It
remains an isolated incident, for now, but some Syrian protesters did burn the
American Flag on Friday. Why?
On Friday, 25 people were killed in Homs, Hama, Damascus and Deraa. Eyewitnesses at a local hospital in Homs report that over 100 bodies with bullet wounds were brought to the premises in the last 24 hours. The shelling of Homs City continues. Sweep operations in the rural areas in Homs, Hama, Idlib, Deraa and Damascus continue. Assad demands that opposition groups surrender their weapons as part of a general amnesty, but State Department advised people against surrendering themselves out of fear for their safety, drawing accusation of “blatant interference in Syrian affairs” from the regime.
Saturday November 5,
2011
On Friday, 25 people were killed in Homs, Hama, Damascus and Deraa. Eyewitnesses at a local hospital in Homs report that over 100 bodies with bullet wounds were brought to the premises in the last 24 hours. The shelling of Homs City continues. Sweep operations in the rural areas in Homs, Hama, Idlib, Deraa and Damascus continue. Assad demands that opposition groups surrender their weapons as part of a general amnesty, but State Department advised people against surrendering themselves out of fear for their safety, drawing accusation of “blatant interference in Syrian affairs” from the regime.
On Saturday, continued
pounding by pro-Assad militias left at least 30 people dead in Baba
Amr Neighborhood in Homs City. On the same day, which marked the first day
of Eid Al-Adha, the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice, titular head of the Syrian
National Council, Burhan Ghalioun, made his first direct address to the
Syrian people and called on Syrian soldiers to refuse obeying orders to shoot
at civilians. Meanwhile, in the town of Khan Shaikhoon in Idlib
province, thousands of locals took part in a funeral of a security
officer who was killed by colleagues for refusing to shoot at civilians.
For its part and by way
of showing some compliance with the Arab League Initiative, Syrian
authorities released 553 detainees “whose hands have not been tainted
with blood,” as official media put it.
Arrests on Saturday
included the filmmaker Nidal Hassan, the female lawyer, Asma
Al-Sasah (28), and 4 young women who tried to defend a protester who was
being brutalized by pro-Assad militias in Bab Sreejeh Neighborhood in Central
Damascus.
For his part, Colonel
Riyad Al-Ass’aad, head of the Free Syrian Army, reiterated his
commitment to armed resistance, saying that the regime cannot be brought down
without it, and announced plans for the establishment of a military council,
seeing that the Syrian National Council continues to refuse to provide a
political umbrella for the group. But the people love their FSA, in this clip,
we see protesters from the town of Tadmor (Palmyra) in the Homs Province
chanting “Free Army, we are your men” http://youtu.be/A1Hjvi4TjOE
Links
Missing Another Opportunity, Are we?
The inhabitants of Kafar Nabbel town in
Idlib Province are always direct in expressing their sentiments and pull no
punches: “Damn the world presidents and NATO leaders” for their passivity http://youtu.be/j36IJ6enKeU
Military intervention is what the protesters are demanding. In Bab
Houd Neighborhood in Homs City, protesters were even more direct:
they burnt the American Flag, yes, the American Flag http://youtu.be/dhY7VFhMT0E But why?,
one might ask. It seems that “the double standards” adopted by American
officials regarding the situations in Syria and Libya have irked some
protesters. After all, weeks ago, they had given the American Ambassador an
olive branch, but the only thing they got in return was kind words and an now apology
note telling them they’re on their own, even as residential neighborhoods being
pounded to smithereens. Right actions can change these sentiments of course,
but, for now, the golden opportunity with which Americans was presented, an
opportunity to change the nature of political alliances in the region for
decades to come, seems to be shutting down and fast. You can lead from behind –
at times, this is both true and necessary. But leadership more often is about
taking charge. You can forget that at your own peril, and ours, it seems.
The War in Homs City & the Sectarian Question
Let’s
put all this talk about sectarian in the city of Homs in context, because
frankly it is getting out of hand, and people, in usual emotional and parroting
manner, are putting their fears and expectations ahead of facts.
These
are the facts:
First
of all, the main story continues to be one this: we have, on the hand, tanks
pounding residential neighborhoods, and, on the other, we have sporadic attempts
at self-preservation championed by defectors and local recruits trying to mount
some resistance by carrying operations against pro-Assad militias besieging and
pounding their communities.
