacefully.”
 
Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd called on the Syrian government to end its violent crackdown against the unrest in the country, calling the use of violence “deplorable“. On May 13, Rudd stated that  “Australia calls on the Syrian authorities to immediately end all violence against civilians and to withdraw the military from the streets of Daraa, Homs, and other cities…We will continue to bring pressure to bear on the Syrian Government to end the regime’s completely unacceptable use of violence against the Syrian people.”
 
Meanwhile, the UK Foreign Offices political director informed the Syrian Ambassador Dr. Sami Khiyami, that the UK was considering implementing further sanctions against members of the Syrian government, if the government does not bring an abrupt end to the violence and immediately release the more than 8,000 political prisoners detained since the start of the unrest in mid-March. 
 
On May 17, British Defense Minister, Nick Harvey, informed British legislators that he believes the International Criminal Court would soon seek to charge President Assad in association with the recent violence across the country.  
 
On Tuesday, Clinton and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced that the EU and US will soon put forth new measures to respond to the turmoil in Syria. Clinton stated that, “President Assad talks about reform, but his heavy-handed brutal crackdown shows his true intentions.” She continued, “We will be taking additional steps in the days ahead.”
 
Ashton noted “how important it was to take this closing window of opportunity and change course…If the government really does …want to see some kind of change, it’s got to be now”. She went on to state that, “We need to consider all of the options, and I think there will be a number of moves in the coming hours and days that you will see.” The comments by both Clinton and Ashton mark a serious shift in the West’s response to the crisis in Syria, leaving many wondering how far associated governments will go in their efforts to deter the Syrian government from further action. 
 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
The US and a number of other western governments are urging the IAEA to charge Syria with endeavoring to build an undisclosed nuclear reactor.  The site of the alleged reactor in Deir ez-Zor was bombed by Israel in 2007. Syria has consistently denied all such accusations. 
 
China & Russia
On May 12, China made the unusual move of calling on the Syrian government to avoid the use of violence in dealing with the unrest. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said on Thursday, “Syria is an important country in the Middle East. We expect the country to maintain stability and urge related parties to iron out differences through political dialogue and avoid bloodshed.”  She went on to advise that, “We think that outside forces should not intervene in Syria’s internal issues so to avoid complicating the situation.”
 
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov came forward on May 13 to warn against possible foreign intervention in Syria. Lavrov expressed concern over the motives of those in Syria participating in the unrest with the expectation of foreign interference and likewise reiterated Russia’s support for Syria. Lavrov stated, “We are very worried that the process of reconciliation, the process of the start of dialogue — all healthy forces in Syria including the Syrian leadership are in favour of that — is being slowed down by a desire of some participants to attract foreign forces to support their actions…The betting is that outside players will appreciate the problem and will not only discuss but also subsequently repeat the Libyan situation, for example, interfere using methods of force among other things…It is a great pity that the Libyan situation has created a huge temptation for many opposition members in that region to create a similar situation and expect that the West will not stand aside but will be interfering in the conflict in favour of one of the sides.”
 
Lebanon & Israel
On Saturday May 14 Saad Hariri, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, requested that Lebanon’s state-owned Higher Relief Committee work with the International Committee for the Red Cross to coordinate the provision of aid to Syrian refugees. 
 
Meanwhile, Sunday May 15 also marked the 63rd commemoration of the Nakba, or the displacement of the Palestinian people with the creation of Israel in 1948. Each year, the event draws demonstrators in Israel as well as the occupied Palestinian territories. This year’s commemorations were particularly well-attended and face-offs between protestors and Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), lead to the deaths of an estimated eight people in Maroun al-Ras on the southern Lebanese border and Beit Hanoun on the northeast edge of Gaza. Israel and the US government have accused Syria of encouraging Palestinian provocations of the IDF in an effort to draw international attention away from the growing crisis on its own soil. 
 
Security
 
A leaked UN document alleges that the organization has evidence that Iranian weapons prohibited from export under a number of UN Security Council resolutions, are nevertheless entering Syria. Iran has been subject to such bans since 2007 and apparently has succeeded in circumventing the restrictions. According the leaked document, “six out of the nine incidents of congenital arms transfers” by Iran went to Syria. 
 
Economic Development & Trade
 
On May 14, the Syrian Ambassador to India, Riyad Abbas, held a meeting with a number of Indian businessmen aimed at furthering potential investment opportunities in Syria. Delip Modi, Chairman of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) stated during the meeting that “Syria is past the events it has recently witnessed” while Abbas expressed Syria’s strong interest in establishing joint projects between the countries. 
 
Energy 
 
A subsidiary of the Texas-based Improved Petroleum Recovery Group of Companies, IPR Mediterranean Exploration Ltd., is now set to drill four new wells in eastern Syria this year. The company has been drilling in Syria since 2010 through a joint venture with Al Rasheed Petroleum Co. Syria is aiming for increased foreign investment in the energy sector in a bid to stabilize its 2011 crude output at 386,000 barrels a day. At its peak in 1996, the country’s output reached 583,000 barrels a day. 
 
Syria’s Public Establishment of Electricity for Generation and Transmission also opened bidding on May 17 for the design and construction of a substation in Al-Suweida in the Hassakeh province. Bids will be accepted until July 4. 

Syrian Women at the Forefront

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One of the most interesting features of the Syrian protest movement is the prominent role women have been taking in it.

In the list of democracy activists released yesterday by the Government, the names of two women appeared, Catherine Al-Tali, a lawyer, and Malak Al-Shanawani, a journalist. They add to Razan Zeitouneh, Suhair Atassi, Samar Yazbeck and many others that have taken very active and vocal roles in the last two months.
 
At one point, at the very beginning of the movement, the main figure that symbolized the protest movement was Suheir Atassi, while the most visible figure on the Government side was another woman, Buthaina Shaaban, the spokesperson of the President.
 
Even now, as reports emerge that the President has formed a committee to begin discussions with the opposition, two women make the list of 4 members of this group: Najah Al-Attar, the Vice-President, and Mrs Shaaban, in addition to Farouk Al-Sharaa and Mohammad Nassif.
 
All of this does not make of Syria the most women-friendly country in the world but it does symbolize the increasing role Syrian women have been taking in the last few decades – ironically, partly thanks to the socialist pro-women policies of the Baath Party. In 2008, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the number of women studying at universities overtook for the first time that of men.
 
Most symbolic of all this may be the fact that women are also taking to the streets, an area traditionally monopolized by men. Actually, one the largest demonstrations to date in central Damascus, was an all-women demonstration in Arnous Square some two weeks ago.
 
As a friend recently said, the traditional expression used by Syrians to encourage themselves, “Remain strong; be a man,” should probably now be changed to “Remain strong; be a woman!”

May 11, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

While the numbers of protestors out on the streets declined markedly over the course of the last week, violence and turmoil continue to intensify. The Syrian military is deployed to a number of hotspots across the country, including Homs, Daraa, Baniyas and some Damascus suburbs. 
 
Casualties and fatalities continue to rise as protestors and members of Syrian security forces are wounded in ensuing unrest. While reports mid-last week suggested that the government and those participating in the unrest had reached a stalemate with prospects for a slow return to peace, many analysts now maintain the country has embarked on a path toward civil war.
 
Military in Daraa, Further Protests
On Wednesday May 4, the government announced plans to withdraw its forces from the besieged southern city of Daraa. The military had been conducting heavy operations in the city since April 25. According to local media sources, the operations were intended to arrest and bring under control terrorists and armed groups. Both international and local media have come forward with grim reports of the fatalities and injuries of civilians and members of security forces resulting from the operations. 
 
An estimated 150 people demonstrated in front of Damascus University’s School of Economics, reportedly calling for an end to military operations in Daraa. There were also reports of much larger demonstrations in the coastal city of Baniyas. 
 
Ban Ki-Moon Calls for Reform
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon reportedly spoke with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday to inform him that “now is the time for bold and decisive measures, for political reforms” and to ask for Syria’s full cooperation with the UN Human Rights Council, which is requesting that the Syrian government “allow in a humanitarian assessment team given the widespread concerns in the international community”.
 
Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
A number of reports also emerged suggesting that large numbers of Syrians were fleeing violence in the border town of Tal Kalakh by illegally crossing into the neighboring Lebanese town of Wadi Khalid. International reports suggest that Tal Kalakh has been under heavy military siege following the onslaught of protests there. However, the same city is notorious for its smuggling rings which carry weapons and drugs, among much else, from Lebanon into Syria. 
 
The communities of Tal Kalakh and Wadi Khalid are both Sunni-dominated, and those on the Lebanese side have a longstanding hatred for the Syrian government. Further in 2008, there was significant violence in Lebanon’s second largest city, Tripoli, between its Sunni and Alawite inhabitants. That violence has taken hold of Tal Kalakh in Syria is of serious concern to the Lebanese; an influx of Syrians into Lebanon’s already volatile north, could spark new conflict. 
 
