Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Killing with Confidence!

One thing is clear, the crackdown and the killing is now very methodical. That angst of erstwhile weeks has gone away. The Assads seem to think that their ability to survive Ramadan indicates that the worst is behind them. They are wrong. The worst, for them, is just beginning.

Monday September 19, 2011

13 protesters were killed today by pro-Assad militias, including 8 protesters (5 men, a woman and 2 defected soldiers) in the Houleh District in Homs Province.

Kids in Hama burn their school books containing pictures of Assad and family http://youtu.be/HnSIoDMWrvg as students of all ages, but especially young children, stage demonstrations throughout the country calling for Assad’s departure and for toppling his regime.

Links
U.S. Is Quietly Getting Ready for Syria Without Assad

HOMS

Burying a paramedic killed in the line of duty (Sept. 17) http://youtu.be/yrhtvVNAEzg

Homs City – Daytime
Ghoutah http://youtu.be/EfnIuSYR3vw , http://youtu.be/WK1nTPD3g1s Dablan http://youtu.be/etwBuf_W5Ws , http://youtu.be/9pXg6oQGwkU Baba Amr http://youtu.be/LYAhSzPAw-Q Insha’aat http://youtu.be/we4FE-p4iZM Student demonstration http://youtu.be/p-qaMqPmwJk Ghantoo http://youtu.be/4igaGpUbd5U

Homs City – Nighttime
Khaldiyeh http://youtu.be/98Bbf_VnM68 Wa’er http://youtu.be/Gid26FYGUOw Qoussour http://youtu.be/IJ6EtfdjMcQ , http://youtu.be/mj1VQJDTXiM Jouret El-Shayah http://youtu.be/gcBEmLjF85Q Hamrah http://youtu.be/Y7PM69Yaook

Homs Province
Rastan (daytime) http://youtu.be/241nfkyqowg a children’s demonstration http://youtu.be/SJmYKzQlMQM “kick Assad ambassadors out, they don’t represent us” http://youtu.be/WPiPLOjllt4 (nighttime) Banner “Go back to your barracks so we can go back to school” http://youtu.be/fV1NhNbKRq4 A funeral for a local defector (Sept 18) http://youtu.be/PfmjIrXly_k

Houleh (daytime) pro-Assad militias storm in and open fire on locals http://youtu.be/G4Z4fOWuU2w Locals reconnect power lines after the raid http://youtu.be/-m6Tdwg2WfM and children stage a demonstration called for the execution of Assad http://youtu.be/_kaaAnz2Dfw

Talbisseh (nighttime) http://youtu.be/Hah8rZ0gRDM , http://youtu.be/RJQthVEyY0w Qseir (daytime) children protest http://youtu.be/cPkqkvXvAIg , http://youtu.be/sd6ka5HP7nI (nighttime) http://youtu.be/w9XnyB7xVM8 , http://youtu.be/L4YE8h5PH0E Deir Baalbah (nighttime) http://youtu.be/6MCkljki6HQ , http://youtu.be/R04XQFPFfEU Tadmor/Palmyra http://youtu.be/www0XATQc6A , http://youtu.be/vHE33aqcG6Q

IDLIB

An open air hospital in the olive groves http://youtu.be/CKGSYpYzWl8 More troops arrive in Khan Shaikhoon http://youtu.be/4OYQFoQw9xk

Daytime
Kafar Takhareem an all children protest http://youtu.be/kwyo0AhmZpE Same in M’arr Shamsheh http://youtu.be/Unj0aS4k1wk Same in Sarmeen http://youtu.be/Xzzx8SbV0Lk and Idlib City http://youtu.be/KfAdDGLkOZg and Jarjanaz http://youtu.be/-WhVN9iC6g8 Tilmans http://youtu.be/R4SZMYK3rl4

Nighttime
Idlib City http://youtu.be/YziRFE_D3FQ , http://youtu.be/kwr6YL7uvJM , http://youtu.be/UPu0GLeWVOw Binnish http://youtu.be/YLNHRQ4-R4I Kafar Takhareem http://youtu.be/8gPHM681wnE Hzano http://youtu.be/ubf01cnsIpU M’arr Tamsareen http://youtu.be/Kyj2Zyc3pSw

DAMASCUS

Daytime
Saqba 20,000 locals take part in a funeral for a local activist http://youtu.be/AHMKPu1iwAY Taking the body out of the Mosque http://youtu.be/CNU2Eht88X4 Marching down the street http://youtu.be/Kk6wAEIP2fc Jisreen a martyr http://youtu.be/p9Td94z4asQ Madaya a student demonstration http://youtu.be/1ypxpd3KcFI , http://youtu.be/35fn0C-Bz_A Zabadani a martyr http://youtu.be/iSCsUSnnUgI Daraya a silent demonstration http://youtu.be/slczgqYXf9Q pro-Assad militias prevent people from entering the local mosque http://youtu.be/n--y222G3jk Kisweh a student demonstration http://youtu.be/XN5psUTXw3U