Second,
we have authorities playing an active role in evacuating Alawite and
occasionally Christian residents of the communities under siege, and taking
them to safety, while the rest are being left to face their miserable fate once
the shelling resumes.
Third,
we have more incidents of targeting Sunnis workers and locals by pro-Assad
militias, incidents that were documents by YouTube videos as usual, and only
one doubtful report of Alawite civilians being targeted by “terrorists” provide
by the same official media that have spewed much more venomous lies in the last
few weeks than Goebbels did in his entire career.
So,
what we have here actually amounts to ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the
Assads and their militias. But despite this, and despite the reality of deep
sectarian prejudice on all sides, we are not dealing yet with sectarian
clashes. Protest leaders understand all too well what the Assad regime is
trying to accomplish here, and despite their own prejudices, they
are doing a superb job trying to rise above prejudice and keep their communities
on message – the message of national unity.
In this clips
from Bab Houd http://youtu.be/lZ907OcugV0
protesters carry a sign saying “the regime
wants to stoke fires of sectarianism to claim that this is not a revolution but
sectarian warfare” Another telling sign says: “the killer Bashar is being given
one opportunity after another, but no one is giving us an opportunity to live
in freedom.”
In this clip
from Khaldiyeh Neighborhood, protesters sing the new song of the
revolution “the Syrian Revolution is a revolution for dignity and freedom” http://youtu.be/APC9zCqZFxI This lyrics celebrate national unity despite the pounding and killing
and the continuous attempts by the regime to play the sectarian card. Another
telling banner is the open that poses the question of “where the clause
demanding punishment for killers in the Arab League Initiative?”
Sectarian
war remains a possibility for Syria but it is not a reality yet. A timely
international intervention would ensure that it never becomes a reality.
Meanwhile,
the humanitarian crisis in the city is a reality: food and water shortages, understaffed
hospitals trying to treat hundreds of wounded arriving on a daily basis, shortages
in medical supplies, power outages, house-to-house searches and seizures,
arrests and intimidation at random checkpoints
throughout the city, and continuous pounding of neighborhoods these are
the defining facts of daily life. These and the popular anti-Assad rallies being
held daily and nightly during spates of ceasefire.
A note about the National Coordination Committee
In
many neighborhoods in Homs City, and many protest communities across Syria, protesters
these days are carrying carry signs denouncing the National Coordination
Committee and its leaders, sometimes by name (as is the case with Haitham
Al-Manna and Michel Kilo). The NCC is a coalition of traditional opposition
groups formed at the end of June; it calls for dialog with the regime over
reforms and opposes international intervention.
Naturally,
this message did not resonate well with the protesters, who don’t feel that
they owe traditional opposition groups anything. Protesters might end up sharing
the sympathies and adopting the ideologies of traditional opposition figures,
but, unless these figures accept that their role is now a mere supporting one
to the protesters, the latter will not hold them as their heroes and sources of
inspiration. This is the evident case with the NCC - and quietly the SNC is now
facing the same situation, the emotional speech of the Burhan Ghlioun earlier
today notwithstanding.
People have
been carrying signs rejecting the NCC and its leaders in Homs, Hama, Idlib,
Damascus and Deraa for many weeks now. This clip comes from Bab Al-Sibaa Neighborhoods
in Homs City http://youtu.be/QeljEwXDD4w .
In Houleh in Homs Province, protesters
came out in thousands despite the siege of their community. The cameraman holds
a note saying “to the SNC, either you operate work transparently or we will
call for toppling you” http://youtu.be/21XQQS-LQxU
Leaders of the NCC include
Hassan Abdelazim, Hussain Al-Awdat, Michel Kilo, Fayiz Sarah, Aref Dalilah,
Hazem Al-Nahar and Haitham Al-Manna (the NCC representative in France). Burhan
Ghalioun was one of the NCC founders before he had an epiphany and decided
to join the SNC as its titular president.
