Potential Mass Protests Today, 3 Recent Issues

The situation in Deraa is still deadly, violent, and inhumane as security forces still surround the city. The Syrian government has also sent out a 'warning' to its citizens not to participate in protests (judging by this statement, if protesters gather in the masses today, it could become deadly):

"The Syrian government on Thursday warned its citizens not to participate in unlicensed protests, saying that "the laws in force in Syria will be implemented for serving the security of the citizens and the stability of the homeland.

Helicopters hovered as security forces fanned out across the besieged city, breaking into homes and making arrests. Streets were littered with dead bodies and dwellings had no water or electricity."

A resident said people were too scared to take the wounded to hospitals since the streets were filled with security forces.

Residents have gone without electricity, milk and medicine for four days, said the witness, who asked not to be named for security reasons."

The Muslim Brotherhood has entered the scene in the Syrian Revolution. It is a great sign that the Syrians are becoming more united. However, the Brotherhood's involvement can help the Syrian government validate their claims that the protests are salafi in nature (even though they are not):

"Also Thursday, the Muslim Brotherhood entered the fray by offering support for the protesters.

"Hereby, we announce that we will be part of this national project led by the spectacular vision and the great spirit of the Syrian youth and we call upon all Syrians of all backgrounds to join in establishing a national project in which all Syrians achieve what they have dreamt of -- liberty, freedom and progress," the Islamic political group said in a statement."

Syria's ambassador is not welcomed at the Royal Wedding. Unfortunately, this doesn't really mean anything to anyone, but at least the U.K. has some morals to abide by (I'm talking to you Russia):

"The situation has even made its way into the planning for Friday's royal wedding in Britain of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The entire Syrian diplomatic corps was invited to the event as a matter of protocol, but the British Foreign Office said Thursday that Syria's ambassador to the United Kingdom is now not welcome "in the light of this week's attacks against civilians by the Syrian security forces, which we have condemned."

Read more: CNN

UN fails to agree on condemning Syria

Well that was useless.
Deraa and the rest of Syria, the world's leaders have failed you.
It was disgusting to watch the words coming out of the Syrian and Russian ambassadors
mouths' yesterday. Even China and India were useless.
U.S. and Europe know the truth and need to step it up before this gets bloodier.

For a summary of the meeting: msnbc article

UN Human Rights Council to hold special session on Syria to try to stop regime killing its people

"France’s foreign ministry says leading European nations have summoned Syrian ambassadors across the continent to condemn recent violence in the Middle Eastern country."



AP-Article

List of 600+ Killed in Syrian Revolution

List of the over 600 killed during the revolution: Complete List
Includes the martyrs' names, cities, and for some how they were killed and their ages.

"I Stand With the People of Syria"-Prospect Park Mayor

"Below is a personal statement from the honorable Mohamed T. Khairullah, Mayor of Prospect Park, NJ on the deteriorating conditions in Syria. Prospect Park, NJ: April 26, 2011: I , Mohamed Taher Khairullah, an American citizen who is immensely proud of his Syrian roots, wish to make the following statement:
I call upon the Syrian Government to provide its people what my grandfather, the late Sheikh Taher Khairullah, asked for in his Friday sermons from his pulpit at Al-Rawda Mosque in Aleppo over 30 years ago: that the Syrian people are granted their basic God given right to live in freedom, peace, and dignity. I also declare my unwavering support to the peace loving people of Syria and join them in their demands for their basic human rights, and to enjoy a life free from intimidation, oppression, and harassment.
I am of course cognizant that Syria has witnessed tremendous achievements in the past decade in the areas of technology, infrastructure, and trade. But the people of Syria lacked the basic freedoms to express their opinions, to be creators of new ideas, and the innovators of solutions. The people of Syria deserve more.
My family left Syria 30 years ago under oppressively similar conditions where security forces were killing people indiscriminately. While I live and serve as an elected official in the United States, and have enjoyed the fruits of the freedoms granted under the US Constitution, my heart and my mind is now with my homeland and the people of Syria during their time of hardship.
It has become very apparent in the past few weeks that the Syrian people are simply asking for one thing, “freedom.” Apparently some government agencies, despite the lifting of emergency rules, have continued to deal with the Syrian people in the only way it knows: violence and suppression.
In a civilized society, government should not be the judge and the executioner on the street. Government should be the entity with the bigger heart and mind. It should be the tolerant partner of an oppressed population that is now expressing its mind.
My message to the Syrian people:
• Continue expressing your feelings in the peaceful and respectful manner that you have demonstrated.
• All parts of the Syrian society should work together, regardless of race, religion, or ideology, to formulate clear demands.
• Demand the implementation of all new presidential decrees granting wider freedoms.
• Demand the elimination of the illegal and inhumane practices of the intelligence agencies.
My message to President Bashar Al-Asad:
• To immediately order the cessation of killing and injuring citizens engaged in protests and civil gatherings.
• To listen to the true demands of the Syrian people and dissolve the oppressive agencies which created a gap of fear and suspicion between the people and their government.
• To ensure that current and future reforms are implemented.
• To rid the country from the culture of corruption and nepotism.
• To immediately initiate a national dialogue encompassing a wide range of political activists, intellectuals and any other persons who might contribute positively to the process of consultation on the reforms and where the country is heading.
I call on all people of conscious to speak their mind and support the people of Syria and I ask the Syrian media to report in a truthful and objective manner.
I pray to God that Syria and its proud people will overcome this tumultuous stage in their history.
May God bless Syria and its people.
Mohamed T. Khairullah
Mayor
Borough of Prospect Park, New Jersey
The statement above reflects my personal view point and not that of the Borough of Prospect Park, New Jersey."

