International Community Condemns Deadly Protests in Syria

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DERA’A, Syria – Syrian military troops opened fire on protestors who were demonstrating peacefully, killing a number of them.  This prompted tens of thousands of protestors in cities and towns around Syria to gather to challenge the government.

Since the protests began a week ago in the southern portion of Syria, 38 people have been killed by government forces and many more were killed on Friday.  Because the government refused to let reporters into the country, exact details about the incident are difficult to obtain.

Protestors apparently set fire to a statue of President Bashar al-Assad’s father, former President Hafez al-Assad.  Security forces then fired into the crowd and threw tear gas canisters.

A spokeswoman for the President stated that the government had not ordered the troops to fire on the protesters.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke out against the Syrian authorities’ actions and called upon them to refrain from the use of violence.  In a statement issued on March 23, he also stated that those responsible must be held accountable.

The U.S. has also expressed concern over the situation in Syria.  “We urge on the government of Syria what we have urged on the governments in other regions: that they pursue a peaceful course here, that they participate in a political dialogue with their people, because that is the better path,” stated White House spokesman Jay Carney.

Human rights organizations have also condemned the manner in which authorities responded to the protestors.

Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, stated, “The Syrian authorities must cease the use of excessive force to crush protests and immediately release all of those detained for the peaceful expression of their beliefs.”

Authorities also closed roads to the town of Dera’a and detained as many as 93 people, including a man who had been appointed as a community leader to negotiate with the authorities.  Recent reports indicate that almost all of these people, ranging in age from 14 to 45 and including students and journalists, have been released.

On Thursday, the government of Syria stated that it would consider reforms, including a possible end to the emergency law, which were passed in 1963.  This law permits the government to override the constitution and penal code statutes and also allows authorities to make preventive arrests.

According to a representative of Amnesty International, it is questionable as to whether the government will keep their promises to reform the law.  “The government has made similar statements before, yet the repressive state of emergency has endured with little tolerance for dissenting views for nearly half a century.”

Amnesty further called upon the Syrian government to stop the use of excessive force and to allow peaceful protestors to assemble freely.

For more information please see:
AFP – US condemns new Syria violence – 25 March 2011

Amnesty International – Syria Death Toll Climbs As Protests Spread – 25 March 2011

UN News Centre – Syria: UN human rights office voices concerns about situation – 25 March 2011

Amnesty International – Spiralling Syria Death Toll Reports ‘Disturbing’ – 24 March 2011

UN Secretary-General – Secretary-General Condemns Violence in Southern Syria, Urges Investigation – 23 March 2011

Author: Impunity Watch Archive