The War in Homs City – Friday
The cold and the Rain did not stop the cycle of
shelling and defiance
Downtown Homs – Tanks in the Rain http://youtu.be/o7kC0DOUSFU
Baba Amr Martyrs http://youtu.be/_sZu7fM9ckg
Mother http://youtu.be/j6BK4Uo0qP0
and son shot on leaving their apartment Deir Baalbah martyr http://youtu.be/SX7pv5Teu5c Hasty
funeral in Khaldiyeh http://youtu.be/ptJVPHoBlCo
Baba Amr comes under automatic gunfire at night http://youtu.be/MEr5mA8GaDk
Daytime demonstrations of defiance, in many
protesters carry signs and banners saluting the Free Syrian Army: Baba Amr http://youtu.be/sCWUd0nlr8M Deir
Baalbah http://youtu.be/wP96GmsuR80
, http://youtu.be/BP65qWLyfxQ Jouret
Al-Shayah http://youtu.be/9ZbERVxsOgM
Midan people carry banners saluting the Free Syrian Army http://youtu.be/vTvMKZrR5vM Wa’er
http://youtu.be/iKa7AxibFUE , http://youtu.be/Bb4l21_gwVg Qoussour
http://youtu.be/dwMreUO3DS4 , http://youtu.be/hNzwrIkMm64 Bayadah
http://youtu.be/F4H2OTm3_ZM Karm
Al-Zeitun http://youtu.be/va6XD0Az12E
Jib Al-Jandali http://youtu.be/9COzURa2tt8
Qarabees http://youtu.be/QTuC5gB4bDE
Bab Tadmor http://youtu.be/BG5rWPYEKVM
Hamrah http://youtu.be/9QIzooLO5DU
Boustan Al-Diwan http://youtu.be/81N6mBlLAK4
Ghoutah http://youtu.be/-onxzYzjAyU
Bab Dreib http://youtu.be/0SxHDn9T00M
Shammas http://youtu.be/N3wFvkzT70A
Insha’aat http://youtu.be/QJII0HyDch8
Nighttime demonstrations: Khaldiyeh http://youtu.be/V13x8bQz7Kc Bab Houd
http://youtu.be/OY2SAux51_A Jouret
Al-Shayah http://youtu.be/UKUHzpJ5Axk
Ghoutah http://youtu.be/gs3MdKtdA3w
Bab Dreib http://youtu.be/To7kMKkvS1A
Karm Al-Shami http://youtu.be/mp8njGQEWYA
The War in Homs City – Saturday
Baba Amr: The pounding continues http://youtu.be/mgQ2y59UGD8 , http://youtu.be/q29Se0rtpJU Loyalists using RPGs and machineguns to
target locals http://youtu.be/W9pAFymXUik
Wounded and the dead from today’s pounding http://youtu.be/ih4K8Hfm_jk
, http://youtu.be/VngQJW3s_o0 , http://youtu.be/bGEIo2SCB90 Dozens of
troops storm a local school http://youtu.be/g2RWc1XZ12Y
Khaldiyeh a martyr http://youtu.be/Ur6W7AkG0WU
another http://youtu.be/iW1a6RiJQ10 Deir
Baalbah a funeral http://youtu.be/PJNYbqmEKeM
a martyr http://youtu.be/4ye-Cn6zhqU
Eyewitness testimony from a resident in Baba
Amr who managed to escape http://youtu.be/fzEqvPfuCNA
the neighborhood is surrounded from all directions, I saw more than 40
wounded, I saw people wounded and dead ion the streets, there are no
communications, no bread, no food no water, it’s been 4 days under this
condition, we beseech the international community, the human rights
organization, the people in Baba Amr are being killed, I don’t even know where
my family is, I don’t know where my father is, I lost touch with my brother.