Article

Turkey Increasing Pressure on Syria

"Turkey on Tuesday increased pressure on Syria to cease its brutal crackdown on pro-reform demonstrators, a day after Syrian troops backed by tanks and snipers stormed a southern city, where the dead reportedly lay unclaimed in the streets.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan phoned Syrian President Bashar Assad to urge restraint while Turkey's ambassador to Damascus met Syrian Prime Minister Adel Safar to express Turkey's deep concern and sorrow over loss of many lives, the prime minister's office and the Turkish media reported.

Erdogan called Assad a day after he and U.S. President Barack Obama voiced their concern in a telephone conversation over what the White House called the Syrian government's unacceptable use of violence against its own people.

The Syrian army launched a deadly raid on the southern Syrian city of Daraa before dawn Monday, killing at least 11 people. Gunfire echoed in Daraa, where the uprising in Syria started more than a month ago, on Tuesday as residents said the dead still lay in the streets.

Turkey shares a long land border with Syria and fears the turmoil could trigger an influx of refugees. However, most of the 877-kilometer border is heavily mined and a mass influx of refugees is not expected.

As a NATO ally, Turkey has cultivated warm relations with countries such as Libya and Syria as part of a regional outreach that included nations with a history of enmity with the West.

Now Turkey is scrambling to preserve economic and other links to Mideast nations while urging their autocrats to meet the demands of protesters who want change."

Article

35 Killed in Daraa; Water/Elec/Comm Cut

35 deaths have been reported from Daraa since Monday.


Summary: "At least 35 have been killed since attack in Daraa began at dawn on Monday; over 2,000 Syrian security police deployed in Damascus suburb of Duma Tuesday, manning road blocks and checking identity of residents"

"Syrian security forces have killed at least 35 civilians since they began attacking the city of Daraa at dawn on Monday to crush an uprising, Syrian rights organization Sawasiah said on Tuesday.

The organization, founded by jailed human rights lawyer Mohannad al-Hassani, said electricity, water and telecommunications remained cut in Deraa for the second day, with supplies of baby milk and blood at hospitals starting to run low.

This intensification in clashes in Daraa took place as more than 2,000 Syrian security police deployed in the Damascus suburb of Duma on Tuesday, manning road blocks and checking the identity of residents, a witness told Reuters.

The witness said he saw several dark green trucks in the streets equipped with heavy machineguns.

He said men who he believed were members of the plain clothes secret police were carrying assault rifles.

Bus loads of soldiers in full combat gear also crossed the main gate of Duma and began deploying in the suburb, he said.

European governments urged Syria on Tuesday to end violence after President Bashar al-Assad sent tanks to crush a revolt against his 11-year rule in the city of Deraa.

A European Union diplomat said on Tuesday that the EU is discussing possible sanctions against Syria's leadership over its crackdown on protesters.

These would be discussed further at a meeting of ambassadors from EU member states in Brussels on Friday, the diplomat said.

"We are exploring possibilities of further action. The next step will be taken at a meeting on Friday," the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
Any sanctions are likely to begin with asset freezes and travel bans targeting the Syrian leadership, a separate EU source said. It could be up to two weeks before the measures formally pass into law.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said earlier that London would work with other countries to push for sanctions on Syria's leadership if the government continued to use violence to quell protests.

"Syria is now at a fork in the road .... it can choose ever more violent repression which can only ever bring short term security for the authorities there," Hague told Britain's parliament.

"If it does so, we will work with our European partners and others to take measures including sanctions that will have an impact on the regime," he added.

Syrian security forces have shot dead at least 400 civilians in their campaign to crush month-long pro-democracy protests, Syrian human rights organization Sawasiah said on Tuesday.

The United States is considering sanctions against Syrian government officials to increase pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to end the crackdown.
Britain, France, Germany and Portugal are asking the UN Security Council to condemn the Syrian crackdown in a draft statement being circulated in New York, a UN diplomat said.

Hague said obtaining a full-scale United Nations resolution condemning Syria's actions was difficult for now, although he said that may change if the crackdown continued."

Article