Syrian opposition vows to 'break the regime'

[Turborama]

Source: Al Jazeera English

Activists say democratic transition will safeguard the country from "a period of violence, chaos and civil war".
Last Modified: Apr 27 2011 12:04

Syrian opposition figures have said their "massive grassroots revolution" will break the regime unless Bashar al-Assad, the president, leads a transition to democracy.

The statement on Wednesday from an umbrella group of opposition activists in Syria and abroad, called the National Initiative for Change, said a democratic transition will "safeguard the nation from falling into a period of violence, chaos and civil war."

"If the Syrian president does not wish to be recorded in history as a leader of this transition period, there is no alternative left for Syrians except to move forward along the same path as did the Tunisians, Egyptians and Libyans before them," the statement said.

The opposition in Syria is getting more organised as anti-government protests gain strength, but it is still fragmented.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/20114274815152261.html

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More details and a video report at the link.

Keep up to date with what's going on in Syria here...

Syria Live Blog - April 27: http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/middle-east/syria-live-blog-april-27

[FailureToCommunicate]

1. Thank you for the update. Our friends there have a decision to make

now that Americans have been told to leave...

[pampango]

2. Aljazeera: Syria sends army reinforcements into Deraa

http://english.aljazeera.net//news/middleeast/2011/04/2011427142619235903.html

The Syrian army has sent more tanks and reinforcements into Deraa as part of a widening crackdown against opponents of Bashar Assad's government, and gunfire and sporadic explosions have been heard in the flashpoint southern city, witnesses say.

Witnesses said a convoy of about 30 tanks were seen on the circular highway outside the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Wednesday. Troops have been deployed since Monday in Deraa - where the uprising began more than five weeks ago - and activists said more gunfire could be heard on Wednesday.

A resident of Deraa, speaking under the condition of anonymity for his own safety, said that security forces have taken over the town hospital, and were shooting at anyone who approached the building. "Snipers are on top of all the buildings in Deraa and there are lots of bodies on the streets," the man said in a phone interview. "They were left on the street for three days and we couldn't remove them." Troops had sealed off the town, and were searching homes at night.

Sawasiah, a Syrian human rights organisation, said security forces had killed 35 civilians since they entered Deraa. The group said electricity, water and telecommunications were cut in the town and that supplies of blood at hospitals was starting to run low.