INTRODUCTION
The Syrian uprising began on March 15 and by mid-April the Assad regime had sent the army to Dar’aa in an attempt to stamp it out. Since then the security forces have been pounding their boots and artillery in towns and villages across Syria.
Six months of protests, and still the protesters keep turning out, determined to rid the country of a repressive regime. More than five months of enduring the regime’s cruel crackdown-- attacks and killings in the streets--arrests, torture, deaths in detention. When will the stalemate end? What will happen then? (For a concise overview of where things stand now, see Dominic Evans, "Six Months On.") (1)
In an earlier post, "Who Will ‘Eat’ Syria?" (July 28) I suggested that Syria was at a dangerous fork in the road and since then it has only crept closer to that fork. In "The Syrian Mosaic–Under Siege During Ramadan" (August 8) I tried to put the Ramadan offensive into a broader perspective. Since the end of Ramadan (late August), though the cycle of protests and attacks on protesters has continued unabated in cities across the country, the scale of most protests is smaller. This is evidently a survival tactic on the part of the activists, who have managed to sustain the frequency of demonstrations-- despite the government’s intensifying efforts to identify and arrest their leaders. Note, however, that among small groups of resisters there is talk about changing tactics.
In Syria, where every Friday’s post-prayer protests receive an inspirational pre-protest label, last Friday’s protests were called "We will continue until we bring down the regime," to assert that the protesters are as determined as ever, despite the great pain of their losses (2). It is insightful to consider this determination in the context of several events occurring in late August and early September:
- attack on cartoonist Ali Farzat (August 25)
- storming of the Al-Rifa’i Mosque in Damascus (August 27)
- detention and death (in hospital) of the Mufti of Aleppo (September 6)
- arrest (September 6), torture and death in detention of Ghiyath Matar
- UN report: 2600 protesters have died in crackdown (September 12)
- formation by opposition leaders of a united front (September 15)
- international reactions to all of the above
These served as a a kind of prelude to a speech on September 12th in which Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reported that number of protesters killed in the Syrian uprising had reached 2600. The UN Human Rights Council also announced that a panel of three would investigate human rights abuses in Syria. The Assad regime claims that there have been only 1400 fatalities–and that half of these were members of the security forces. Take that number with a grain of salt–since the Local Coordination Committee claims that 761 have been killed in a single city (Homs, in central Syria). Activists put total killed at more than 5,000 and report that more than 70,000 arrested–with 15,000 still in detention. (4)
This UN report intensified international pressure on Syria, yet the Assad government remains mostly immune to advice or admonishments or any form of international pressure. Its responds with denials, keeps insisting that it is only fighting "armed terrorist gangs," and concocts rather wild conspiracy theories about the role of the media and foreign countries (5).
On September 9th Syrian protesters had unfurled banners calling for international protection. That Friday, the one preceding the 6-month anniversary of the uprising, was dubbed "The Friday of International Protection" (6). This was first time that protesters had called for such protection. Surely this plea for help (but not intervention) and the UN report (released the following Monday) are part of a larger process. What its trajectory will be is uncertain but deserves our close attention.
Examining the efficacy of international pressure directed towards Syria would be a fitting exercise in the classroom (as suggested below in ACTIVITIES). U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford speaks and acts, consistently, in solidarity with those seeking a democratic transition–and still manages to keep his feet on the ground in Syria (7). Ban Ki-Moon is certainly getting fed up: "When he has not been keeping his promises, enough is enough and the international community should really take coherent measures and speak in one voice" (8). Both Ban’s frustration nor that of Premier Erdogan of Turkey are what we might expect at this point. Recently, in exasperation, Premier Erdogan declared that "Nobody can be a friend with or trust an administration that fires bullets at its people and attacks its cities with tanks." He stopped short of asking Assad to step down, but noted that "A leader who kills his own people has lost his legitimacy" (9).
For weeks demonstrating Syrians had been chanting, "Where are the Arab people?" Long criticized by the Syrian opposition for its silence, the Arab League has finally called upon the Syrian government to make the changes necessary "to stop the bloodshed." Claiming that President Assad has agree to their 13-point proposal, which includes elections and other promised reforms, the League is crowing about this achievement–while most Syrians remain skeptical. Also, at a recent meeting in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) the Gulf Cooperation Council has asked for an immediate shutting down of Syria’s "killing machine" (10).