The situation took a turn for the worse on Wednesday May 11, as Syrians who had again crossed from Tal Kalakh into Wadi Khalid were summarily rounded up by Lebanese security forces and sent back into Syria. The absence of any real government in Lebanon in combination with heavy pressure from Syria to address its own security concerns, has left Lebanon in a tenuous position. A number of those seeking refuge in Lebanon had been severely injured in violence on the Syrian side, some with serious head trauma, most with shrapnel and gunshot wounds. One person died en route to Lebanon.
 
Locals on both the Syrian and Lebanese sides report that the Syrian military is waging a full-fledged assault on the town. Local media maintain that the images of Syrian protestors out on the streets of Tal Kalakh have been doctored. The Syrian government has legitimate concerns about the movement of weapons across the border into Syria from the town as well as of armed militants who may wish to meddle in the country’s unrest. On Saturday May 7, some 11 Syrian security and military personnel were shot and killed in the city – a reality that lends credence to some of the claims that not all the protestors out on the streets are unarmed. 
 
Mass Arrests, Military Advances
On Thursday May 5, while military forces began withdrawing from Daraa – a full ten days after their deployment – they advanced for the first time to the Damascus suburb of Erbin, as well as to the town of Tel. Reports allege that 80 people were simultaneously arrested in the latter. 
 
Reports also emerged of mass arrests of alleged dissidents and criminals, particularly in the suburbs of Damascus – including Harasta, Douma and Saqba – where some estimate that upwards of 300 were arrested. An estimated 100 tanks were, and remain, positioned around Damascus and Homs. 
 
Weekend of Unrest
On Friday the ‘day of defiance,’ demonstrators again took part in after-prayers protests. This time, however, international media report that only an estimated 12 cities and towns saw unrest and the turnout in most was, according to nearly all sources, significantly smaller than in past weeks. 
 
Nevertheless, the day did not pass without violence. An estimated 36 people were killed in demonstrations across the country, including 26 protestors and 10 military and security personnel. Homs was apparently the scene of the worst violence, with some alleging that as many as 16 were shot and killed there. Baniyas also reportedly saw significant numbers of protestors – estimated at around 5,000. There was also a small rally in Damascus. 
 
Friday’s events were played off as a victory by both the Syrian government and those who are taking issue with it; protestors argued they remained defiant in the face of strong military and security crackdowns, while the government maintained that the dwindling numbers out on the streets indicate increasingly successful management of the unrest. 
 
On Saturday morning, military forces reportedly moved into Baniyas and mass arrests were carried in the city. Reports indicate that four women were shot and killed as they ran after male family members rounded up by security. International media report that one of the women was 25 years old. Baniyas has been allegedly surrounded by tanks for more than a month. 
 
The same day, local media put forth gruesome pictures of wounded and dead members of Syrian security forces, all of whom had allegedly come under attack in Homs during Friday’s unrest. Late in the day, a group of individuals deemed terrorists by Syrian authorities, set fire to the Hama Governorate. According to the Hama Police Command, 400 protestors entered the Governorate Square to demonstrate. However, armed terrorists among them began waging attacks against police booths starting a number of fires and shooting guns in an effort to scare locals.  
 
Cities Under Siege, Protests Continue 
On Sunday all reports indicate that Homs, Syria’s third largest city and the industrial hub of the country, was under heavy military siege. International reports allege that residents of the city woke up in the morning to the sound of gunfire and explosions that reportedly continued throughout the day. Some sources indicated that an all-girls school in the city was converted into a make-shift detention centre. Reports of fatalities during the day are murky, though international media report that a 12-year-old boy was shot and killed during the day’s violence as well as a number of Syrian security personnel. 
 
State media indicates that ten workers (their professions were not disclosed) returning to Syria from Lebanon were also shot and killed by terrorists at close range in Homs. Another three were injured. SANA released graphic images of the scene of the alleged attack, indicating the individuals came under heavy gunfire.
 
Meanwhile, the coastal city of Baniyas remained under siege. The city, with a population of an estimated 50,000, is at present largely cut off from the outside world. Local media report that Syrian military forces are still in pursuit of armed gangs and terrorists in a number of cities across the country.
 
On Monday, mass arrests were again carried out in four areas: Baniyas, Homs, the suburbs of Damascus, and the villages surrounding Daraa. Maadamiyeh, a Damascus suburb, was reportedly cut off from the outside world, with cuts to electricity, phone lines and water. An estimated 250 were also detained in Baniyas. 
 
The following day, hundreds of protestors again took to the streets in Homs as well as in Baniyas, where an estimated 500 people have reportedly been arrested since Saturday. Other reports suggest that military operations were likewise still underway in said cities, as well as in the northern city of Deir ez-Zor. Reports also indicated that there were fresh military operations in Daraa. 
 
Many sources are indicating that activists around the country are increasingly taking their efforts entirely underground. Whereas in Egypt and Tunisia, such individuals came to the fore and played key roles in shaping the outcome of the revolts, in Syria there is little chance for such people to come forward. Amnesty International recently released an assessment of the situation in Syria, suggesting that human rights activists in the country have also been forced into hiding.
 
Rami Makhlouf 
Rami Makhlouf, one of Syria’s most prominent business tycoons, did a three hour interview with The New York Times on Monday offering a rare window into Syrian government’s view of the country’s unrest. According to Makhlouf, the government sees unrest in Syria as fraught with the potential for civil war. As Maklouf put it, “nobody can guarantee what will happen after, God forbid, anything happens to this regime.” He went on to say, “The decision of the government now is that they decided to fight”. Makhlouf is a first cousin of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the two have been friends since childhood.
 
Makhlouf explained that recent tumult in the country has only fortified relationships within their family and the upper levels of the government, “We believe there is no continuity without unity…As a person, each one of us knows we cannot continue without staying united together”.
 
Makhlouf is the owner of Syria’s largest cellphone company and is largely reviled in Syria – offices of his company were indeed burned at the start of the unrest in Daraa back in March. Makhlouf was subject to US sanctions back in 2008 and has now been targeted by EU sanctions – a move he attributes to his role as the President’s cousin.
 
As Makhlouf sees it, economic reform is a principle concern for Syrians. He explained, “We have to ask for economic reform before speaking about political reform”. On the matter of reform he continued, “But if there is some delay, it’s not the end of the world.”
 
Maklouf agrees with the oft repeated government assessment, that the most probable alternative to the current government is rule by Salafists – radical Islamists. But as he sees it, “People will fight against them. Do you know what this means? It means catastrophe. And we have a lot of fighters.”
 
Further Reading:
 
“Syria’s Unrest: What the Arab Papers Say” in The Economist – a summary of the most significant perspectives published in Arab dailies. 

“The Revolution Will Be YouTubed: Syria’s Video Rebels” in Time – a report on the efforts of Syrian activists to film the unrest in the country. 

“Truth and Reconciliation? It Won’t Happen in Syria” in The Independent – a bleak assessment of Syria’s prospects for spiraling into civil war.

“Syria Arrests Spurs Exiles to Act” in The Wall Street Journal – an article covering the efforts of exiled Syrian dissidents to plan an organizational meeting in Cairo later in May.

“Young Protestor Sees Civil War Emerging in Syria” – in The Christian Science Monitor –  an interview with a young member of Syria’s protest movement reveals expectations of civil war. 
 
“A Multifaceted Response to Syria’s Brutality” –  by Project on Middle East Democracy – a brief calling into question Western hopes that the Syrian government will reform and providing background on Syria’s prospects for democracy and the significance of its military in the current unrest. The brief concludes with a number of policy recommendations.
 
“Syria’s Facebook Wars” – in Fast Company – Cyber warfare comes to Facebook. An article about how Facebook shut down the Syrian military’s official page and soon after, Syrian Facebook users were subject to a security certificate forging scam allegedly carried out by the Syrian government. 
 
Politics & Diplomacy
 
EU Sanctions
The EU announced on Friday that it will impose sanctions on 13 Syrian government officials. Targeted officials will face asset freezes as well as a travel bans to the EU. The sanctions package is currently waiting approval by the 27 heads of EU governments. As with the sanctions imposed by the US against key Syrian figures, the EU sanctions do not target President Assad – a move deemed controversial by many. EU officials came forward with the names of the 13 Syrian figures against whom the Union will impose sanctions on Tuesday May 10. 
 
The EU’s decision was strongly encouraged by UK Foreign Secretary William Hague who has pushed for it to move beyond the arms embargo it imposed against the country over a week ago. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has likewise been vocal with regard to the situation in Syria, pushing for the international community to impose “the most severe sanctions” against the government.  
 
US Stance
In an interview with an Italian journalist on an official trip to Rome, US Secretary of State Clinton stated that, “There are deep concerns about what is going on inside Syria, and we are pushing hard for the government of Syria to live up to its own stated commitment to reforms.” She continued, “What I do know is that they have an opportunity still to bring about a reform agenda.” Clinton’s statements prompted intense criticism of the US’s handling of the situation in Syria, as many find its relative quiet on the turmoil hypocritical. Clinton has consistently maintained that she believes the government is able and willing to enact reforms – particularly President Assad. Given the state and nature of the unrest in Syria, however, many in the international community question the accuracy of such assessments. 
 