Help us. Some of the forces laying siege to the neighborhood http://youtu.be/Nh37bWrZfDo
Demonstrations Khaldiyeh http://youtu.be/PWeqvqjZvbI where
protesters insist on celebrating the Eid http://youtu.be/VhsWpc53FGc
Dablan http://youtu.be/DFh_9Op023o
Jouret Al-Shayah http://youtu.be/S--pW0dRUcA
Bab Houd http://youtu.be/nF7MEtvzdJI
Deir Baalbah http://youtu.be/-d_JdEBxQfs
Wa’er http://youtu.be/QPetAMUyxyU
, http://youtu.be/cql4IBf2uYs Stadium Area http://youtu.be/I_aKnYkfOIc Jouret Al-Shayah
http://youtu.be/nu5C5v4dqGg Ghoutah
http://youtu.be/Tia1EAZIOYc Bab
Houd http://youtu.be/ccW3nond4JM Shammas
http://youtu.be/ief-OjVexBI
Qoussour gunfire at night in the distance http://youtu.be/k42FLmMQubU
In Rastan in the larger Homs Province,
choppers overfly the town on their way to Homs City http://youtu.be/D9mKCdYdzUo In Tadmor,
locals demonstrate in support of their beleaguered provincial capital http://youtu.be/y9EiY8cTWCM
Elsewhere – Friday
In many demonstrations, protesters carry signs
and banners saluting the Free Syrian Army
HOMS PROVINCE: Tadmor (Palmyra) one of the
protesters carries a sign welcoming the formation of a certain Syrian
Revolution Unified Leadership Council http://youtu.be/U7dq4Lfhewg
, http://youtu.be/wflbliELz2U Nighttime
demon http://youtu.be/OUugVG4l9vI Wadi
Arab http://youtu.be/MoDFqzrmYo8 Sukhnah
http://youtu.be/WgCP9kOEyks Houleh
http://youtu.be/21XQQS-LQxU Talbisseh
http://youtu.be/KRE-2TbFSMY Hassya
http://youtu.be/AN_K9WbGPgc Rastan
http://youtu.be/7pI8pxRsPU0 Tal
Kalakh http://youtu.be/Ht6p6_OWHyE
IDLIB: Ariha http://youtu.be/xYO6WBLk3E4 Protesters
come under fire http://youtu.be/fCoNZgoi3vs
Gilli protesters come under fire http://youtu.be/hfcoAPmgDq8
Idlib City http://youtu.be/bLO-1Y7AOB4
(nighttime) http://youtu.be/4wrjNaMfTxs
Binnish http://youtu.be/zpbvuXfrbT0
, http://youtu.be/OIOxPvRB-Vs Jabal
Al-Zawiyeh http://youtu.be/vccLPG3sneU
Jarjanaz http://youtu.be/1KnkQeJcihs
Corine http://youtu.be/9nxFUcHovMo
Kafar Sajnah http://youtu.be/7qm55u_T4Ws
Elteh http://youtu.be/Md_oNbbOygQ
Hbeit http://youtu.be/r-3C9LHlvL8
Sarmada http://youtu.be/0QqBFlBin3I
Taftanaz http://youtu.be/gBJd1NCRUxQ
Heesh http://youtu.be/rFpxq9HDUfg
Tilmans http://youtu.be/25hpgfzoNHM
Kafar Nabbel http://youtu.be/tEsPTJYrAac
M’arraat Al-Nouman http://youtu.be/V2u8h1XjwCk
M’arrat Hourmah http://youtu.be/xYK-Nqy228E
Rayan http://youtu.be/pjJws11uAvQ
Deir Sunbol http://youtu.be/8bv1ViwFMdM
Eltman’ah http://youtu.be/k3tpqmRoST0
Ghadfah http://youtu.be/KxQpVikQ_Ug
Deir Sharqi the massacre of Ham is being repeated in Homs http://youtu.be/8ZVgkBewZXE M’arr
Shamshah http://youtu.be/Pxxv949lzAE
Ma’asaraan http://youtu.be/0eia6uXyDqQ
Ram Hamdan http://youtu.be/9Mn6bpSJFIs
HAMA: Hilfaya http://youtu.be/ed38JQWqQEw , http://youtu.be/V5xQyaSjsTY Taybat