Even Iran has changed its stance towards its Arab ally, a shift that began in late August. President Ahmadinejad has called for an end to the crackdown and for talks between the Syrian government and the opposition. Ironically, given the crackdown on dissidents in Iran in the aftermath of the June 2009 election, he supposedly went as far as saying, "A military solution is never the right solution." The most recent news on this front is that Iraq, which under Iranian influence had strengthened its ties with Syria, is also calling on Assad to step down. (11)
The US is already working at the UN on a new Security Council resolution, with new sanctions, and once again facing tough resistance from China, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa. But this week the Palestinian bid for statehood at the UN is drawing attention away from the situation in Syria. On September 19th this did not prevent the French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé from accusing the Syrian government of "crimes against humanity" and then lambasting the Security for its failure to act (12). Also, the UN Human Rights Council has released a record of the "interactive dialogue on Syria" held on September 19, which began with a report on the situation in Syria by Kyung-wha Kang, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights. It includes a statement by a representative of Syria, "a concerned country," and comments by several members of the Council (13).
Ali Farzat and Ghiyath Matar
On August 25th thugs beat and broke hands of Ali Farzat, a highly skilled and nearly fearless cartoonist, whose caricatures of Assad cut much too close to the bone of truth. In the last cartoon posted on his website (on August 24) Farzat expressed his view that a heart of love is heavier, thus stronger, than a weapon of mass destruction (14). Implicitly, the weapon (a fat missile) is an emblem of the "hate" he sees as the source of the violence of being perpetrated by the security forces. Here Farzat is casting his lot in with those whose weighty burden is a peaceful struggle, people like Ghiyath Matar. (I have begun to collect material for a post focused on Farzat, widely recognized as one of the Arab world’s foremost cartoonists.)
Facing so much brutality, for so many weeks, it is almost incomprehensible that most Syrians actively opposing the Assad government are bent on organizing peacefully, resisting with banners not bullets, even as the roll call of martyrs and detainees keeps growing longer and longer. The toll is being felt, however, as "Alexander Page" (an activist, who communicates regularly with foreign journalists) told Liz Sly after the death of Ghiyath Matar, whose commitment to peaceful struggle had earned him the nickname "Little Gandhi" (15).
Both inside Syria and on the global stage there has been outrage over the torture and presumed murder while in detention of the Syrian activist Ghiyath Matar. For three months Matar had been evading capture but the security forces finally got him on September 6th–in what was obviously a systematic effort to find and detain key activists. The fate of his friend Yahya Sharbajj, a veteran organizer of protests in Darya, who was arrested at the same time, is unknown. Matar’s body was returned to his family for burial and the funeral was held on September 10th. Videos exist that show bruising and facial injuries, presumed evidence of torture. He was mourned at a condolence ceremony in Daraya, attended by U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford and other diplomats (including the ambassadors of France and Japan). At his funeral in Daraya the security forces opened fire, shooting a 17-year, who later died from his wounds. (16)
Ghiyath Matar, a gentle young man of about 25 years, was a human rights activist, who belonged to a nest of like-minded young "doves" in Daraya, a suburb of Damascus. Matar’s favorite tactics were offering water and flowers to the security forces, yet he was deemed a menace to the regime. What President Assad feared was the power of this group’s ideology, the premise that a peaceful strategy would bring victory over the long-run. Where did they get these ideas? Mentioned, but only in passing, is the influence of a local iman in Daraya, yet these ideals are much more broadly disseminated. To quote from "Statement to the Syrian People," issued by the Local Coordinating Committees of Syria on August 29th:
While we understand the motivation to take up arms or call for military intervention, we specifically reject this position as we find it unacceptable politically, nationally, and ethically. Militarizing the revolution would minimize popular support and participation in the revolution. Moreover, militarization would undermine the gravity of the humanitarian catastrophe involved in a confrontation with the regime. (17)So the Little Gandhi has joined the roll call of martyrs, the 95 who have lost their lives while in detention (according to Amnesty International). He had anticipated his own death, leaving messages for his fellow activists, such as, "May God guide you on the road of peaceful strugle and grant you victory" (18).
