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

 

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. 

 

Activists estimate that some – 550,000 – took to the streets in the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor. 

 

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.'”  

 

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. 

 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

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 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.

 

 

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.”

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. 

 

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. 

 

 

“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.”

 

 

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.”

 

 

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.

 

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.