Meanwhile, in a statement on Friday US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said, “through our Ambassador [Ford], we continue to press the Syrian government to cease violence in carrying out violence against innocent citizens who are simply demonstrating and trying to state their aspirations for a more democratic future for Syria and are being met with…arbitrary arrests and violence.”
 
The crisis in Syria puts the US government in a profoundly awkward position. Obama has made engagement with the Syrian government principle among his foreign policy strategies, making a number of key moves to open up dialogue between the two countries. The Obama Administration views Syria as a key player in any efforts to advance the Middle East peace process. If Syria and Israel resolve the issue of the Golan Heights – a matter that has effectively left the two in a suspended state of war for decades – then the US believes Syria will loosen its alleged alliances with Hezbollah, Hamas and perhaps Iran. However, the unrest in Syria threatens to throw the entire region into conflict and the US maintains that it has minimal political leverage over Syria. Any failure in Obama’s policy of engagement, plays into the hands of his conservative opponents who along with his predecessor George W. Bush, maintain that engagement with Syria is an exercise in futility. 
 
Turkey
On Monday, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan came forward with a harsh statement about the violence in Syria. “It’s never right for a government to fire bullets on its people, because it’s not an armed group you’re firing at… it’s just people in this case,” he said to a Turkish news agency. Erdogan went on to state that more than 1,000 civilians had died in the country’s recent unrest and warned that he did not want to see the 1982 massacre in Hama repeated again. 
 
UN Human Rights Council
The controversy over Syria’s bid for a seat on the UN’s Human Rights Council reached a peak early this week, after which a number of reports indicated that it might withdraw its bid to be replaced by Kuwait. An unnamed diplomat indicated that Syria would not succeed in getting the votes required to win the seat. Kuwait has also apparently expressed willingness to vie for it. The UN General Assembly, currently comprised of 192 governments, must elect 15 new members to the Council which consists of 47 nations. Council terms run three years.  Four of the seats in the current running go to states on the Asian continent, and Syria was endorsed in January as one among them. Indian and Egyptian ambassadors indicated last week that the Syrian envoy was advised to withdraw its candidacy and as Indian Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri explained, “I think they realize they have to step out.”
 
Iran
The unrest in Syria has also put Iran’s foreign policy under severe strain. Iranian foreign policy is largely dependent on external assets and Syria is central among them, courtesy of its willingness to provide political and military support to Hezbollah. As it a result, Syria serves as Iran’s principle path toward playing a role in the Arab-Israeli conflict and if the turmoil in Syria worsens and leads to all-out civil war, or a serious change of government, Iran would likely lose the strategic access that Syria provides it. As Iran considers itself a champion of the oppressed, a reality that overlooks its stance towards its suppression of its own democracy movement, it has ironically found itself on the same side as the West in supporting the revolutions rampant across the Middle East. It has likewise stammered to respond to the crisis in Syria – a development that has left many pointing to the hypocrisy latent within its foreign policy. 
 
On Tuesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came forward with a statement indicating that Syria has the resources to resolve its “problem” in the absence of foreign intervention. As he explained, “The government and the people of Syria have reached a level of maturity to solve their own problems by themselves and there is no need for foreign intervention.”
 
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast also stated on Tuesday that “We in no way accept violent confrontation and crackdowns against those who express their demands peacefully.” He accused the international press of exaggerating a “limited [opposition] movement”. Iran stands accused by the US of aiding the Syrian government in its management of the unrest – an allegation that at present, remains unsubstantiated. 
 
Economic Development & Trade
 
On Sunday, May 8 the Exhibition of Iranian Goods and Products opened in Damascus. The exhibition featured over 120 Iranian companies and aimed to help forge partnerships between Iranian and Syrian companies. Syrian Minister of Industry Adnan Salakho said in a statement on Sunday, that it is important for Syria to benefit from Iranian expertise and experience while the chairman of the Syrian-Iranian Business Council Hasan Jawad, indicated that the Council will maintain a permanent exhibition of Iranian goods in Syria while his counterparts will do the same in Iran. Both sides hope to spur increased investment opportunities.
 
Telecom
 
Saudi Telecom Co 7010.SE (STC) expects to win Syria’s third mobile license. According to the carrier’s CEO Saud al-Daweesh, the company is still waiting to hear when the bidding will begin. However, the company is “very optimistic” because it will “connect Syria with the rest of” its portfolio, which is between 70 and 80 percent of the Muslim world, said Daweesh. 
 
Energy
 
Syria, Iran and Iraq will soon sign a contract that will enable Iran to export natural gas throughout the Mediterranean region. A senior Iranian official announced on Tuesday May 10, that a trilateral agreement had been reached. Natural gas will be transited from Iran’s South Pars field through Iraq, Syria, and then Lebanon and the Mediterranean – eventually making its way to Europe. A total of USD 6bn is required to complete the construction of the pipeline, which will have the capacity to transfer 110m cubic metres a day. 
 
Tourism & Hospitality
 
The tourism industry throughout the Middle East has suffered huge losses since the outbreak of revolutionary unrest in the region early this year. Syria is no exception. The violence and turmoil that have shaken many cities across the country since mid-March, have left prospective tourists wary of Syria’s security environment. Tourism accounts for an estimated 14 percent of Syria’s GDP and the number of tourists visiting the country annualy since 2004 has increased by 40 percent – up to 8m a year. Before the onslaught of unrest here, tourist numbers had already increased in the first two months of the year by 9 percent compared to 2010. Ziad Balkhi of the Syrian Ministry of Tourism, said of the issue in a recent interview, “Yes, we have been affected, but this will all be solved in the very near future…We see too much propaganda about the situation in Syria – the government has responded to legitimate demands of the people.”
 
The Dubai-based hotel management company, Rotana, has seen “a complete reduction in occupancy” in its properties in Syria. Rotana has two hotels in the country that are struggling with the steep decline in tourist travel to the country. Rotana’s projects in Libya has been delayed due to the onslaught of war there. Meanwhile, it plans to open six new hotels in the United Arab Emirates. In total, it operates 42 hotels across the region and has another 30 properties in various stages of development. 
 
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Plc (MLC), has stopped all its projects in both Syria and Libya due to security issues. The company operates over 120 hotels worldwide. 

May 4, 2011 – Syria in The News: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

Following the deaths of an estimated 73 people in after-prayers protests on Friday, and in the face of heightened international condemnation of the violence here, the Syrian government has adopted a different approach to quelling the country’s unrest: mass arrests. Activists now estimate more than 1,000 people have been arrested across the country in the last few days, while the death toll since the inception of the unrest on March 15 is now estimated at 632.

On Wednesday April 27, additional troops and tanks were deployed to the southern city of Daraa. The same day, 233 members of the Baath Party resigned from their positions in protest against the use of violence against civilians in Daraa. As those who resigned were all relatively low-ranking members and the Baath Party membership is thought to total an estimated 2 million, their move was more symbolic than influential.

On Thursday, international media reported that hundreds of Syrians were fleeing the threat of violence and crossing the border into Lebanon. According to local media, however, the flight scenes were staged by international media.
 
On Friday the ‘day of rage,’ the country erupted in protests that were again met with force. International estimates now put the day’s death toll at 73. Protests were largest in Qadam just outside of Damascus, Homs, Daraa, Rustun, and Lattakia, but stretched across the country and, according to international media, included over forty cities and villages. Protests were also reportedly attempted in the capital Damascus though the turnout was small and demonstrators were quickly dispersed. Syrian protestors have largely stepped up their demands – some going beyond calls for reform, to instead push for the downfall of the government.
 
Nine members of Syrian security forces were also reportedly killed during the day’s events and state-run news indicates that 156 people were detained in and around Daraa – all accused of criminal or terrorist activities. 
 
On Friday, reports also emerged of more Syrians fleeing the violence and crossing into neighboring countries – including 243 who sought refuge in Turkey. Turkish officials are deeply concerned about the possibility of a mass exodus of Syrians from the country into Turkey. See here for a detailed assessment of the Turkish stance on the issue. 
 
Saturday morning brought more violence as soldiers stormed Daraa’s historic Omari mosque held by protestors. According to international media, four people were killed in the ensuing violence – including Osama Ayman, the son of the imam, Sheik Ahmad Sayasna. A woman and her two daughters were also killed when their home was struck during the attack which lasted 90 minutes. Just before the assault on Omari began, 20 armored vehicles, four tanks, and heavily armed troops waged an attack on the city.  International sources report that Daraa has been without running water, electricity or phone services since Monday April 25. Local media continue to strongly deny such claims. 
 
Funerals for protestors killed on Friday were also held across the country on Saturday. Tensions and anger continue to rise in conjunction with the death toll.
 