"A Statement to the Syrian People" asked for the people for their patience. But realistically, how much longer can they sustain their non-violent efforts?
The Next Six Months
On Thursday Syrian opposition leaders took a decisive step towards creating a united front against the Assad regime (19). This is a more ambitious step than what came out of an earlier meeting in Istanbul in July. A council of 140, equally split between exiles and dissidents inside Syria, its goals are getting rid of Assad within the next six months, which would open the way to forming an interim government within a year or so. Will this be another futile attempt to get their act together?
In the meantime, will a faltering economy bite harder and harder–until Syrian businessmen turn against Assad or the country falls into a nearly total economic collapse? How would either of these outcomes shape the attitude of ordinary Syrians towards the US and the European countries that imposed sanctions?
What will the next six months bring? An unending series of peaceful protests? Or will the leaders of the uprising turn reluctantly towards other tactics? Reports of more frequent defections from the army, although mostly confined to low-ranking conscripts of army defections, are an ominous sign–from the point of view of those who fear the outbreak of civil war (20).
Another portent is increasing activism in the cities of Damascus (where it is still mostly confined to certain suburbs) and Aleppo, where a commercial elite and large numbers of minority group residents had put a damper on demonstrations. Muslim clerics in both cities began to speak out more vigorously during the government’s Ramadan offensive. In Aleppo opposition to the regime has increased since the death of the city’s revered and outspoken Sunni Mufti (Dr. Ibrahim Al-Salqini), whose funeral was interrupted at the cemetery by shabiha thugs. In addition, it has been reported that there were mass arrests of activists in Aleppo at about same time as the sweep in Daraya that netted Ghiyath Matar and others in his circle. (21)
Once again, as I follow events in mainstream media, I’m noticing that reporters and columnists rarely fail to mention the possibility of sectarian conflict. Such a dynamic is a real possibility–I’d never deny that--and there have been reports of scattered incidents with a sectarian twist (though often disputed by the anti-Assad side). Nearly all the violence is being instigated by the security forces, not by the protesters and not by the so-called "Islamists" (22). While politicians in many countries often resort to stoking such conflict as a tactic of mobilization (Assad’s tactic of blaming extremists, sometimes referred to as Islamist or Salafist extremists, is undeniable), I’d like to point out that there exists a counterpoint to this cynical view. Do a close reading of Jurij Hiltajczuk, "In Assad’s Defense–Syrians Speak Out," and you will discover that in both the pro-Assad and anti-Assad camps there are Syrians who reject the idea that the conflict is due to "sectarian tensions" or "sectarian undertones." So, whatever happens, at least there will be some people ready to start the dialogue that must occur when it's morning again in Syria. This gives us a small measure of hope amid the darkness of a dire situation.
ACTIVITIES
INTRODUCE the topic by reading and discussing Dominic Evans, "6 Months On, Syria’s Assad Still Standing." ASK: What advantages does the Assad have that favor its survival? What threats does it face? What can other countries do or not do to influence the behavior of the Assad government?
SHOW the Radio Ireland video, with its many different points of view. ASK students to identify and speculate about the sources of these views. How do Sheikh Yaqoubi and others try to refute the views of those (like Alistair Crook) who find the Assad government’s assertions credible?
UPDATE: If your students carried out the graphic organizer activity (from "Who Will ‘Eat’ Syria?), this is a good time to work on a update. Begin with the Evans article, then select items from the Resources below (also see those in the August 8 post) and/or ask students to do independent web research. DISCUSS: What has changed and what has stayed the same? Is Syria closer to the fork–how much closer? Why has there been so little change?
FIND/ORGANIZE evidence to support both parts of this statement: "Syrian security forces have continued their campaign against anti-government protests despite mounting international pressure ... to halt the crackdown." Begin with the crackdown: students might construct a timeline (begin with the Ramadan offensive OR incidents since the end of Ramadan on August 27 [?]). Post the timeline on a bulletin board or in a slideshow or whatever works best for your class. Next consider the various kinds of international pressure: students might use boxes with these labels (adding other labels as needed): UN, Arab League, Turkey, US, Britain, France, Gulf States. To show the full range of international reactions they could add boxes for Russia, China, Brazil, South Africa (countries that have opposed stronger sanctions) and for Iran and Iraq. Post these boxes (to which students might add artwork or flags) in such a way that students can ANALYZE how international reactions mirror (or do not) what’s happening on the ground in Syria. ASSIGN updating tasks to various students.
