Syria holds massive rallies to 'support Homs'

[pampango]

Source: Aljazeera

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Syria following Friday prayers, activists said, protesting against President Bashar al-Assad and defying an intensified military crackdown on their uprising.

Demonstrations demanding an end to Assad's rule broke out in the Medan district of Damascus, the besieged city of Homs, Latakia on the coast and the southern city of Deraa.

The latest protests are dedicated to the central city of Homs, the latest focus of the crackdown on the protest movement, where government forces have killed at least 22 people since Monday, according to activists. At least five civilians were killed in Homs overnight as tanks attacked residential areas of the city, activists said.

The Local Co-ordinating Committees organising the protests meanwhile warned people against falling for the Syrian regime's attempts to "stir up" sectarianism. "The criminal regime in power in Syria will continue to provoke sectarian discord. It plans assassinations and car bombs in front of schools and other buildings in different regions targeting specific communities," it said in a statement.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net//news/middleeast/2011/07/2011722113444577874.html

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There's an embedded Aljazeera video report at the link.

The Syrian people are amazing. After four months of protest and violent response from the government, their protests are bigger than ever.

[al bupp]

1. Wondering why there's not more response to this on DU...

I realize that there are many other topics worthy of attention around here. Still, I find it somewhat disheartening that the continued mass protests in Syria, particularly, as you say, following a rather brutal military crack-down by apparatus of a police state, doesn't garner quite the outpouring of response, as does, say, a day-in-the-life post about the rigors of unemployment. I do not disparage the latter, just argue for the commensurate progressive import of the former.

[David__77]

2. The media and Western states are not focused on it.

NATO certainly isn't going to do something about it. Russia would veto anything in the UN.

[al bupp]

3. I agree w/ your assessment of the international political situation

Clearly, the Syrians are more or less on their own, although I think Turkey may be something of a wild-card in the equation. They, at least, have a significant stake in the matter w/ regards to fleeing refugees.

I was wondering about the level of interest in the matter here on DU.

[David__77]

4. I guess I'm saying the DU posters are sensitive to the focus of the powers that be.

It's a reflection of that.

[UndertheOcean]

5. Well said ! n/t

[joshcryer]

12. More that DUers are sensitive to the focus off the powers that be here.

If it's elsewhere one probably couldn't care less. It's all about here, us, us, us.

[alp227]

9. PBS NewsHour covers the Syrian protests regularly n/t

[No Elephants]

10. Some of us won't know to be for it unless Obama says he's for it and the rest of us

won't know to be against it unless Obama says he's for it.

:evilgrin:

[joshcryer]

13. Actually, some of us can take a stance and say we support them regardless.

I support the Syrian people who are protesting against tyranny.

Fat chance in hell anything will be done about it however.

[killbotfactory]

6. Imperialist stooges!

CIA Black OPS!

:eyes:

[UndertheOcean]

7. huh ??? what do you mean ?

[alp227]

8. The Guardian: Mass Syrian protest against Assad regime adds to death toll

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians turned out for anti-regime demonstrations across the country on Friday with at least 11 people reported killed by security forces and tensions mounting in the runup to the Ramadan holiday.

Casualty figures – collated by two Syrian human rights groups – were down on previous weeks but the numbers of demonstrators appeared to be some of the largest yet seen in the four-month uprising.

In Aleppo, Syria's second city, unarmed military cadets were seen marching with civilian protesters and calling for the overthrow of the regime and the departure of President Bashar al-Assad.

Damascus was unusually quiet after large demonstrations closer to the city centre last week but protests were reported from Deir Ezzor in the east to Suweida in the south. All were called to express solidarity with the people of the central city of Homs – the focal point of recent unrest – where some 40 people have been killed in the last few days amid worries of rising sectarian tensions. Five of the latest casualties were killed there.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/22/mass-syrian-protest-assad-deaths

[No Elephants]

11. Syrians can rebel for four months and we can't manage a general strike.