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24 Jan 2012 14:40

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World: Arab League sets deadline for Syrian extension of peace monitor deal

  • the plan The Arab League’s deadline for the Syrian government to agree to an extension of the peace monitor delegation that’s been in Syria the last several weeks. They also wants the UN Security Council pass a resolution against Syria, giving their role more leverage and legitimacy.
  • the hitchSome have accused the Syrian government of using the peace monitor mission to stall action against them, rather than seek reform; also, don’t expect a resolution from the Security Council with permanent members China and Russia in the mix. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Jan 2012 21:17

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World: Arab League expands observer group, wants Assad to step aside

  • We all had hopes that after sending observers, the problem would be solved—that the presence of observers would halt the violence. But that didn’t happen. Saudi Arabia felt unmotivated and I’m telling you that everyone in the [deliberation] hall felt unmotivated.
  • Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Al Arabi • Describing the frustration the Arab League’s monitors faced in in Syria over recent weeks. The group wants Bashar al-Assad to step aside and hand power to his vice president. The monitors will stay in the country for a second month. The Arab League, which claimed many deaths came as a result of “mutual violence” (to the chagrin of Syrian activists), plans to increase the size of the observer group to 300 people, get better-qualified people, and improve their training. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jan 2012 00:23

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World: UN’s Ban Ki-moon gets tough against Assad’s handling of Syrian conflict

“Today, I say again to President Assad of Syria: Stop the violence, stop killing your people,” the UN Secretary General said Sunday. “The path of repression is a dead end.” There’s no misinterpreting that. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Jan 2012 20:49

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World: Reports suggest fracturing within Arab League monitors in Syria

  • “It does not serve anything”: Those were the words of an unnamed Arab League monitor, decrying the lack of purpose and efficacy of the delegation in Syria. Just yesterday, an Algerian monitor named Anwar Malek left Syria, calling the effort “a farce,” a sentiment this anonymous skeptic agrees with: “The Syrian authorities have exploited the weakness in the performance of the delegation to not respond. There is no real response on the ground.” The U.N. estimates that of the over 5,000 people killed by the Syrian government in the last ten months, a whopping 400 have occurred since the monitors arrived. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Jan 2012 14:39

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World: Syria’s Assad pledges victory over “terrorist” movement

  • I belong to this street. We will make this phase the end for them and their plans. We are going to win without any doubt.
  • Bashar al-Assad • In remarks made to a pro-Assad rally in Damascus. This represents clearly the ongoing narrative by Assad’s government in dismissing the accusations of widespread, lethal violence against the public; the death-toll, while acknowledged, is suggested to be the work of terrorists rather than state security forces themselves (for an illuminating look into these propaganda methods, look at the state news agency’s website). The UN estimates that Assad’s government has killed over 5,000 civilians during the last ten months. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Jan 2012 10:13

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World: Assad blames “foreign conspiracies” for Syrian crackdown

  • The external conspiracy is clear to everybody. Nobody can be fooled any more. The veil has fallen away.
  • Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad • Offering up tough words in his first public speech in months, in which he blamed “foreign conspiracies,” mixed with Arab-region meddling for the ten-month crackdown in his country. He says that the country’s enemies will be defeated soon. During the rambling 100-minute speech, he also noted that Syria will hold a referendum on its constitution and, later in the year, parliamentary elections. However … he didn’t say anything about relinquishing his own power. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Jan 2012 10:51

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World: Syria says it has freed political prisoners detained during revolt

  • 552 prisoners freed, according to Syrian state television source
  • » The second round of prisoner releases: Last month, the Arab League made a deal to free 755 detainees as part of a peace plan. Now it seems to have gone further, as the Arab League said on Monday it had secured the release of 3,500 total prisoners. However … it’s possible they may just be getting detained outside of the view of Arab League observers. Last week, Human Rights Watch accused Syria of moving prisoners to military facilities, where observers are not allowed to go. Syria hasn’t proven the most trustworthy government during the conflict.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

04 Jan 2012 21:34

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World: Protesters in Syria mock Arab League monitors

  • Parody finds a place in Syria: In what would seem to be video taken from the Syrian city of Homs, one of the principle hotbeds of governmental violence against protesters and the general citizenry, a mocking performance of the Arab League’s recent monitors plays out. The final line, spoken by the rag-swaddled man representing the AL’s delegation: “There is nothing frightening in Homs.” This echoes the words of the delegation’s (highly criticized) leader, a Sudanese General named Mohammed al-Dabi, upon his visit to the devastated city. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 Jan 2012 14:30

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World: Arab League monitors leave Syria, violence ensues

  • The beat goes on: It wouldn’t exactly be accurate to suggest that Syrian security forces have been waiting until the delegation of monitors from the Arab League (with its very controversial leader) leave areas before continuing violence against the citizenry, sadly. Indeed, attacks and killings of civilians brazenly went on throughout the delegation’s visit to Douma. The monitors left Homs today, spurring another outburst of violence; the Arab League plans to review the work of the delegation, and their ongoing role amidst vocal criticisms from foreign governments, France among them. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Jan 2012 15:31

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World: Syria: Arab League-tied group recommends observers leave Syria

  • The killing of children and the violation of human rights law is happening in the presence of Arab League monitors, raising the fury of Arab people. The mission of the Arab League team has missed its aim of stopping the killing of children and ensuring the withdrawal of troops from the Syrian streets, giving the Syrian regime a cover to commit inhumane acts under the noses of the Arab League observers.
  • The Arab Parliament’s Kuwaiti head, Ali Salem al-Deqbasi • Strongly suggesting, along with the rest of Arab Parliament, that the Arab League’s observers should leave Syria, as the deaths of Syrians continue despite their presence. The 88-member Arab Parliament, while a sister organization of the Arab League that makes recommendations to the higher-profile group, its recommendations are non-binding. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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