READ the Washington Post article about Ghiyath Matar’s death whilehe was in the custody of the Assad government; then Mark Krikorian’s response to this news. ASK: How/why did Matar get the nickname "little Gandhi"? Are Gandhi’s tactics effective in any and all instances? ASK: Why does Krikorian think that armed resistance "always has to be an option"?
WORLD HISTORY: Integrate a discussion of the efficacy of non-violent resistance into your syllabus by beginning with Matar’s death. Then EXPAND the topic by assigning research on Gandhi’s ideas, strategies, and actions in India (or South Africa) or on other historical cases. Give students an opportunity to share what they have learned in a rountable discussion.
RESOURCES
Documents
Local Coordinating Committees in Syria. "Statement to the Syrian People." (From their Facebook page) Jadaliyya (August 31, 2011): http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/2539/syrian-local-coordinating-committees-on-taking-up-
UN Human Rights Council. "President of Human Rights Council Appoints International Commission of Inquiry to Investigate Human Rights Violations in Syria." Press release (September 12, 2011): http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11369&LangID=E
UN Human Rights Council. "Human Rights Council Holds Interactive Dialogues on Situation of Human Rights in Syria and in Sudan." Press Release (September 19, 2011): http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11395&LangID=E
Video Overview
"Syrian Uprising: RTÉ Radio (Ireland) interviews Sheikh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi." Presented by Colm O'Mongain (21 August 2011). YouTube (09:14 mins.): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOOeltPqTBg&feature=player_embedded
- Sheikh Yaqwoubi and others refute Alistair Crook’s POV on the presence of extremists with military experience (esp. in Iraq) as perpetrators of the violence.
Bakri, Nada. "Political Cartoonist Whose Work Skewered Assad Is Brutally Beaten in Syria." New York Times (August 25, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/26/world/middleeast/26syria.html?scp=1&sq=ali+farzat&st=nyt
Al-Alawi, Irfan and Stephen Schwartz, "Sufi Mosque Attacked by Assad’s Thugs in Damascus; 2 Dead," Islamic Pluralism (August 30, 2011): http://www.islamicpluralism.eu/WP/?p=180
Bakri, Nada. "Syrians Report Killings as Troops Hunt for Defectors." New York Times (September 7, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/world/middleeast/08syria.html?ref=middleeast
Hajjar, Roula, Ellen Knickmeyer, and special correspondent in Beirut. "SYRIA: Death of Popular Sunni Cleric Stirs Unrest in Aleppo." Babylon & Beyond: Los Angeles Times (September 6, 2011): http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/09/syria-aleppo-sunni-cleric.html
Bakri, Nada. "Syrian Protesters Call for International Protection from President Assad’s Crackdown." New York Times (September 9, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/10/world/middleeast/10syria.html?scp=1&sq=nada%20bakri%20syrian%20protesters%20call&st=cse
"US Condemns Death of Syrian Activist." AFP on Raw Story (September 12, 2011): http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/09/12/us-condemns-death-of-syrian-activist/
Gladstone, Rick. "U.N. Count of Syria Dead Now at 2,600." New York Times (September 12/13, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/world/middleeast/13syria.html
Goodman, J. David. "Videos Depicting Beating of Protesters in Syria Spread Online." The Lede. New York Times (September 12, 2011): http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/12/videos-depicting-beating-of-protesters-in-syria-spread-online/?ref=middleeast
Hajjar, Roula. "SYRIA: Activist’s Death Shakes Opposition as Casualty Count Jumps." Babylon & Beyond: Los Angles Times (September 12, 2011): http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/09/syria-death-activist-opposition-crackdown.html
Hajjar, Roula. "SYRIA: Momentum Builds as Uprising Reaches Six-Month Mark," Babylon & Beyond: Los Angeles Times (September 15, 2011): http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/09/syria-momentum-builds-as-uprising-reaches-its-6-month-mark-video.html
- Brief text with 3 embedded videos
Sly, Liz. "Syrian Activist Ghiyath Matar’s Death Spurs Grief, Debate." Washington Post (September 14, 2011):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/syrian-activist-ghiyath-matars-death-spurs-grief-debate/2011/09/14/gIQArgq8SK_story.html
"Envoys to Syria Attend Activist’s Vigil." Al Jazeera English (September 14, 2011):
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119148312213404.html
Goodman, J. David. "Defiant Crowds Face Deadly Gunfire in Syria." The Lede: New York Times (September 16, 2011): http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/16/defiant-crowds-face-deadly-gunfire-in-syria/?scp=3&sq=robert%20ford%20syria&st=cse