On Sunday May 1, Syrian military and security forces continued to carry out operations in Daraa and hundreds were reportedly arrested in home raids intended to capture “armed terrorist groups” – according to local media. Reports suggest that 30 people were killed in the city in the crackdown over the weekend. State media also reported that 149 people were arrested in Daraa by security forces “hunting those groups which have been terrorizing citizens”.
 
Sunday evening, Syria’s Interior Ministry issued a statement calling  “upon citizens who were misled into participation in or committing acts punishable by law including carrying weapons, disrupting security…to turn themselves in and hand over their weapons”. It continued, “those who turn themselves in will be exempted from punishment”.
 
On Monday, there were attempts by small groups of women to stage protests in Arnous Square in Damascus and in Kharbet Ghazal, a village just east of Daraa. 
 
Al Jazeera also came forward with information indicating that one of its journalists, Dorothy Parvaz, has been missing since her arrival in Damascus on Friday April 29. 
 
Early in the week, further arrests were also carried out in Daraa as well as across the country. International media report that mass arrests reflect the government’s new, less terminal approach to quelling the protest movement. Local media continue to assert that the government is detaining armed terrorists. Activists maintain that more than 1,000 have been arrested in recent days and perhaps more than 8,000 have been arrested since March 15. For a report by rights group Insan on arrests and detentions throughout the country, see here.
 
The city of Baniyas was also surrounded by security forces on Tuesday with international reports suggesting the northern and southern entrances to the city were blocked off. 
 
Nevertheless, reports from both international and local media suggest that the unrest and violence across the country has somewhat calmed or reached a stalemate over the last few days – a development that has led the Syrian Stock Exchange to rise for the first time in weeks.
 
For a detailed timeline of all major events in Syria over the last eight days, see here. 
 
Further reading:
 
“More Heat Than Light: The Complexities of Syria’s Violence” – by ‘Anna Haq’ (a pen name for a Syrian writer) – an op-ed that captures the contradictions present in international and local reportage on the unrest in Syria as well as the negative impact of the absence of a free press in the country. 
 
“Talking About a Revolution: An Interview with Camille Otrakji” – in Qifa Nabki (a Lebanese political blog) – an interview with Camille Otrakji, a Syrian writer based in Montreal who is an author and moderator for Joshua Landis’s Syria Comment as well as the founder of Creative Syria. Otrakji puts forth a view of the recent unrest and violence in Syria that is rarely captured by international op-eds and reportage. 
 
“How’s That Syria Engagement Policy Working Out, Mr. President?” – in The Washington Post, an article capturing the anti-Bashar sentiments of the American far right. 
 
“Six Syrians Who Helped Bashar al-Assad Keep Iron Grip After Father’s Death” – in The Guardian, profiles of the country’s key political, military and business figures.
 
“How Syria and Libya Compare: Why Intervene in Libya but Not in Syria?” – another article from The Guardian,  this one draws comparison between the leadership, GDPs, oil exports, FDI and military spending of Libya and Syria. 
 
“Hezbollah’s Most Serious Challenge” – in Foreign Policy – an assessment of how regime change in Syria would impact Hezbollah and how the group likely does or should think about Syria’s protest movement.
 
Politics & Diplomacy:
 
On Wednesday April 27, governments across Europe summoned Syrian ambassadors in a collective effort to express their condemnation of Syria’s violent suppression of the protest movement. Though much of the international community has been extremely vocal in its statements against the violence in Syria, there continues to be no consensus regarding how best to deal with the Syrian government. The UN Security Council (UNSC) met a number of times last week in an effort to put forth a formal response to the turmoil but hit a roadblock when Russia and China came out in opposition to any statement condemning the actions of the government. In a statement Russian Deputy Ambassador Alexander Pankin argued that recent events in Syria do “not present a threat to international peace and security”.
 
On Thursday, three key US Senators, Joe Lieberman (CT-ID), John McCain (AZ-R), and Lindsey Graham (SC-R), also came forward with a statement in condemnation of the violence and to intensify pressure against US President Barack Obama to “state unequivocally” that Assad must “go”.
 
On Friday, EU diplomats met in Brussels and agreed to impose an arms embargo on Syria. However, they did not reach a consensus on the issue of freezing the assets of, or placing a travel ban on, key Syrian officials. The logistics of the embargo, will begin to be coordinated on Monday May 2. EU officials anticipate having the measures in place by May 23. The Union’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in an official statement that the EU will “urgently consider further appropriate and targeted measures with the aim of achieving an immediate change of policy by the Syrian leadership.” Cyprus was apparently at the center to the EU’s failure to agree on an asset freeze, as it remains opposed to such measures. 
 
Members of the UN Human Rights Council also voted to “urgently dispatch a mission” to Syria to investigate the killings of unarmed civilians, among a host of other alleged grave crimes. The Council, based in Geneva, voted with 26 countries in favor of the move, and nine others against it, including Syrian allies Russia and China. Seven other countries abstained, while five were notably absent – including Qatar, Jordan, and Bahrain.
 
The US also officially imposed sanctions against key Syrian officials on Friday, through an executive order. Officials and organizations named thus far include: Maher al-Assad (brother of President Assad, and a brigade commander in the army’s 4th Armored Division); Atif Najib (cousin of President Assad and former head of the Political Security Directorate (PSD) in Daraa); Ali Mamluk (director of the  General Intelligence Directorate (GID); Syrian GID (the country’s central civilian intelligence service), and; Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF).  
 
The US continues to insist that Iran is supporting the Syrian government in its efforts to quell the protest movement. US sanctions against the Quds Force is no doubt the most controversial aspect of its move, as the government has not put forward any evidence of Iranian involvement in the current situation here in Syria. 
 
Over the weekend, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu expressed strong concern about a possible Syrian refugee crisis on Turkey’s border whilst also discouraging any international consideration of a military intervention in Syria, noting that it would cause complex problems. Turkey has set up tents to host the estimated 250 Syrians who fled into Turkey over the weekend. 
 
According to a number of analysts, the turmoil in Syria could also have a serious impact on Hezbollah and Arab governments are coming under increasing pressure to take a stand against the violence in Syria. Though the Arab League is scheduled to meet on Thursday, the issue of the unrest in Syria is not on the agenda. The Arab League played a critically important role in securing an international response to the crisis in Libya. Yet, as the situation in Syria is more complex and destined to have far-reaching effects throughout the region, Arab states remain hesitant to weigh in. There is also concern that violence in Syria could spark turmoil and instability in Lebanon.
 
On Monday May 2, President Assad met with the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, to discuss unrest throughout the region as well as Syria’s efforts to enact reform. A number of leaders in the region also expressed their continued support for the Government.
 
Economic Development & Trade
 
The hedge-fund manager of New York-based Traxis Partners LP, Barton Biggs, said in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “In Business with Pimm Fox” on April 29, that he will not invest in Syria until there is a change in government. Biggs is a former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asset Management. He travelled to Syria in 2009 and met with President Assad. He said that he was “very impressed” with the President and equally disappointed that the potential for increased foreign investment in the country has remained largely untapped. According to Biggs, he and President Assad “talked specifically about a sovereign-debt issue, a private-equity fund”. He went on to say that “Syria’s financial position is very strong. They have very little sovereign debt outstanding, at least in 2010. They have a public-sector surplus. Everything could have happened. There was a very favorable response from investors.”
 
On Monday May 2, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Wordwide Inc. announced plans to open 41 new hotels over the next three years in locations across North Africa and the Middle East. Starwood is the third-largest such company in the US and manages 63 properties across the region. The company will open new properties in Syria – as well as in Egypt and Jordan. President of the company’s Africa, Middle East and Europe division, Roeland Vos, said in a statement at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference in Dubai, “We’re in a cyclical business and things like what happened in Japan and the Middle East haven’t changed the way we think…We still see tremendous growth in the region.”
 
On Tuesday, according to international sources the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) decided to postpone a $38m plan over five years to support Syrian development initiatives. However, local media claim that such reports are false and that all UNDP plans and programs remain in place.
 
Energy
 
On Sunday May 3, Syria’s state-tun oil company, Syrtol, lowered its official selling price of Souedie crude (or Syrian Heavy) by $2.40 a barrel for May. Souedie crude is now to be priced at $13 a barrel lower than the Dated Brent benchmark – this compared with $10.60 for April. 
 
Transport 
 
Unrest in Syria is beginning to impact transport services between the country and neighboring Jordan. The border near Ramtha recently closed, bringing associated transport services to a near halt.  According to a number of transport offices in Amman, Jordan, there has been a 95 percent decline in services originating in Jordan. The southern city of Daraa has been the scene of the most severe violence in the country – and it also serves as the main entry point to Syria from Jordan. Ordinarily, about 30 cars a day shuttle passengers between the two countries. At present, that number has been reduced to three. 