Al-Imam protesters carry big banner saying “NCC does not represent me” http://youtu.be/k-CW8Zy5uQY Morek
http://youtu.be/UIquVHUPWUo Karnaz
http://youtu.be/ThRsVcFerjQ Kafar
Nabboudeh http://youtu.be/kNevDmwWkdU
Kafar Zita http://youtu.be/5370ONsHb7g
Breedej http://youtu.be/f5OoF5OPwEg
Madeeq http://youtu.be/-Y-EXU-xUkw
Ellatamneh http://youtu.be/f8Mh6WL8WME
Frayeh http://youtu.be/TBi28aOesrk
Protesters are attacked http://youtu.be/7fQbxxK2op0
Treymseh http://youtu.be/HQc8PewYk8E
HAMA CITY Aleppo Road http://youtu.be/-VFlnGGDejs Near
Aassy Square http://youtu.be/-hywxuBR-f8
Hamidiyeh http://youtu.be/DcN_LElIUzM
protesters come under fire http://youtu.be/QcJFMn5yrm4
They remain defiant http://youtu.be/m8IA4qpY_P0
DAMASCUS: Saqba protester come under fire http://youtu.be/P4EouYIuMIs Nighttime
funeral http://youtu.be/UJaxURnWdKA Harasta
http://youtu.be/5UrlagOoR7s Protesters
come under fire http://youtu.be/rXaQfj-tLBc
, http://youtu.be/yd_mYZAnVEA Midan
http://youtu.be/4Cb108d4kWg Assaly
http://youtu.be/CtcVJTc894E Qadam
http://youtu.be/uFdA3XIUa0A Douma
http://youtu.be/0WGFn8lUHcg Daraya
http://youtu.be/nE4XQE8LmTw Arbeen
http://youtu.be/GiaFrEtDVIM Barzeh
http://youtu.be/WZWQkwjUriE Hajar
Al-Aswad http://youtu.be/yy0h-wnzkSc
Kisweh http://youtu.be/Tf3T7YEYT_o
RURAL DAMASCUS: Kanaker http://youtu.be/H2k-ectT2Fc A martyr http://youtu.be/cpPOMAFmga0 , http://youtu.be/iJgPFTZ06dU Zabadani
http://youtu.be/F-BVlDztJiU , http://youtu.be/WKHcFlKKYgE Zakiyeh http://youtu.be/5I3FxJ0cjIQ Wadi
Barada http://youtu.be/XGB0aVmGypU
Madaya http://youtu.be/pAF1FAPiZsY
Eltal http://youtu.be/WUcszmjOAVw
Dmeir http://youtu.be/mzr8KESyEbs
Qarrah http://youtu.be/aJWPsFYUtLY
Yabroud http://youtu.be/xdgIULjQMww
Rankous http://youtu.be/On7Zi_43rgE
DERAA/HAURAN: Sanamein http://youtu.be/3_ejy7EBJ88 Da’el
http://youtu.be/crXKkOM3PYE Ataman
http://youtu.be/LotqFlRsAKs Bosra
http://youtu.be/dT37g--yxuo Nouaimah
http://youtu.be/z5Jrf-92XkA Sauran
http://youtu.be/S3CLa52n2eA Khirbet
Ghazaleh http://youtu.be/_6Sx8HWNZLc
Ghariyeh Sharqiyeh http://youtu.be/2hkF9lvUeao
Mseifrah http://youtu.be/06O5SVSh4VU
Jizah http://youtu.be/ijyGE8H2vjI
In Deraa City mass security presence in the streets prevented
demonstrations http://youtu.be/2Gfd4nC5fmU
, http://youtu.be/xERgXXO4lg4 But
people still came out http://youtu.be/DLvlFTWu3mQ
Taybah http://youtu.be/SR4UsoBdyZU
Yadoudeh http://youtu.be/lJL9pojpYjI
Ghabaghib http://youtu.be/ZXfzypuXlMI
Ankhel http://youtu.be/gm4Qi0HfxW8
Namar http://youtu.be/_mYIh5KNgWk
Abtaa http://youtu.be/Nwh_hRWVmBw
Kafar Shams http://youtu.be/skewJtQFyGQ
Mleihah Gharbiyeh http://youtu.be/sbXzgx5Kh1s
Mleihah Sharqiyeh http://youtu.be/gCe3dyBnUbQ
Hraak http://youtu.be/ChdbSRBc76M
Tseel http://youtu.be/iyUS688bqkQ
Nasseeb http://youtu.be/VKFgAnnWSmg
Tal Shihab http://youtu.be/1CGFodHFoBM
