By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria — To the utter shock and repulsion of much of the world, other Arab nations included, the bloody onslaught against Syrian protesters by the Syrian government continues to grow.

On Sunday approximately 102 people were killed throughout Syria, 76 of them from the city of Hama.  Rights activists report that the Syrian military brought a tank-based assault that included large amounts of shelling, which caused the fatalities.

The troops were not able to reach the city center, which has been under the control of protesters since mid-March, a fact that has made Hama a beacon of hope to the anti-government movement.

Hama is also of historical note due to its role in previous violent governmental attacks.  It was the site of the infamous 1982 massacre in which the military of then President Hafez al-Assad, father of current President Basar Assad, crushed an uprising by killing over 10,000 people.

This history has created a resiliency in the residents of Hama, a resiliency that has shown itself during the many months of this current uprising against Assad’s authoritarian regime, and one that may be partly responsible for the ramping up of violence by the government against the protesters.

Monday marked the beginning of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.  Some hoped that its coming would put a halt to the violence, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.  At least 9 people were killed throughout Syria on the first day of Ramadan, and military movements suggest that there is more to come.

Ramadan could be a critical period for the Syrian protests.  It is traditional for Muslims to gather outside for nighttime prayer during the holy month, and protesters are planning to shift their rallies around this schedule.  In response to this threat the government has already begun stepping up its mass arrests of protesters.

Rami Nakhle, a Syrian activist, says that the protesters have “burned their boots,” an Arabic saying that means there is no going back.  He fears that if they stop now the military will arrest every activist in Syria.  They can either win or sacrifice all those who are fighting.

Arabs around the world are reacting strongly against Assad’s brutal attacks, but most Arab governments have remained silent.  This is likely because they do not wish to stir up trouble in their own backyards, fearing the power of the protest, a fear that does have some basis in fact.  The United States and European Union have also condemned the attacks, but any Western involvement is both unlikely and imprudent due to its current campaigns in Libya against Muammar Qaddafi.

Despite the nearly universal condemnation of Assad’s actions there appears little want to apply pressure to his ousting as president.  The international community is concerned that his departure could leave a power vacuum in Syria, triggering nationwide instability and civil war.

For more information, please see:

Boston Globe — Syria steps up attacks, seeking to crush revolt in city of Hama — 2 Aug 2011

NPR — Syrian Opposition Echoes Cry for Liberty or Death — 2 Aug 2011

Al Jazeera — No Ramadan respite for Syrian protesters — 1 Aug 2011

New York Times — In Middle East, a Restive First Day of Ramadan — 1 Aug 2011

Reuters — Arabs angry over Syria crackdown but governments silent — 1 Aug 2011