April 27, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

Violence and turmoil in Syria reached critical levels on Friday and Saturday, with over 120 killed in the demonstrations. Troops and tanks were deployed to Daraa early this week in an effort to snuff out the city’s unrest and international condemnation of the events here has taken on new dimensions, with the International Committee of Jurists pushing for members of the Syrian government to be brought before the UN’s International Criminal Court and the US moving forward with legislation to freeze the assets of, and impose targeted sanctions against, government officials. Activists estimate that 453 civilians have been killed in Syria since March 15.

 
Though the government has made significant concessions to the Syrian protest movement – chief among them, the lifting the state of emergency, abolishing the State Security Court, and granting hundreds of thousand of Kurds citizenship rights – all have been followed up with the use of force against the protestors out on the streets.
 
On Wednesday April 20, Homs was once again overtaken by protestors undeterred by the heavy presence of security throughout the city. The same day in Baniyas, a major flashpoint the week before, the chief of security police Amjad Abbas was sacked amid allegations that he brutally beat a villager in the neighboring town of Bayda.
 
On Thursday April 21, President Bashar al-Assad officially lifted the State of Emergency. The move prompted more cynicism on the part of analysts, activists, and governments, however, with some noting that concessions on the part of a government such as Syria’s are a sign of weakness, and others maintaining that there is much more to be done.  
 
After-prayers protests on Friday drew the largest crowds yet, as Syrians came out by the thousands to join demonstrations across the country. The crackdown against protestors on Friday was severe, with international reports putting the day’s death toll at over 100. 
 
Importantly, no major city in Syria was left untouched by the demonstrations and countless towns and villages were also shaken by the unrest. Homs and Izraa, a village not far from Daraa, saw the worst of the violence with more than twenty protesters dying in each. Local media reported that the violence in Izraa occurred when a group of people, some of them armed, drove cars and bikes to the Izraa Directorate where they assaulted its guards with rocks and firearms. According to the same sources, Syrian military personnel responded to the attackers and returned fire. Soon after, “masked individuals” in a civilian car opened fired which led to killing eight people and wounding 28 – military personnel and civilians among them. Government sources explained the violence throughout the day as the work of armed, criminal groups that were carrying mobile phones using non-Syrian SIM cards…and digital cameras containing short fabricated videos depicting acts of violence and fake repression of protests.
 
International media reports of the day’s events remain consistent with those of previous weeks, suggesting that peaceful and unarmed protestors were fired upon by security forces using live ammunition. It was the worst day of violence in the country since the inception of the unrest on March 15. 
 
On Saturday, thousands came out to participate in funerals around the country for those killed the day before. The day was incredibly tense with a number of the funeral processions quickly becoming anti-government demonstrations. International media reports that 12 people were shot and killed during the processions. Four people were reportedly killed in Douma, a suburb of Damascus, and another five in Izraa. A number of people from Daraa were seriously injured when they attempted to join funeral processions in Izraa.
 
 
Two Syrian MPs, Khalil Al Rifai and Nasser Al Hariri, resigned on Saturday in response to the weekend’s violence. The officials stated that they felt compelled to resign as they were not able to protect the people whom they represented.
 
Meanwhile, President Assad swore in Abdulqader Mohammad al-Sheikh as the new governor of governorate of Lattakia while reports emerged indicating that  more demonstrations were carried out throughout the day. In Aleppo, 100 activists gathered in protest, though they were quickly dispersed by security forces.
 
The government again blamed the violence over the weekend on anonymous armed groups. It also came forward with a statement on Saturday indicating that 286 members of the country’s security forces have been injured in the unrest since March 15 – including 38 injured over the weekend.
 
On Sunday, Mohammad Saiid Ramadan al-Bouti, a religious scholar, made a statement on Syrian TV suggesting that “infiltrators” are using the “gatherings” around the country for “their own ends” and that there are individuals who are “violating the instructions of security agencies and the state.”
 
Severe violence against protestors continued across the country on Monday and Tuesday as Syrian security forces reportedly launched an attack on Daraa, with tanks moving in to support military forces. Local media stated that the decision to deploy armed forces to the city was in response to the calls for help from the citizens of Daraa and their appeal to the Armed Forces…”to intervene and put an end to the operations of killings”. State-run sources indicate the move was one intended to “restore tranquility, security and normal life” to the city’s inhabitants, while international media report that on Monday and Tuesday the city was under siege with disturbing numbers of citizens “massacred“. 
 
On Monday, in the Damascus suburb of Douma, international reports also suggest that protestors were again under fire. Security forces stormed the city early in the morning. Reportedly, there were also mass arrests of protestors.
 
Military forces were deployed to Baniyas on Tuesday as local protestors called for the “overthrow of the regime“. The same day, Mahmoud Issa, a well-known member of the Syrian opposition, was sent to a military court to be tried on charges of owning a satellite phone. Dissidents around the country are accused of using such phones to organize protests and leak information to the international media. 
 
Security forces are reported to have raided homes across the country on Monday and Tuesday, arresting large numbers of suspected dissidents. 
 
On Tuesday, local media also came forward with the confession of Mustafa bin Yousef Khalifa Aiyash, a young man arrested in Daraa and accused of being a member of an extremist terrorist cell. SANA has also increased the number of officers injured in unrest around the country since March 15 to 295 and made further statements regarding the military’s efforts to root out “terrorists” in Daraa. 
 
Reports have also emerged suggesting that doctors in Douma who are treating wounded protestors, are being arrested. The same reports also maintain that hospitals in the city are encouraging protestors not to come for treatment unless they are severely wounded as many protestors are allegedly being arrested by the police upon arrival.
 
Today, April 27, international media are reporting that more tanks and troops have been deployed to Daraa and that gunfire and explosions can be heard from the besieged city. 
 
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 453 civilians have been killed in Syria since the start of the protests on March 15. 
 
Further Reading:
 
“Tanks Signal Beginning of End for Assad” – Financial Times – an op-ed arguing that the decision to use heavy military force against civilians is a ‘path of no return’.
 
“Young Syrians Conspire Covertly to Confound Police” Reuters – an account of the difficulties encountered by Syrians attempting to organize demonstrations and activism. 
 
“Syria Protests: Is There a Peaceful Path to Democracy?” – Christian Science Monitor – an op-ed on the prospects of pushing forward with reform without sparking a civil war and the use of international mediators to reduce tensions. 
 
“How Schoolboys Began the Syrian Revolution” – CBS – background on the young boys whose arrests in Daraa for writing anti-government slurs on a wall almost two months ago, catalyzed the unrest now dominating the country.
 
“Syrian Winter: Assad Shoots Democracy Advocates” –  The Chicago Tribune – an assessment of the situation in Syria and perceptions of the legitimacy of the Syrian government, coupled with a review of US foreign policy toward the country. 
 
“The Freedom Movement Comes to Syria” – Wall Street Journal – analysis of the regional impact of Syria’s political system and the manner in which it influenced Egypt and Libya.
 
“The West’s Double Standards Over Syria” – Sky News – a scathing critique of the West’s failure to go beyond harsh language in its response to the situation in Syria.
 
“Syrian Revolution No Longer About Reform But al-Assad’s Job” – Media Line – analysis of the impact of extreme violence over the weekend on perceptions of the legitimacy of the government.
 
“Exiles Shaping World’s Image of Syria Revolt” – New York Times – account of how Syrians in exile are working to help activists within the country to transmit information and videos of events to the international media.
 
“No Humanity Left in Syria” – Al Jazeera – an eyewitness account by reporter Cal Perry of mass shootings of unarmed civilians outside of Daraa.
 
“The Epic Battle Reaches Syria” – Daily Star – an assessment of the protest movement and the strength and viability of the Syrian government amid increasing unrest. 
 
“Obama’s Syria Bind” – Time – an assessment of the potential for US action in Syria. 
 
“Weekly Standard: Syrian Crimes Against Humanity” – NPR – an assessment of the violence in Syria and the potential role of the ICC in bringing Syrian officials to account. 
 

Politics & Diplomacy

International condemnation of the use of lethal force against Syrian protestors has reached new heights. On Sunday April 24, the International Committee of Jurists (ICJ) released a statement calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and members of his government to be held to account for the extreme use of violence against protestors over Easter weekend. The statement maintains that those who have ordered and carried out violence against protestors, “must be held criminally accountable”. The ICJ is calling for Syria’s referral to the UN Security Council (UNSC), because it finds that there is “enough evidence suggesting mass killings now” and the “Security Council must assess the magnitude of human rights violations.” 
 
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch (HRW), has also stepped up its condemnation of the events in Syria to urge the international community to “impose sanctions on Syrian officials who bear responsibility for the use of lethal force against peaceful protestors and the arbitrary detention and torture of hundreds of protestors”. 
 
In an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Marr on the same day, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague described the killings of more than 100 protestors over the weekend as “completely unacceptable behavior” and expressed grave concern about the deterioration of the country’s security environment. 
 
US Senators on both sides of the political spectrum also came forward on Sunday to urge stronger support for opposition parties in Syria – short of military action. 
 