Qaboun pro-Assad militias break up a funeral for Adham Aabdeh http://youtu.be/zTTImiGnSfA , http://youtu.be/0yGZy6dxKpA then roam the streets in trucks brandishing their machineguns http://youtu.be/emFj4AIjPLI making stops to open fire on protesters http://youtu.be/sIcI4b-keeo beating on a protester in public http://youtu.be/ZKOqk6aQcvE funeral before crackdown http://youtu.be/_hhR9K7dG9M , http://youtu.be/ZOahh2AlBFk Laying Adham to rest http://youtu.be/qpIr6qmB6C4 signs of torture on Adham’s body http://youtu.be/7s9NZsfOLmQ

Nighttime
Kisweh tanks and troops moved into the suburb and carried mass arrests following this demonstration http://youtu.be/2sKoUuSQl_k Douma http://youtu.be/ZN5SzgVs398 , http://youtu.be/mr1xKwL55zM Kanaker http://youtu.be/n7jyO8FBfDI Harasta http://youtu.be/ZC5yRs_3toY , http://youtu.be/vWIrEpqogp8 Qudsiyah http://youtu.be/BOZPZ3ul3E0 Rankous http://youtu.be/qKYiDyfT3fw , http://youtu.be/sJYTZ5hmDSI Barzeh http://youtu.be/8sIrO2jl2HU Qaboun http://youtu.be/G6bA8VQ6qZY Qarrah http://youtu.be/0NdDdCKuRN8 Midan http://youtu.be/CK_TZ--eM0U , http://youtu.be/KOpF70xzd90 , http://youtu.be/MOz7Qh26oRo Mazzeh http://youtu.be/YGXsDzDWNVw Qadam http://youtu.be/Kbqj5y-LYnc


ELSEWHERE

Hama – Taybat Al-Imam (daytime) a student demonstration http://youtu.be/TBI-4ONVezM , http://youtu.be/w6258YokaF0 , http://youtu.be/W_aJ8Mah4rs (nighttime) http://youtu.be/XUOI8quBPaM Khattab (Sept 18) http://youtu.be/AYYZukdS7aA Khattab (daytime) a student demonstration http://youtu.be/rgXDntHeawk Kafar Nabboudeh (nighttime) http://youtu.be/AW2uPl2Vqy4 Hama City - Hamidiyeh http://youtu.be/hXl4lHFUqaA

Aleppo City – Sheikh Fares (nighttime) http://youtu.be/Nqbadtao15A Tal Rif’aat (daytime) http://youtu.be/YK8rhlKV_YE , http://youtu.be/P11RyanZeZQ

Deir Ezzor – Qouriyeh (nighttime) http://youtu.be/YGDZEgyIsg4

I have received the table below by email: it explains the current makeup of the recently formed Syrian National Council. I have added the color-coding and the tallies at the end, but the classification system is not my work, as most of the names are unknown to me. Bear in mind that the Antalya Conference has already withdrawn and talks to get it back are not going anywhere. Should the Antalya insist on withdrawal, the Council will lose all 2 of its liberal members, and 2 (that is) half of it of tribal representatives. Also, Muslim Brotherhood has not yet joined the Council and is not expected to do so. MB members named in the Council seem to be present in their personal capacity and not as official representatives of the movement.

Syrian National Council (SNC)

