Sekali lagi, yang dituntut orang Syria adalah "Freedom" dan bukan syariah...
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Middle East
Thousands take to streets in Syria protests
Pro-democracy protesters reported in Daraa, Baniyas, Homs, Latakia, Deir ez Zor
and suburbs of Damascus.
Last Modified: 15 Apr 2011 12:22
Pro-democracy protests have taken place in several cities in Syria, a day after
Bashar al-Assad, the country's president, attempted to calm mounting opposition
to his rule.
Around 2,500 people marched in the Syrian town of Daraa on Friday, chanting
slogans calling for the "freedom" of the southern town, which has been the
epicentre of protests against President Assad's rule.
"Between 2,500 and 3,000 people showed up at Al-Saraya area in the centre of
the city, chanting slogans in favour of freedom and against the hostile
regime," a human rights activist told the AFP news agency, speaking on
condition of anonymity.
Protests are also under way in Baniyas, Homs, Latakia and Deir ez Zor, as well
as in the Douma suburb of the capital Damascus.
Rula Amin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Daraa, reported that the army and
security forces were not visible in the city, and that the protesters were
being allowed to hold their demonstration.
"It's a completely different scene from last Friday when more than 26 people
were killed during protests and clashes with the security forces and protesters
here. Today, no security forces are visible at all. People went after the
Friday prayers ... in thousands. They were marching carrying olive branches
saying 'peaceful, freedom'. Some were demanding the toppling of the regime,
others were saying they just want reforms," she reported.
"It comes one day after they met with President Assad in an attempt by the
government to calm the situation. Now here in Daraa, these measures seem to
have calmed the situation a little bit. People say the president promised them
very specific reforms that will be announced very soon, maybe as early as next
week."
A large pro-democracy protest also took place in the city of Deir ez Zor, on
the Euphrates river, while a smaller demonstration was reported in the Barzeh
district of Damascus, Reuters reported.
In the coastal city of Baniyas, meanwhile, about 1,500 people chanted "freedom"
after Friday prayers, despite the deployment of the army in the city as part of
a deal to contain protests, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The latest demonstrations come a day after the Syrian government announced an
amnesty for scores of prisoners detained since protests began. President Assad
has also unveiled a new cabinet, in a move to placate those calling for
political changes.
Last Friday, Syrian security forces shot dead more than 26 people in Daraa
after thousands of people staged pro-democracy rallies after midday prayers.
The protesters were killed when security forces opened fire with rubber bullets
and live rounds to disperse stone-throwing protesters.
One of the key demands of the protesters has been the lifting of emergency law
in the country, which has been in place since 1963.
Al Jazeera's Amin reported that the delegation from Daraa which met with the
president was satisfied with his promises that the law would lifted in the
coming weeks.
"According to the delegation that met with the president, he told them that
[the emergency law] will be lifted. They said it is going to be lifted by
April 25, the deadline that the government had announced, and they are happy
with that.
"They feel this is one of the major issues and the source of many of the
problems. They are tired and have had enough of the security forces having a
free hand in arresting people, putting them in prison without trial for years,"
she reported.
Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies
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