"Deaths Reported as Syrians Stage Protests." Al Jazeera English (September 16, 2011):
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/20119161044459700.html
"Syrian Forces ‘Kill Nine people in Homs.’‘ Al Jazeera English (September 19, 2011):
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/09/201191913181052198.html
Macleod, Hugh. "Welcome to the Plot Against Syria." GlobalPost (September 20, 2011): http://www.globalpost.com/print/5675815
"Syrian Opposition Gets Major Boost with Council Creation." Daily Times (Pakistan) (September 21, 2011): http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C09%5C21%5Cstory_21-9-2011_pg4_7
"Syrian Death Toll Passes 5,000." UPI (September 21, 2011): http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/09/21/Syrian-death-toll-passes-5000/UPI-11091316620845/
International Reactions
Other articles listed above also include content on this topic but these are more focused sources.
Bakri, Nada. "Iran Calls on Syria to Recognize Citizens’ Demands." New York Times (August 27, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/world/middleeast/28syria.html?ref=middleeast
Ganguly, Meenakashi. "Getting It Wrong in Syria." Human Rights Watch (August 30, 2011): http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/08/30/getting-it-wrong-syria
Bakri, Nada. "Syrian Protesters Call for International Protection from President Assad’s Crackdown." (See above.)
US Condemns Death of Syrian Activist." (See above.)
MacFarquhar, Neil. "In Shift, Iran’s President Calls for End to Syrian Crackdown." New York Times (September 8, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/09/world/middleeast/09iran.html?scp=2&sq=iran%20calls%20on%20syria%20august&st=cse
Hajjar, Roula. "SYRIA: Some Syrians Decry Arab League Chief’s Visit with Assad." Babylon & Beyond: Los Angeles Times (September 10, 2011):
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/09/syria-syrians-shun-arab-league-chief-visit-to-assad.html
"UN Inaction Over Syria Crackdown a ‘Scandal’: France." AFP. Ahram Online (September 12, 2011): http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/2130aspx
Black, Ian. "Russia Refuses More Syria Sanctions." The Guardian (September 12, 2011): http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/12/russia-refuses-more-syria-sanctions/print
Sly, Liz. "Syrian Activist Ghiyath Matar’s Death Spurs Grief, Debate." (See above).
"Turkey’s Erdogan Says Syrians No Longer Believe in Bashar Assad." Source: Reuters. Haaretz (September 14, 20110: http://www.haaretz.com/misc/article-print-page/turkey-s-erdogan-says-syrians-no-longer-believe-in-bashar-assad-1.384335?trailingPath=2.169%2C2.216%2C2.295%2C
"Erdogan to Assad: Time for Oppressers is Past." Source: AFP. Naharnet (Lebanon) (September 16, 2011): http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/15150-erdogan-to-assad-time-for-oppressors-is-past
Cooper, Helene. "U.S. Is Quietly Getting Ready for a Syria Without Assad." New York Times (September 19, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/20/world/middleeast/us-is-quietly-getting-ready-for-a-syria-without-an-assad.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=helene%20cooper%20syria&st=cse
"Deadly Unrest in Syria, Turkey Suspends Talks." Voice of America (September 21, 2011): http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2011/09/21/deadly-unrest-in-syria-turkey-suspends-talks/
Schmidt, Michael S. and Yasir Ghazi. "Iraq Calls for Change of Syrian Regime." New York Times (September 20, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/world/middleeast/iraq-tells-bashar-al-assad-of-syria-to-step-down.html?ref=todayspaper
Discussion and Opinion
CARTOON: Farzat, Ali. "On the Scales of Syria." (Appeared on Farzat’s website on August 24, 2011): http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/farzat090911.html
Hiltajczuk, Jurij. "In Assad’s Defense–Syrians Speak Out." Voice of America (September 12, 2011): http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/In-Assads-Defense---Syrians-Speak-Out-129671038.html
Syrian Prometheus [pseudonym]. "Stone Age, Here We Come." Syria Comment (September 13, 2011): http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=11981
Moubayed, Sami. "Baathists Must End Monopoly on Power." Gulf News (September 13, 20110: http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/baathists-must-end-monopoly-on-power-1.865465
- Moubayed is editor-in-chief of Forward magazine (Damascus, Syria)
Krikorian, Mark. "Limits of Gandhi-ism." National Review (September 15, 2011):
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/277356/limits-gandhi-ism-mark-krikorian#
- Read the comments, especially for any discussion of the limits of peaceful resistance.