The Obama administration is apparently in the midst of drafting an executive order that will give the US President the power to freeze the assets of senior Syrian officials. The order would also enable Obama to ban said officials from all business dealings in the US. Syrian officials, however, have limited financial holdings in the US. The US imposed unilateral trade sanctions against Syria under the Bush administration in 2004. The sanctions barred nearly all exports/imports between Damascus and Washington. Though Obama has pushed for a thawing of tensions between Syria and the US and increased diplomatic engagement between the two, the violent suppression of Syria’s protest movement renders his gestures politically untenable.
 
European officials are now considering imposing sanctions against the Syrian government. Further, breaking news indicates that European leaders have summoned Syrian ambassadors across Europe in an effort to condemn the violence. UK Foreign Secretary Hague has also come forward to state that it is not too late for the Syrian government “to do the right thing” by pushing forward with serious reform and ending the use of lethal force against unarmed civilians. 
 
In a highly significant move, Turkey has now also joined the EU and US to condemn the extreme use of violence against protestors over the weekend. Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood has also made pronouncements against the killings. 
 
Meanwhile, a number of countries continue to express their firm backing of the Syrian government, Venezuela and Lebanon (see also here), among them.
 
A great deal of commentary has also emerged regarding the impact of turmoil in Syria on Iran’s stability as well as on the Iranian democracy movement.
 
The UK, the US, Australia, Germany, Italy, South Korea and the Philippines, among many others, have all revised their respective travel warning for Syria to advise against all travel to the country and encourage their citizens to leave immediately. 
 

Economic Development & Agriculture

On Thursday, April 21 the Syrian government announced that it is postponing the auctioning of a third mobile license in the country scheduled for this week. While analysts maintain that the decision was based on concern for growing unrest in the country, the official announcement simply indicated that some members of the supervisory committee were a part of the old government and are therefore no longer on the committee. The only telcos in the running were Qatar Telecom and Saudi Telecom.
 
On Saturday, Syrian Prime Minister Dr. Adel Safar held a meeting with the Chairman of the Executive Council of the Arab Center for Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), Fahd bin Abdulrahman Balghunaim and the Saudi Minister of Agriculture as part if the 32nd session of ACSAD in Damascus. They discussed the need to further inter-Arab cooperation on research and expertise in food security. 
 
Culture
 
On April 21, Scottish organizers of Reel Festivals 2011, a famous international cultural and film festival, announced that the festival events planned for Damascus next month have been cancelled. 

April 20, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

In the last eight days, the security environment in Syria has taken a significant turn for the worse. After-prayers protests last Friday were reported by some to have reached their largest numbers since the inception of unrest in Syria on March 15. Though there were few reports of violence on Friday, there were grave reports of violence Sunday through Tuesday – irregardless of President Bashar al-Assad’s conciliatory address to the cabinet on Saturday April 16.  

The President has made gestures in the way of reform, however, it remains to be seen if both proposed reforms and those that have already been implemented, will bring about changes compelling enough to satisfy the country’s growing protest movement. 

On Wednesday April 13, a three-page document dated March 23, 2011 reportedly issued by a Syrian intelligence agency, was leaked to the international media. The document detailed the government’s alleged strategy for dealing with the protest movement and given its highly grim nature, it was the subject of considerable international attention. However, no source has been able to verify its authenticity. For more details, see here. 

That day, the protest movement reached a critical turning point as hundreds of women from the town of Bayda – perhaps even thousands – took over a highway not far from the neighboring city of Baniyas, to protest against the mass arrests of men from their town – 350 of whom were detained on Tuesday. The scene was utterly unprecedented in Syria. The protest movement also reached Aleppo that day – another first. 

On Thursday, state media announced that all those detained since March 15, save for those guilty of committing “criminal acts”, will be released from prison. Newly appointed Syrian Prime Minister Adel Safar also announced the members of the new government that day, which saw the loss of Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Abdullah al-Dardari. This was a major blow to those encouraged by Syria’s recent economic reforms. Indeed, Dardari’s name had become synonymous with economic reform, which according to his plans, included efforts to eliminate key subsidies. However unfortunate, it is unsurprising that he was removed from his position – his path of reform, was hard for many to swallow. For The Syria Report’s detailed analysis of all recent changes in the government see here, here and here. 

Thursday’s announcements of reform were interpreted by many, as an effort to appease protestors in advance of Friday’s planned demonstrations. However, the country nevertheless erupted in protests again on Friday – with a number of reports suggesting that they were the largest yet. In Douma, a Damascus suburb, protestors apparently held up yellow cards – a warning for the government inspired by football. Some international sources report that 100,000 demonstrated in the neighborhoods surrounding Damascus only to be dispersed by security forces as they approached the capital’s Abbassiyen Square, while another estimated 20,000 took to the streets in Daraa, where security forces apparently were ordered not to intervene. 

However, a number of other reputable sources put the numbers of protestors out across the country at significantly lower numbers – figures which are likely more accurate. According to those sources, 3,000 people marched in Daraa; 5,000 in Qamishli in the northeast; 4,500 in Raas al-Ayn, Amuda and Derbassiye – three Kurdish neighborhoods near Qamishli; 1,000 in Lattakia; 4,000 in Homs; 50 in Barz – an area near Damascus, and; 2,000 in Jobar just outside of Damascus. The day was largely free from violence, however, state media reported that a policeman was killed by protestors in Homs. 

Signs of hope following the President’s address to his newly sworn-in cabinet on Saturday, were abruptly stifled as protestors took to the streets around the country in the days after his speech – a full transcript of which, can be found here. More conciliatory than his March 30 speech, the President announced that the 1963 emergency law would be lifted in the coming week, declared the hundreds who have died here during recent unrest martyrs, and noted that corruption and unemployment are among the country’s biggest issues going forward.

Sunday was Independence Day, a national holiday that commemorates the departure of French forces from Syria 65 years ago, and protestors took to the streets in droves. Homs, Syria’s third largest city, was the scene of serious violence. According to international media, about 40 protestors gathered outside of the city’s Bab al-Sibaa mosque to call for “freedom” only to be surrounded by seven cars full of men dressed in street clothes. The men open fired on the protestors, killing between 12 and 25. The town of Talbisa, near to Homs, also saw the deaths of five protestors that day and according to local news, 11 policemen and members of security forces were injured. 

The same sources, however, attribute the violence to “a group of armed criminals”. The sources also report that armed groups also began “terrorizing innocent civilians” and “cutting off public roads” near the town. A military unit was apparently deployed to the scene and more violence ensued, resulting in the killing of “three members of the armed groups”, the wounding of another 15, and the injuring of five army personnel. International media attributes all such violence to the efforts of security forces to quell demonstrations. 

International media report that the unrest in Homs was sparked by the arresting of Sheikh Baddar Abu Moussa on Friday while he participated in demonstrations in Homs.  Sheikh Abu Moussa was killed while in police custody, with most sources reporting torture as the cause. 

On Monday, an estimated 5,000 took over Al-Saa Square in Homs, following mass funerals for the people killed the day before. The demonstrators allegedly set up checkpoints around the area in an effort to ensure that those entering were unarmed. International media reports that the demonstrators referred to the area “Tahrir Square” throughout the day – a reference to the square in Cairo that became the home of the protest movement that eventually ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Security forces used loudspeakers to order the protestors to leave – eventually setting a curfew of 2:30am. However, according to some sources, gunfire could be heard at the square beginning at 2:15am. International media estimate that between five and 17 people were killed. 

This came the same day that the Ministry of Interior released a statement attributing violence in recent days to a “mutiny led by Salafi armed groups” aiming to “create chaos and terrify the Syrian people, exploiting the reform and freedom process launched within a comprehensive program according to specific timetables announced” by President Assad. 

On Tuesday, protestors in Homs initiated a three-day strike, promising to continue with their demonstrations in Al-Saa Square. International reports suggest that Homs is in a state of disarray with nearly all of its businesses closed and security forces blocking off many roads. The city’s protestors are planning for huge demonstrations this coming Friday – terming the day “Great Day of Protests.” The city of Homs, with a population of about 800,000, is critically important to the country’s industrial sector and there is little doubt that the worsening of unrest there, will have a strongly negative impact on the country’s economy.

 In another show of the increasing brazenness of Syrian protestors, a group of Damascus University students attempted to stage a protest in front of the university’s medical school on Tuesday. Though they were quickly dispersed by security, their efforts are indicative of changing attitudes – tight security in Damascus has thus far served as an effective deterrent and suppressant of protests in the city.

The government also came forward with a number of key reforms on April 19, including that it passed a bill to officially end the state of emergency, that the Higher State Security Court – which is responsible for the trials of political prisoners, has been abolished, and that a new law allowing for peaceful demonstrations has been drafted. In its announcement, the government explained that “(t)his package of strategic bills is part of the political reform program that aims at bolstering democracy, expanding citizens’ participation, strengthening national unity, guaranteeing the safety of country and citizens, and confronting various challenges.” 