HASSAKEH: Qamishly http://youtu.be/uPyBZFB808s , http://youtu.be/SSmgcrl-6Mk Amoudeh
http://youtu.be/b2y3XpsLtQQ Ras
Al-Ain http://youtu.be/u6K18UyVoYI
Dirbassiyeh protesters carry a large banner saying “the Kurdish National
Council represents me” http://youtu.be/72oENH6H0jo
DEIR EZZOR: Qrayah http://youtu.be/9wbVeLUlrKY , http://youtu.be/E5hrp70cC34 Albou
Kamal http://youtu.be/rr-aASMU7zc
Jbeileh http://youtu.be/3x27B2nqWyc
Jarzi http://youtu.be/QS2MlXc33uU
ALEPPO: Tal Rif’aat http://youtu.be/GETnpm1keWU , http://youtu.be/Z72JMF3oUis Artaab
http://youtu.be/VcPkKK2PRKE Hreitan
http://youtu.be/qL8wDyfuloQ Anadan
http://youtu.be/RH5KiJREpVw Marei
http://youtu.be/I_ed-L3cqcc
ALEPPO CITY Salaheddine Protesters are
attacked after they get out of the local mosque http://youtu.be/6ZK2G8nt9gk , http://youtu.be/8uVSrv88HA0
LATTAKIA: Hiffeh http://youtu.be/Ga-SJ9jNYnA
TARTOUS: Baniyas worshippers trapped in mosque
to prevent them from protesting http://youtu.be/ssAIoXcKvTo
GOLAN: Saham http://youtu.be/ssW08nnNEsM
Elsewhere – Saturday
DERAA/HAURAN: Nahteh http://youtu.be/9dzaEuyyX5E Namar
http://youtu.be/DYrEy2GQZY4 Sanamein
http://youtu.be/0NMoZKNqvFw Mleihah
Sharqiyeh http://youtu.be/u3kSVN14blc
Hraak http://youtu.be/Fd1CrN1mmUY
Deir Al-Bakht http://youtu.be/z1diMe-9pi8
Khirbet Ghazaleh http://youtu.be/LWaDbapRsn4
Tseel http://youtu.be/pghRArrpPWI
Tal Shihab http://youtu.be/aJvH-ZyUzuA
Jassem http://youtu.be/5YKXk7fdQeI
Ankhel http://youtu.be/ZUdJTqcma8E
Deraa City http://youtu.be/ZySZO-OL0zo
DAMASCUS: Zabadani http://youtu.be/rKy62AV8j6E Midan
http://youtu.be/zNmhO_Le-gE Barzeh
http://youtu.be/wHKoqfgN1-8 Hamouriyeh
http://youtu.be/ZDxRlmYbDBI Hajar
Al-Aswad http://youtu.be/tRzsr_f4Uyg
Naher Eisheh http://youtu.be/AmVeMyp4qKI
Harasta Banner “we want to live in a civil state not under the rule of
thugs” http://youtu.be/qVrvXmmoC9M Kanaker
a funeral http://youtu.be/9Dt6gIMR6Hc
Zamalka http://youtu.be/CfL4Wo2-LLI
Fahameh http://youtu.be/GZ-iRWFh6V8
IDLIB: Sarmeen people waiting for bread, there
is serious shortage in town http://youtu.be/Bvy3TWHJmL8
Khan Shaikhoon funeral for 2 martyrs http://youtu.be/LfExLw1IJp4 M’arr Shoureen http://youtu.be/BhZv1FHMUCc M’arat
Al-Nouman a martyr http://youtu.be/kd1ZfjdOeI8
Jabal Al-Zawiyeh http://youtu.be/MVFTY8-6VDM
Kafar Nabbel http://youtu.be/_5ZWb-k0A1c
Idlib City http://youtu.be/LbxZZtCCeP0
HAMA: Kafar Zita children stand in mourning
for the martyrs on the frist day of Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice http://youtu.be/MDsxsnZIH0g Nighttime
demo http://youtu.be/Z5RY_phjOnE Hama
City (Mrabit) http://youtu.be/1xHPZucajz4
Madeeq troops storm the town http://youtu.be/3ts0-qC7BIk
DEIR EZZOR: Qrayah http://youtu.be/hCGU4dImFyI Shaheel
http://youtu.be/HZTi7Jcz53Y
ALEPPO: Dar Azzah http://youtu.be/HpB7NZfVgxM
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