Unrest in the Arab World:Syria

Syrian protesters march for freedom

Security forces reported to have fired tear gas and used batons as protesters return to streets after Friday prayers. Last Modified: 01 Apr 2011 14:10 Email Article Print Article Share Article Send Feedback

Anti-government protesters holding signs reading "We only love freedom" marched the streets in several cities [AFP] Protests against Baath Party rule demanding freedoms have broken out in several Syrian cities in the north and south, including the flashpoint city of Daraa after prayers on Friday, activists have said. Hundreds of people took to the streets in and around the capital Damascus, where security forces reportedly fired tear gas at protesters in the suburb of Douma, and in the coastal cities of Latakia and Banias. Syrian security forces and ruling Baath Party loyalists attacked protesters with batons in Rifaii mosque in the capital, Damascus. Click here for more on our special coverage Citing witnesses, Reuters said at least six protesters were arrested and dozens more beaten as they were leaving the mosque. Witnesses told AFP that at least four people were killed and dozens of others wounded after security forces opened fire on protesters in Douma, a suburb outside Damascus. The rallies, taking place for the third week in succession after Friday prayers, come two days after Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, labelled them a foreign conspiracy. Assad defied expectations during his first public address since the protests began that he would announce sweeping changes. Witnesses in Daraa, a southern town that has been one of the main focal points of rising dissent, said hundreds gathered after leaving a mosque shouting "death rather humiliation" and "national unity". Protest organisers quoted by AFP said rallies were also being staged for the first time in the mainly Kurdish-populated northeast. "Several hundred people marched peacefully in the streets of Qamishli and Amuda … chanting 'we don't only want citizenship but freedom as well'," Radif Mustafa, a Kurdish rights activist, told AFP. Tight security Earlier, Al Jazeera's Rula Amin reporting from Damascus said some of the protests were attended by hundreds of people while others had only dozens, but security was equally tight in the capital and other cities. "What is significant is that the protests took place despite the president's speech and the three government announcements on Thursday to address some of the demands. Al Jazeera's Cal Perry reports on the deadly anti-government protests in southern Daraa "The government has not used any ammunition so far, they have been using tear gas and water cannon. Security forces were also in plain clothes arresting or attacking protesters using sticks." Our correspondent said Syria now was different from three weeks ago. "There are protesters and protests across the country, and the government appears to be showing more tolerance than it showed two weeks ago. "But it is too early to judge how things will turn out by the end of today," Rula Amin added. Dubbed "Friday of Martyrs" the protests after weekly Muslim prayers across Syria are being held for a third consecutive week. Activists estimate more than 160 people have been killed in clashes so far with security forces, mainly in Daraa. Officials said about 30 people had died, and accused Muslim extremists and "armed gangs" of pushing peaceful rallies into violence with the aim of inciting sectarian unrest in the country. Assad under pressure In a video message posted online, Haytham Maleh, a Syrian human rights lawyer, called on protesters to keep up their pressure until the government bows to their demands. "I appeal to Syrians to continue to put pressure on the authorities to fulfill the legitimate demands they have," he said, warning the government would "assume full responsibility for the consequences" of failing to satisfy the protest movement. Assad blamed 'conspirators' for anti-government protests in Wednesday's speech Faced with mounting pressure, Assad on Thursday ordered a string of reforms including a study of new laws on the media and political pluralism, and plans to tackle the plight of 300,000 Kurds denied citizenship for nearly 50 years. Assad also ordered an immediate investigation into the Daraa and Latakia killings and the formation of a committee to draft new laws on national security and counter-terrorism. The widely despised, decades-old emergency laws give the government a free hand to arrest people without charge. State-run media said the committee set up by the Baath Party's regional command would "pave the way for ending the state of emergency" and should complete its work by April 25. The popular protests were sparked off by the arrest of several teenagers who wrote anti-government graffiti on walls in the southern city of Daraa. The rallies spread to other parts of the country last week. Within hours of Assad's speech, residents of the Mediterranean port city of Latakia said troops opened fire during a protest by about 100 people, although it was not immediately clear whether they were firing in the air or at the protesters. The residents asked that their names not be published for fear of reprisals. Latakia, which has a potentially volatile mix of different religious groups, has already become a flashpoint for violence that could take on a dangerous sectarian tone in the coming days and weeks.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

=====================================================