Stoner, Eric. "National Review Misunderstands Nonviolent Resistance." Nonviolent Action Network (September 16, 2011): http://nonviolentaction.net/?p=7602
Evans, Dominic. "6 Months On, Syria’s Assad Still Standing." On Islam (September 20, 2011): http://www.onislam.net/english/politics/middle-east/453994-syria-conflict.html
NOTES For complete citations see RESOURCES.
1) See Evans in RESOURCES. Another good overview is Roula Hajjar’s blog post, "SYRIA: Momentum Builds," Babylon and Beyond: Los Angeles Times (September 15, 2011). The Radio Ireland segment on YouTube provides a sampling of opinions that features a prominent cleric, now living in exile (see RESOURCES: Video Overview). Also note that the U.S. government’s foreign policy analysts are already preparing for the day after Assad falls; see Helene Cooper, "U.S. Is Quietly Getting Ready for a Syria Without Assad," New York Times (September 19, 2011).
2) "Deaths Reported as Syrians Stage Protests." Al Jazeera English (September 16, 2011).
3) Reported in Roula Hajjar, "SYRIA: Activist’s Death Shakes Opposition as Casualty Count Jumps," Babylon & Beyond: Los Angles Times (September 12, 2011).
4) Gladstone, Rick. "U.N. Count of Syria Dead Now at 2,600." New York Times (September 12, 2011); David Goodman, "Videos Depicting Beating of Protesters," The Lede: New York Times (September 12, 2011)–which includes videos of the brutality. UN Press release (see RESOURCES: News). Those arrested/detained--according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights--as reported in "Envoys to Syria Attend Activist’s Vigil" Al Jazeera English (September 14, 2011). See also "US Condemns Death of Syrian Activist," AFP [Google News] (September 11, 2011). On September 21, UPI was quoting statistics from Avaan and Insan (two leading Syrian human rights organizations) that put confirmed deaths at slightly more than 3,000, with nearly 2400 more registered but unverified deaths (see "Syrian Death Toll Passes 5,000").
5) Assad supporters now have a website dedicated to spreading their conspiracy theories. See Hugh Macleod, "Welcome to the Plot Against Syria," GlobalPost (September 20, 2011).
6) Nada Bakri, "Syrian Protesters Call for International Protection from President Assad’s Crackdown." New York Times (September 9, 2011); Roula Hajjar, "Momentum Builds."
7) Roula Hajjar et al., "SYRIA: Death of Popular Sunni Cleric Stirs Unrest in Aleppo." Ford has used Facebook to defend his positions; see J. David Goodman, "Defiant Crowds Face Deadly Gunfire in Syria." The Lede: New York Times (September 16, 2011). See also Helene Cooper, "U.S. Is Quietly Getting Ready for a Syria Without Assad," New York Times (September 19, 2011).
8) Ban, as quoted in "Deaths Reported as Syrians Stage Protests." Al Jazeera English (September 16, 2011).
9) Erdogan, as quoted in "Turkey’s Erdogan Says Syrians No Longer Believe in Bashar Assad," Haaretz (September 14, 2011). See also breaking news, "Deadly Unrest in Syria, Turkey Suspends Talks," Voice of America (September 21, 2011).