Nevertheless, it seems the Syrian protest movement has gained sufficient momentum to be unappeased by such reforms. Protestors in Homs, for example, are rumored to have vowed not to leave Al-Saa Square, until the entire regime is overthrown. This at least, is how the international media reports it. 

Further reading: 

“Twisting Assad’s Arm” in Foreign Policy – Andrew Tabler, a journalist posted for a number of years in Syria, critiques the US approach to diplomacy with Syria.

“The Continuing Protests in Arab Countries – The Case of Syria” in the Huffington Post – a detailed assessment of the particularities of Syria’s protest movement couched in related history of the region. 

“Who Are the Shabbiha?” in The Weekly Standard – a discussion of the group’s alleged origins, membership, activities and interests. (For more related takes on the group and its rumored activities, see here.) 

Two articles on the cyber component of the unrest here:

“Syria’s Cyber Revolution” in GlobalPost and “Is the Syrian Government Responsible for Spam Polluting #Syria on Twitter?” in Radio Free Europe: Radio Liberty.

“Syria’s Assad “Faces Strong Challenge Without Reform” in Reuters – Mariam Karouny’s analysis of the demands of members of Syria’s opposition groups. 

“Syria Crisis Could Change Face of Middle East” in the BBC – an assessment of how unrest in Syria could and likely will destabilize the entire region. 

“Syria on the Boil” in Arab News – an editorial on why the lifting of the emergency law and other such reforms will not bring an end to the unrest.  

Now, for the remainder of the weekly international news roundup.

Politics & Diplomacy

Last week, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner, announced that the US government has “credible information that Iran is assisting Syria” in managing the country’s unrest. Toner’s allegations rapidly spread across international media, causing debates and considerable anger.  According to Toner, the US government believes that Iran is channeling riot control gear into Syria and providing it with technical advice on related matters. The Syrian government adamantly denies all such allegations. 

A number of international analysts expressed concern that Iranian meddling in Syrian affairs could spark disastrous results. For many, Iran’s relative silence on the unrest in Syria and vocal support for it in other Arab states is quite telling. Iran has gained key economic and political strategic ground as a result of the region’s turmoil – but a worsening of unrest in Syria would take a serious toll on its interests and security. 

Only a few days before Toner’s statement, Hilary Clinton made a statement on the situation in Syria for a CNN report, saying that “(i)t is time for the Syrian government to stop repressing their citizens and start responding to their aspirations.” 

On April 15, during a meeting in Moscow, a number of Russian politicians affirmed their support for the Syrian government. 

The same day, a Lebanese daily reported that Wikileaks cables indicate that Saad Hariri, Lebanon’s outgoing premier, had aimed to politically isolate Syria and oust its current leadership. The day before, Syrian State TV ran a broadcast featuring an interview with an alleged terrorist claiming to have been paid and armed by Lebanese Future movement MP, Jamal al-Jarrah to incite unrest in Syria and carry out violent attacks against the government. 

On Friday, the Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Abdulkarim, stated while attending a press conference that he was sure that the “majority of Lebanese people are keen on Syria’s independence…and that they realize that any harm that becomes Syria will affect Lebanon.”

On Sunday and Monday and Tuesday, a number of Lebanese officials came forward with statements in support of the Syrian government. The MP of Lebanon’s Change and Reform Bloc, Michel Aoun, also reiterated his country’s commitment to the Taif Agreement, which essentially states that Lebanon cannot serve as a base or launching point for attacks against Syria. 

The Washington Post published an article on Sunday which revealed that the US State Department has been secretly financing Syrian opposition groups since 2006. The initiative, started by former US President Bush, has been continued by the Obama Administration. Though the funding, totaling USD 6m is small, its political cost to the US government now that its efforts have been made public, is enormous. The news plays well for the Syrian government, which has maintained throughout the unrest, that the country’s recent turmoil is the result of foreign meddlers – including the US goverment.

On Monday, Hezbollah MP Nawwaf Moussawi made a statement in support of President Assad and the Syrian government, noting that Lebanon’s stability and security hinges on that of its neighbor and blaming unrest in Syria on “the American-Zionist-Western plot to undermine its national, pan-Arab and resistance role.” 

That day, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem held a meeting with a number of Arab and foreign ambassadors in Damascus to discuss the unrest in Syria and President Assad’s speech over the weekend. Mr. Moallem stated that, “(w)e believe that those who want reform express their opinion peacefully from the basis that this reform is a national necessity… those who want reform do not use violence”.

On Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said that he welcomed the Syrian government’s decision to lift the state of emergency, but that there was “still much more to do“. 

At the same time, EU foreign policy chief, Baroness Catherine Ashton, told Al Jazeera that EU member states are “very worried” about the violence in Syria and continued on to state, “(t)here has to be an end to violence. The first thing is we’ve got to stop the violence. The government has got to take its responsibilities seriously.” 

Meanwhile, Syrian communities in Austria, Kuwait, Iran, and Poland held rallies in support of the Syrian government around the week.

Security

On Friday April 15, between 400 and 500 trucks were held at the border crossing between Syria and Lebanon for inspection by Syrian authorities. The inspections were the result of increasing concerns about Syria’s security situation and had been put in place three days earlier. The border where the trucks were stopped, Abboudiyeh crossing, leads directly to Homs. 

Syrian authorities stopped a refrigerated truck at the al-Tanf border crossing with Iraq on Monday April 18. The driver, an Iraqi, was allegedly attempting to smuggle a massive load of weapons, including machine guns and sniper rifles into Syria. 

Economics & Agriculture

It is telling that in recent weeks, news related to Syria’s economic development and trade agreements has plummeted.

This week in Aleppo, scientists are holding an international conference aimed at building up a scientific ‘counteroffensive’ against a fungus called Yellow Rust, that is systematically destroying wheat crops in Syria as well as in a number of countries around the world. The International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas is based in Aleppo. 

Last week, the Syrian government announced that it will allow three government-owned lenders – Popular Credit Bank, Savings Bank and Industrial Bank – to sell foreign currencies to their customers.

April 13, 2011 – Syria in the News: A Roundup of International Reportage

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Syria’s Protest Movement

Over the course of the last week, the Syrian government announced a number of reforms intended in part to appease the country’s Sunni Muslim majority.

On Wednesday, it lifted a ban imposed less than a year ago on niqab-wearing teachers. The niqab was controversially banned in the classroom last summer under the premise that displays of religious conservatism ran counter to government efforts to protect secularism in Syria. Though it affected a small number of people (estimated at around 1,200), it was a move that angered many – so much so, that recent demonstrations in Baniyas specifically called for a lifting of the ban. For more information on the original decision to ban the niqab, see here and here. 

The government also officially announced that it was closing the country’s only casino, the Ocean Club, which is located outside of Damascus near the airport. As gambling in Syria is prohibited by national legislation, the move to open the casino was poorly received by the country’s more conservative elements. Pressure to close the facility had been mounting months prior to the unrest here and as a result, the club’s gaming tables were impounded well over a month ago. Yet, as the government’s reversal of policy was politically embarrassing before the onslaught of the unrest here, the move had not yet been announced. Phil Sands, one of the few foreign journalists still working here, wrote about the closure of the casino as well as the lifting of the niqab ban for The National last week.  
 
On Thursday, the President issued Decree 49 that granted citizenship rights to thousands of Syrian Kurds who have been registered as foreigners in Syria since a 1962 census in the governorate of Hassakeh arbitrarily stripped them of their citizenship. The survey claimed that because some Syrian Kurds had fled from Turkey to Syria decades earlier, they were not actually Syrian citizens. Decree 49 is expected to impact around an estimated 100,000 though another 150,000 Kurds remain outside of the system. If and how the government will address that issue is not yet clear. Later that day, the President also sacked the governor of Homs, Iyad Ghazaleh. 
 
Amid all such announcements of significant government reform, hundreds of protestors took to the streets in the suburbs around Damascus in an effort to raise awareness of the after-prayers protests planned for the following day. Douma, the scene of serious violence the week before, was overtaken by protestors who had come from around the country to pay their respects for those who were killed days earlier. Security was high around the perimeters and entry points into the city – but apparently conspicuously absent from the gathering. 
 
Friday was the most significant and indeed the biggest day of demonstrations thus far in Syria. Thousands came out in cities across the country to call for reform. The largest of the demonstrations were in Lattakia, Homs, Tartous, Banias, Daraa, Damascus, and Idlib in in the northwest. In Harasta, a Damascus suburb, there were reports of gunfire and rumors that three people were shot and killed and another 12 injured. Two more people reportedly died in protests in Homs. 
 
Despite the government’s concessions to the Syrian Kurdish population only the day before, Kurds in the country’s east carried out demonstrations on Friday – a strong indication that government reform efforts thus far, are not succeeding in bringing about the desired return to calm.  
 