MB=Muslim Brotherhood, F=Female

1.           Ibrahim Al-Yusef (leftwing; Kurd; Journalist; MAF)
2.          Ahmad Ramadan (Islamist and long-time Hamas activist)
3.          Ahmad Shaker (Islamist)
4.          Adib Shishakli (Independent)
5.           Osama Shurbaji (Islamist)
6.          Ausama Monajed (Islamist; Breakaway MB)
7.           Osama Kadi (Islamist)
8.          Anas Al-Abdah (Islamist; Breakaway MB)
9.          Anas Airout (Islamist; Imam of the Banias Mosque)
10.        Badreddin Bahro (Islamist)
11.         Badr Jamus (Ex. Honorary Consul in Moldova)
12.        Bassam Jaara (Ex Baathist;)
13.        Bassma Kodmani (Leftwing/Technocrat) F
14.        Bashar Al-Aisami (Druze, Ex Iraqi Baath)
15.        Bashar Hasan Al-Heraki (Islamist one of the organizers of Istanbul 1, assistant to Imad al Din Rashid)
16.        Jan Abdalla (Christian; Ex Iraqi Bathist)     
17.        Jamal Al-Wadi (Islamist; Higher Revolutionary Council; from Deraa)
18.        Hosam Al-Qatlabi (Ismaili; leftwing; Alitilaf)
19.        Hassan Al-Shalabi (Islamist, extremist; Member of the “Sourourist” Extremist wing of the MB)
20.       Hassan Al-Hamshi (Islamist; MB)
21.        Khaled Al-Haj Saleh (leftwing; Brother of Yasin Haj Saleh)
22.       Khaled Khouja (MB)
23.       Khalil Karo (Kurd)
24.       Rami Nakhle (Leftwing; Druze; LCC)
25.       Radwan Al-Alami (???)
26.       Radwan Ziadeh (Islamist)
27.       Riad Al-Hasan (???)
28.       Raymoun Ma’joun (Christian; leftwing)
29.       Raymoun Yukhana (Christian; leftwing)
30.       Rinas Sinou (Kurd)
31.        Ziwar Al-Omar (Writer; Kurd)
32.       Salem Al-Mosalet (Tribes)
33.       Samer Kailani (???)
34.       Sadad Akkad (MB and owns a Children’s TV station)
35.       Shadi Junaid (Islamist)
36.       Abdelilah Thamer Al-Melhem (Tribes)
37.       Abdelbasit Sida (Kurd; not known as an Islamist but is often seen hanging around with them)
38.       Abdelbaqi Yusef (Kurd; Yaqiti)
39.       Abdelrahman Al-Haj (Islamist Breakaway MB)
40.       Obaida Nahhas (Islamist)
41.        Afra Jalabi (Independent) F
42.       Imadedin Al-Rashid (Islamist “Sourouri wing”)
43.       Ammar Alhaddao (Islamist; extremist, Tribes)
44.       Ammar Qurabi (Human rights activist; liberal)
45.       Omar Idlibi (Leftwing; LCC)
46.       Amr Al-Azm (Liberal; Secular)
47.       Fida Al-Majthoub (Islamist)
48.       Kamiran Hajo (Kurd; Damascus Declaration)
49.       Louay Safi (SAC; Islamist)
50.       Mamoun Naqqar (Islamist; Justice Party)
51.        Mohamad Al-Abdalla (Independent, LCC)
52.       Mohamad Thamer Al-Mahid (Tribes)
53.       Mohamad Sarmini (Islamist, helped organize the youth Islamist conference in Istanbul)
54.       Mohamad Yasser Tabbara (SAC; Borderline Islamist)
55.        Mohamad Yasin Al-Najjar (???)
56.       Mahmoud Al-Kilani (???)
57.        Mahmoud Othman (MB)
58.       Mostafa Al-Sabbagh (Islamist)
59.       Mostafa Kayyali (Independent)
60.       Mostafa Mohamad (Kurd)
61.        Moti’ Al-Batin (Islamist; Imam of the Deraa Mosque)
62.       Mouath Al-Sebai (MB)
63.       Mona Mohamed (Kurd) F
64.       Musa Musa (Kurd)
65.       Najib Ghadbian (Islamist)
66.       Nazir Hakim (MB; Brussels group)
67.       Heba Al-Fouz (???) F
68.       Hesham Marwa (Islamist)
69.       Haytham Rahma (Islamist; Breakaway from MB; Brussels group)
70.       Wael Merza (Islamist)
71.        Wajdi Mostafa (Leftwing; Alawi)

Total: 71 names

Total Islamists: 34
Total Leftists: 15 (including 2 Druzes, 3 Christians, 1 Alawite, 1 Ismaili, 3 Kurds)
Total Liberals: 2 (both from Antalya Group Executive Committee)
Total Tribal Members: 4 (including at least 1 Islamist)
Total women: 4 (1 unknown, 1 Kurd, 1 leftist, 1 independent)
Total Kurds: 10 (including at least 3 leftists)
Total Christian: 3 (all leftists)
Total Druzes: 2 (all leftists) 
Total Alawites: 1 (leftist)
Total Ismailis: 1 (leftist) 
Independents: 4
Total Unknowns: 6

Figures will slightly change once we know more about the political backgrounds of the Kurdish participants, the Independents and the Unknowns.

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3 comments:

  1. William Scott ScherkSeptember 23, 2011 at 1:46 PM

    Thanks for the table on the national council. It would be great if that could be notated or filled in -- just to know more about the members (not to mention the 'unnamed' components from inside Syria, the LCCs and so on).

    I mean, Radwan Ziadeh, Islamist? Is that not a bit tart/off-beam? I can't think of a single thing he has done as historian of repression to be mark him as 'islamist.'

    On another subject, you will have seen that Landis has given over SC to the moderators. I have asked for some interviews and guest articles outside the 'reform/Assad/stability' axis.

    Is there anyone on that list whom you know -- some who would pen a report on the SNC, or take questions in writing or something?

    As ever, kudos for assembling and putting up a record of the days . . .

    Perhaps some or more of the others are similarly tagged inappropriately.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AmarjiSeptember 24, 2011 at 5:32 AM

    I think it was a case of guilt by association in case of Radwan. These are very polarized times, and people rush to make snap judgments that often fail to see the big picture. Be that as it may, the whole thing comes to underline the fact that these councils are not generating enough critical support within the ranks of the opposition to pass muster. I think the entire approach should be reviewed.

    Radwan himself or Najib Ghadbian would be my suggestions for people to contact for more info on the SNC.

    ReplyDelete
  3. E KSeptember 26, 2011 at 1:15 AM

    Hi Ammar,
    Great documentation efforts here. I wanted to know how I can contact you re: your interest/input on mapping protests in Syria. I've done some work on libya mapping (see my profile with links @K_thos). pls email me if interested to discuss. thank you, Esther (spamballs at gmail dot com)

    ReplyDelete

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