http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/3700/a-new-phase-syria-roundup
A New Phase? Syria Roundup<http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/3700/a-new-phase-syria-roundup> 0<http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/3700/a-new-phase-syria-roundup#comments> Dec 21 2011 by Syria Page Editors <http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/contributors/50903> [image: Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker]<http://app.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=5919&lang=en_us&readid=rscontent&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jadaliyya.com%2Fpages%2Findex%2F3700%2Fa-new-phase-syria-roundup> [image: [Syrian army checkpoint in Idleb. Image from AllVoices]] [Syrian army checkpoint in Idleb. Image from AllVoices] The protests in Syria seem to be entering a new phase in which a constellation of factors are beginning to take their tollwhether or not the recent signing of the Arab League plan materializes. Among the pertinent factors at play are economic, logistical, moral/physical fatigue of regime forces, military might of part of the opposition, and the increasing organization of the internal opposition as a whole. The intensity of the violence in general, and regime crackdown in particular, speaks of a new confrontational phase, as opposed to the more awkwardly optimistic explanation that the regime is embarking on a final push before implementing the Arab League plan. One hopes this former grim forecast is incorrect. For now, what remains are the grim developments this week. More than 200 Syrians were killed during the past few days, mostly in northwestern towns of Idleb and Jabal al-Zawiyeh, in what activists say were the two bloodiest days of the 10-month-long uprising that has claimed over 5000 lives according to the U.N. The escalation of violence coincides with the regimes signing (after weeks of stalling) of the anticipated Arab League observer protocol on Monday. The Syrian government agreed to allow independent monitors to enter hot spot areas to observe protests, and check Syrias compliance with the Arab Leagues peace plan to end the violence, withdraw armed forces from the streets, release prisoners, and open dialogue with the opposition. *[Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Mu`allem at the Arab League signing]* Arab League Secretary-General Nabil El-Araby said an initial team would arrive to Syria on Thursday, with another 150 monitors expected by the end of the year. After the signing, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallim gave a one-hour long press conference inviting the monitors to see for themselves what is really going on in Syria, insisting that foreign-funded armed gangs are to blame for the unrest. On Tuesday, Bashar al-Assad issued a new law that would punish anyone caught distributing arms "with the aim of committing terrorist acts" with the death penalty. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2qeho1VXc8&feature=player_embedded * [Demonstration in the Midan quarter, Damascus, on Monday]* Al-Midan neighborhood in Damascus witnessed a large-scale protest on Monday, as thousands took to the streets in the name of wounded 9-year-old Hala Munajed who had been shot in the abdomen by security forces the day before. Meanwhile activists said 60 defecting soldiers were killed in Idleb by the Syrian military's machine guns. The violent crackdown in the area continued on Tuesday, as activists report the slaughter of dozens of people within the olive orchards of Jabal al-Zawiya. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40_Ygg17-ko&feature=player_embedded * [The ensuing crack-down in the Midan quarter]* Burhan Ghalioun, president of the Syrian National Council, who is heading the group's first major gathering in Tunisia, called on the Arab League and the Secretary General of the U.N. to interfere immediately to put a halt to the massacres being committed by the Syrian regime against unarmed civilians masked under its signature of the observers protocol. In better news, after being detained for 2 weeks, prominent blogger Razan Ghazzawi was released Sunday on bail after being charged with fomenting sectarian strife and spreading false information through a secret organization charges punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Finally, a pro-regime rally was organized this past Monday in Damascus, but it drew a significantly smaller crowd than previous rallies. However, one should not attribute much credence to such differentials considering the regimes role in catalyzing these spontaneous demonstrations. Here's some parting sarcasm from Syria's demonstrators lamenting the period prior to the regime's signing of the Arab League plan: "First day of the protocol . . . 100 martyrs" ---------------------------------------- [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:laamn-unsubscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:laamn-subscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:laamn-dig...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:laamn-ow...@egroups.com?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:la...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/laamn@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: laamn-dig...@yahoogroups.com laamn-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: laamn-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
