 |
| Syrians protesters opposed to Syrian President Bashar Assad regime gathering outside the Syrian embassy in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, March 15, 2011. (Photo by: AP) |
20.03.11
By Zvi Bar'el
Haaretz (Israel)
About 10,000 Syrian police officers and soldiers sealed off the city of Daraa yesterday, after security forces killed at least five protesters there. The unfolding events offered the first sign that the Arab world's pro-democracy push is seeping into one of the region's most repressive countries.
Residents were being allowed to leave the southwestern city of Daraa but not enter it yesterday, said prominent Syrian rights activist Mazen Darwish. The cordon seemed aimed at choking off any spread of unrest after Friday's clashes and yesterday's emotional funeral processions for the dead.
Syrian security forces launched a harsh crackdown on Friday's demonstrations, which were calling for political freedoms. Protests took place in at least five cities around the country, including the capital of Damascus.
The Syrian media did not report the stormy demonstrations yesterday. The state television instead broadcast concerts and talk shows, while the printed media expanded on the president's decision to reduce compulsory military service from 21 to 18 months. But opposition websites and satellite television channels did report the massive protests and clashes.
While Facebook is not used widely in Syria - 0.1 percent of the population, as compared to 0.5 percent in Yemen and 10 percent in Saudi Arabia - demonstrators are still "mobilized" swiftly by word of mouth and cellular phones.
The uprising in Syria has no broad public basis at the moment and is headed mainly by a small group of intellectuals who began public activity during President Bashar Assad's first year in office 11 years ago, when public gatherings and debates on reforms were allowed for a brief period.
Very soon, however, political activists were arrested or began to leave the country voluntarily.
Contrary to what Assad has boasted, his country is not immune to the cries for change that have already toppled leaders in Egypt and Tunisia. But Syria's leadership, like that of Libya or Yemen, has no intention of relinquishing power. The question is how quickly the security forces will act, considering the issue involves not only giving up power in Syria, but potentially losing control in Lebanon.
3 comments:
Khmer must pay attention with Youn Spy: Kem Sokha, Mom Sonangdo are Youn. Last time when they were in the prison, it was the Youn trick to show that they aren't with them. All Khmer must remark their situation every word and every action that they act. Rong Chhun also is an individual that all Khmer have to keep eyes on him. When he went to the border was very good to find out the Youn’s encroachment into Khmer land, but in the other hand it was an opportunity for him to paint his image, and to earn the popularity in Khmer politics that he is nationalist. As I said as above that we have watch their word and action. Last year Mr. Rong Chhun had agreed that the government need to give the right to the Vietnam for the project to create a radio station to serve its population in Cambodia...
All Khmer must understand that Youn spy are everywhere in Cambodia. Rong Chhun is simply one of Youn Game to swallow Cambodia. In the mean time, I would like to remind all Khmer to compare Rong Chhun to one of the character in Chinese movies; All of the sudden, that character become from a good person to a traitor. We need to pay attention before qualifying a person in Cambodia as a Hero we need to look that person from its root, e.g. Honorable Sam Rainsy is a real Khmer hero because we know his root. One of the big mistakes of Khmer with Youn Spy was Sosten Fenandez, who was the commander in Chef during Khmer republican. He has a Philippine father and Vietnamese mother, his brother was Emmanuel Fernandez was a doctor in Cambodia. Old Khmer generation must remember that most of the time, Marecharle Lon Nol 's soldier was in the ambush of the Khmer rouge; in that time the Khmer rouge was backed by the Vietcong. Every time Lon Nol's soldiers went to the battlefield, the information was already passed to Vietcong to ambush Khmer soldiers. I have a lot of experiences with Youn because when I was young I grew up with Youn kids in my village along the Tonle Sap River. Many Youn in my village were arrested by Marecharle Lon Nol; they were Youn Colonels...Before April 1975 the kid's Youn family that I grew up with still lived in Phnom Penh. That Youn family were educated, teachers and Lon Nol’s soldier and military police (PM= Police militaire). One member of that family was a teacher at Lycee Preah Youkunthor ( Lycee 18 mars during the republican) in front of Old Chinese hospital which today becomes the golden tower 42. The moment that really waked me up was February 1979 after the Khmer rouge; two brothers of that Youn family meet our family by hazard in the Youn soldier uniform; one of them was a military police in Lon Nol’s regime. Today, one of them becomes General Two stars for Hun Sen’s government. I would like to remind all Khmer to research the root closely of Kem Sokha and Mom Sonangdo and or / any person before consider them a Khmer nationalist. I AM AGAINT THE UNIFICATION BETWEEN SRP and HUMAN RIGHT PARTIES Because I believe that in the future they will make THE COUP to the unification party. I believe that Youn tries to make the opposition party get weak.
For me real Khmer are: Honorable Sam Rainsy, Mr. Sean Peng Se, Mrs. Mu Sochua, Mr. Yim Sovan, Mr. Son Chhay, Mr. Sourn Serey Ratha, MR. Tach Gnoc Tach, Dr. Tith Narahkiri, Dr. Kuch Ly, Mr. Meach Sovannara etc..
In Radio Free Asia, there is a lot of Youn’s Spy. They use Khmer name to pretend that they are Khmer, but in fact they are Youn; often, I have noticed that certain journalist tried to avoid questions which could disqualify Hun Sen’s regime. Most of the time RFA gives more air time to Hun Sen’s Party. I am very glad that World Khmer Radio and Radio Khmer Post have been created to serve Khmer people and Khmer cause with real Khmer Journalist.
Khmer Kandal, Khmer Krom and Khmer Leu must be united in one in order to liberate our country from HYPOCRITE YOUN.
2:16 PM,
You have tried to post the same shit over and over again accusing people with no evidence of this guy being Vietnamese and the other guy over there being another Vietnamese when they happen to have a total different opinion from you.
Now, you are going to call me a Vietnamese as well; well, go for it, Mr. Idiot!
Let us say Kem Sokha is Vietnamese, which he is not. So what if that is the case as long as he defends Cambodian interest and protects Cambodia against all her ennemy. There are a number of Khmers who are Khmer to their shit and yet destroy their own country so badly without any remorse and you may be one of them unless you stop your stupid propaganda!
John McCann had just stated in CNN this morning that the US will support the people in any country to rise up against their dictators and to fight for democracy. What happened in Libya over night is a good example. Khmer people should rise up and fight for your freedom from the dictator Hun Sen. The recent UN resolution should work for Cambodia as well.
khmer son
Post a Comment