10) For the Arab League see "Envoys to Syria Attend Activist’s Vigil," Al Jazeera English (September 14, 2011); "US Condemns Death of Syrian Activist," AFP (September 11, 2011); Roula Hajjar, "SYRIA: Some Syrians Decry Arab League Chief’s Visit with Assad." Babylon & Beyond: Los Angeles Times (September 10, 2011). For weeks demonstrating Syrians had been chanting, "Where are the Arab people?" But now that the Arab League is crowing about its agreement with President Assad, most Syrians remain skeptical.
11) Nada Bakri, "Iran Calls on Syria to Recognize Citizens’ Demands." New York Times (August 27, 2011); Neil MacFarquhar, "In Shift, Iran’s President Calls for End to Syrian Crackdown," New York Times (September 8, 2011). For Iraq, Michael S. Schmidt and Yasir Ghazi. "Iraq Calls for Change of Syrian Regime," New York Times (September 20, 2011).
12) "Syrian Forces ‘Kill Nine people in Homs. Al Jazeera English (September 19, 2011); UN Inaction Over Syria Crackdown a ‘Scandal’: France," AFP on Ahram Online (September 12, 2011).
13) UN Human Rights Council, "Human Rights Council Holds Interactive Dialogues on Situation of Human Rights in Syria and in Sudan,"
14) Nada, Bakri, "Political Cartoonist Whose Work Skewered Assad Is Brutally Beaten in Syria." New York Times (August 25, 2011). Possibly there is some connection between his beating and the attack on Al-Rifa’i Mosque; see Irfan Al-Alawi and Stephen Schwartz, "Sufi Mosque Attacked by Assad’s Thugs in Damascus; 2 Dead," Islamic Pluralism (August 30, 2011).
15) Liz Sly, "Syrian Activist Ghiyath Matar’s Death Spurs Grief, Debate." Washington Post (September 14, 2011).
16) Liz Sly, "Syrian Activist"; Roula Hajjar, "SYRIA: Activist’s Death Shakes Opposition as Casualty Count Jumps." Babylon & Beyond: Los Angles Times (September 12, 2011).
17) Local Coordinating Committees in Syria [from their Facebook page]. "Statement to the Syrian People." Republished on Jadaliyya (August 31, 2011): http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/2539/syrian-local-coordinating-committees-on-taking-up-
18) For the 95 martyrs see "Envoys to Syria Attend Activist’s Vigil," Al Jazeera English (September 14, 2011). Matar, ass quoted in Liz Sly, "Syrian Activist Ghiyath Matar’s Death."
19) See "Deaths Reported as Syrians Stage Protests," Al Jazeera English (September 16, 2011); and especially "Syrian Opposition Gets Major Boost with Council Creation," Daily Times (Pakistan) (September 21, 2011):
20) For army defections, esp. from Idleb area, see Roula Hajjar, "SYRIA: Momentum Builds"; also Nada Bakri, "Syrian Protesters Call for International Protection," New York Times (September 9, 2011). Syrian Prometheus, taking a very pessimistic view, wonders, "How does one get off this train wreck?" (see "Stone Age, Here We Come," posted on Syria Comment, September 13, 2011).
21) Roula Hajjar, "Momentum Builds" contains a video of protests in Aleppo. For arrests in Aleppo see Hajjar, "SYRIA: Activist’s Death Shakes Opposition," Babylon & Beyond: Los Angles Times (September 12, 2011). For the death of the mufti (Dr. Ibrahim Salqini), see Hajjar et al., "SYRIA: Death of Popular Sunni Cleric Stirs Unrest in Aleppo," Babylon & Beyond: Los Angeles Times (September 6, 2011). For a Syrian American businessman’s perspective see Syrian Prometheus, "Stone Age, Here We Come," Syrian Comment (September 13, 2011).
22) TO quote US Ambassador Ford’s assessment: "Peaceful protesters are not ‘terrorists,’ and after all the evidence accumulated over the past six months, no one except the Syrian government and its supporters believes that the peaceful protesters here are [terrorists]." As quoted in Hajjar et al., "SYRIA: Death of Popular Sunni Cleric Stirs Unrest in Aleppo."
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