International reports of violence during Friday’s after-prayers rallies put the death toll at 37 with the worst of the day’s violence happening in Daraa where according to some sources, at least 27 stone-throwing protestors were shot and killed with rubber-coated bullets and live ammunition. According to local media, 75 members of government security forces were injured and another 19 were killed. Official sources blame “armed groups which used live ammunition” for the violence. 
 
In a significant turn of events, on Saturday morning SANA published a statement from the Ministry on Interior, warning citizens to bring an end to their demonstrations. The statement took a somewhat exasperated tone, pointing out that the government was working to respond to the demands of protestors but that some “spiteful individuals, outsiders and those who were compelled by known foreign parties, accompanied by blatant instigation by satellite channels and internet sites” were nevertheless continuing to provoke unrest. Critically, the Ministry then stated that “there is no more room for leniency or tolerance in enforcing law, preserving security of country and citizens and protecting general order under the pretext of demonstration”. 
 
The same day, Samira al-Masalmeh the editor of government-owned newspaper Tishreen, confirmed that she was fired following critical remarks she made on Al Jazeera regarding the use of live ammunition against protestors by the government’s security forces. 
 
In Daraa, there was more violence as security forces were rumored to have shot at participants in mass funerals. US President Barack Obama responded to news of the violence in Syria with a statement condemning Friday’s crackdown as “abhorrent.”
 
On Sunday, there were a number of killings in Baniyas. According to local media, nine people were killed – including two officers – when armed groups ambushed an armed forces unit as it passed through Baniyas on its way to Lattakia. A number of international sources stated that between four people were killed when individuals holding sticks and protecting a local mosque, were fired upon by in passing vehicles. Others claim that armed gangs were responsible for the violence and though theories abound regarding the membership and motivations of the gangs, there is a critical dearth of reliable information. 
 
Later Sunday evening, protestors in Daraa staged a sit-in as most schools and government buildings ceased to operate. Mourners in Douma also took to the streets. The National Organisation for Human rights now as well as the “Damascus Declaration,” a statement signed by important Syrian opposition figures and submitted to the Arab League, both place the official death toll since the start of the unrest here at over 200. 
 
In response to the violence in Baniyas over the weekend and on Sunday, the army was deployed to the coastal city on Monday morning and 22 people were arrested while funerals for the people killed on Sunday were carried out. Importantly, events in Baniyas over the last four days have been difficult for media sources to confirm as internet access, electricity and telephones were cut over much of the city. According to some in the international media, on Monday, shooting could still be heard in the Al-Nabe’a district of Baniyas. Further, as residents of the nearby village of Bayda had reportedly provided refuge for protestors trying to escape from Baniyas and were likewise allegedly planning a protest themselves, international reports state they were soon overtaken by security forces. According to the New York Times, homes were raided by security forces with residents taken out to the streets and beaten. 
 
Meanwhile in Damascus, a small group of about 200 students came out to protest in front of the College of Sciences, University of Damascus. International reports suggest that the catalyst for the demonstration was the assault on veiled university students by policemen. The attack on the female students was portrayed quite differently by state media. Others suggest that the protests were not related to the attacks. The demonstration was dispersed by security forces and one student was reportedly beaten to death. Local media, however, strongly deny reports of the killing. 
 
The National Progressive Front (NPF), a coalition of Syria’s political parties with a central role in Baath Party leadership, issued a statement on Monday indicating that “nowadays, Syria is confronting serious challenges by foreign conspiracies and pressures which aim at benefiting from the changes taking place in the region to serve their hostile plots and undermine Syria’s national and principled stances towards supporting resistance against hegemonic interests and Israeli expansion policies.” The statement distinguished between Syrian citizens desirous of reform and “their legitimate demands” and the actions of “trained and funded conspiracy figures with the aim of undermining Syria’s reputation and weakening its pan-Arab and national stances.” The NPF again attributed recent violence to “subversive gangs that were provoked to kill citizens and security personnel…in an attempt to create chaos.” 
 
British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Italian Foreign Secretary Franco Frattini met in London on Monday and later called on President Bashar al-Assad “to respect the right to free speech and to peaceful protest” noting that the government here must implement “meaningful political reform which is the only legitimate response to demands from the Syrian people.” 
 
US State Department spokesman Mark Toner expressed frustration similar to that heard all over Syria and throughout the international media, stating that the US government does not “have very credible information coming from Syria…It’s very hard to get a clear picture about what’s going on on the ground.” He went on to “condemn the violence that we have been able to hear about against peaceful protestors by the Syrian authorities.” 
 
On Tuesday, the heads of Damascus’s Christian churches issued a statement that said that in light of recent events in Syria and in honor of the people who died as a result of them, “Easter celebrations will be only limited to prayers and religious rites in churches.” 
 
Disturbing reports also emerged on Tuesday, suggesting that civilians injured in violence during protests are not being permitted to seek medical assistance. Human Rights Watch is among the international organizations making this claim. However, local media responded to those accusations today April 13, stating all such reports were “completely false” and that “armed men” from local villages and towns were responsible for blocking entry into hospitals and stopping ambulances en route to hospitals.   
 
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney made a statement expressing that the US government is “deeply concerned by reports that Syrians who have been wounded by their government are being denied access to medical care.” Carney’s statement went on to say that “(t)he escalating repression by the Syrian government is outrageous, and the United States strongly condemns the continued efforts to suppress peaceful protesters.”
 
On Tuesday night, international media reported that the city of Baniyas was again under attack by security forces. Reports of who is responsible for the violence in Baniyas and indeed in all of the hotspots here in Syria, remain conflictual, though a particular group has been repeatedly blamed. Additionally, an estimated 600 Kurds organized a peaceful hour-long demonstration in Ayn al-Arab, a northern village, to call for the release of political prisoners and further reforms. International media also report that intense gunfire could be heard in Bayda Tuesday night.
 
As violence becomes the principle means of managing the unrest here, anger levels amongst average citizens are clearly rising. International media and analysts consistently emphasize that the situation here runs the risk of spiraling into deeper violent unrest, as those who initially had no desire for revolutionary-style protests in Syria, become enraged by the rising death toll of unarmed civilians. 
 
Further reading:
 
“Protests on the Rise Again in Syria” – a report from Jadaliyya Affiliate in Damascus – a particularly insightful assessment of the complexity of the situation here, written after the protests on Friday April 8. 
 
“Syria’s President Assad: Why is Anyone Surprised?” – a statement by former Canadian Ambassador to Syria, Brian J. Davis, for Syria Comment.
 
“Syria’s Race Against the Clock,” Foreign Policy – an assessment of the choices the government and Syrian people will be forced to make in the coming days, weeks and months. 
 
“Prisoner of Damascus,” New York Times – an opinion piece by Yassin al-Haj Saleh.
 
“The Shameful Arab Silence on Syria,” The Daily Star – an assessment of the reluctance of Arab satellite TV stations to cover the unrest in Syria. 
 
“Political Turmoil in Syria Resonates in Golan,” Associated Press – report exploring the reactions of people living under Israeli occupation to strife in Syria. 
 
“Protests in Syria: A Cycle of Violence May Take Hold,” The Economist  – an unsettling assessment of the prospects for future violence in Syria.
 
“Factbox: Syrian President Assad’s Emboldened Opponents,” Reuters – a backgrounder on members of Syrian opposition groups.  
 
Now, for the remainder of the weekly international news roundup.
 
Politics & Diplomacy
 
Last Wednesday, President al-Assad held a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, during which Davutoglu expressed Turkey’s strong support for all of the Syrian government’s reform efforts and its willingness to help in whatever way possible, the expediting of further reforms. The same day, the President also received a phone call from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev who likewise expressed his support for the reform process in Syria. 
 
On April 9, Michael Aoun, the Lebanese MP and head of the Change and Reform bloc, described relations between Syria and Lebanon as “excellent” and stated that both sides were cooperating on shared security issues. Two days later, a number of Syrian expats in Russia gathered in the country’s capital to express their support for the Syrian regime. 
 
The President met with Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov on Sunday to discuss recent unrest in Syria. During the meeting, Mladenov encouraged further reform in Syria and emphasized the importance of maintaining the country’s stability. President Assad made clear that Syria is “on a course of comprehensive reform.”
 
On Monday, the President received a letter from Jordan’s King Abdullah II on the topic of unrest throughout the Middle East and relations between Jordan and Syria. The letter expressed the King’s desire to maintain strong and cooperative relations between the two countries. The letter was delivered to the President in the context of related meetings between high-level Jordanian and Syrian officials aimed at discussing their bilateral relations. The same day, Mohammed Khaddour was sworn in as the Syrian ambassador to Australia.
 
In the last 8 days, a number of countries around the world have also came forward with travel warnings for citizens in, or considering traveling to, Syria – including Korea, Australia and the United Kingdom. 
 
Economic Development & Trade
 
On Wednesday April 6, two international exhibitions were kicked off in Syria: the International Industrial Equipment and Machinery Exhibition  and the International Exhibition for Veterinary Products and Livestock Supplies.
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