Syrian regime rallies support while Assad promises to address nation on TV

Tank columns sent north to quell opposition cities while the president sends envoys to Turkey and hints at reform Thousands of civilians fled in panic as tank columns pushed into the north-west of Syria in an expanding military campaign against the protest movement. It came as Bashar al-Assad sent envoys to Turkey for talks, and also as the president prepared to deliver a televised speech promising reforms. Reports from Ma’arat al-Numan, on the road between Damascus and Aleppo, described armoured vehicles advancing while troops were deployed by helicopter, as loudspeakers on mosques broadcasting warnings. It was a similar story in the east, on the Iraqi border near Deir al-Zor and around Albu Kamal, where mass protests began last week. In the capital, thousands turned out for loyalist rallies as a pro-government website reported that the president was to address the nation on constitutional changes “within the coming hours”. Assad has spoken twice to the nation since the uprising began, but both times his intervention was seen as too little and too late. The president has not been seen in public since 19 May, but he is thought to be firmly in charge, while his brother, Maher, is overseeing military operations. The Syriasteps website reported that the constitutional changes to be mentioned by Assad could involve article eight, which guarantees the supremacy of the ruling Ba’ath party. In London and other western capitals, diplomats said that a UN resolution condemning Syria could be tabled with the support of 11 of the 15 members of the security council, challenging Russia and China to veto it. Efforts were focusing on Brazil, South Africa and India, which have voiced reservations about a resolution drafted by Britain, France, Germany and Portugal. In stark contrast to international action on Libya, the UN has so far failed to condemn the violence in Syria, in which an estimated 1,300 people have been killed in three months. The UN’s high commissioner for human rights repeated that Syrian security forces have used executions, mass arrests and torture to repress pro-democracy protests. Pressure was mounting on Damascus from neighbouring Turkey, where Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-Muallim, and Hassan Turkmani, Assad’s national security adviser, were holding emergency consultations. Britain and the US have been urging Turkey to get tougher. The once close relationship between the neighbours has been tested by the thousands of refugees crossing the border into Turkey, fleeing Syrian forces in the Jisr al-Shughour area. Turkey’s tone has sharpened, with prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking of Syrian “savagery”. Ankara’s concerns are over the spreading of unrest to Kurdish areas of Syria, and in preventing a new wave of refugees. In Damascus, streets were packed and traffic blocked as crowds headed to the main highway in the upper-class neighbourhood of Mezze for a pro-Assad rally. Text messages had been sent earlier in the week to alert people to join. Many seemed eager to be there, underlining the huge divide between those for and against the regime. Young boys sat on top of cars holding up portraits of Assad on placards, lorries carrying groups of people waving national flags beeped their horns, and women old and young wearing T-shirts featuring Assad’s face over the Syrian flag rushed towards the highway. Chants of “we will die for you Bashar” and “God, Syria, Bashar – that’s all!” rang out. In stark contrast to what happens at anti-regime demonstrations, police cordoned off the road and vendors sold flags, adding to a party mood. Ambulances and buses were nearby. “We love out president, he’s smart and does what’s best, which outsiders don’t understand,” said one man, in a sign that by using the rhetoric of outside threats, from both “armed gangs” and hostile governments, Syria’s government has succeeded in rallying some to its side. “We have security here,” said another. “Even the Iraqi refugees are telling us not to go down this route of protests.” State TV carried non-stop coverage of the rally, interviewing participants young and old, and showing off the unfurling of a national flag more than 2 kilometres long stretching down the length of the highway. Pro-Assad rallies have increased in the last week, especially in front of the French and Turkish embassies to protest their governments’ angry condemnations of the crackdown. While a fair amount of orchestration goes into such rallies, the president clearly does retain support, both among those who are convinced armed gangs are roving the country and those who know there are protests but are against them. Syria Middle East Arab and Middle East unrest Bashar Al-Assad Protest Ian Black guardian.co.uk

Posted by on June 15, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.