Look Back: Syria April 2011 "5 Die As 1000's Protest"

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- 5 1/2 Years Ago -

5 Killed in Syria

As 1000's Protest

ISLAM NEWSROOM: It started over five years ago with 5 deaths - in a protest in Syria - Read . .

March 2011 -- (over 5 1/2 years ago) It was like this . . .

DARAA, Syria - 1000's marched in the streets after the funeral of one protester who had been killed in the demonstration Sunday, according to sources there.

The city of Daraa became the unsuspecting center for anti-regime demonstrations, when protesters began there on Friday, even though a vast number of security forces were dispatched to put down the demonstrators, brutally attacking and even killing 5 of them.

The source also said the protestors began walking together from the funeral grounds to Al-Omari Mosque after the burial of Raed Akrad, killed by security forces on Sunday, when they opened first on the protesters to drive them away.

"Just Allah!, Syria! and Freedom!" and "Revolution! Revolution!" were the calls of the crowds as they demonstrated against the brutal forces being used against them.

The source also mentioned the entrance of the small city was blockaded by the military.

Events in Tunisa, Egypt and other Muslim countries likely inspired the demonstration, calling for "Freedom" and and end to 5 decades of so-called "emergency laws" in Syria under Bashar Al Assad and his father Hafez Assad (assad means "lion" in Arabic).

The massive number of "security forces" was sent to stop all protests - Yet "1000's gathered anyway" said another witness, and "they used tear gas to break up the crowd" and arrested a numbrer of people of the 4th day of protesting.

Since Friday, security forces have killed five people in a violent crackdown on protests in Daraa, according to human rights organisations and activists.

As more and more countries throughout the Muslim world have demonstrated against terrorist regimes, more and more of the common people have taken the stand firmly in front of the oppressers, saying essentially, "We are fed up! And we are not going to take it anymore!"

Syria, a country never known for tolerating opposing opinions to their own government, has trained and deployed troops against their own citizens who hold any opinion other than theirs. The security forces do not show any type of acceptence or tolerance for protesters and quickly put an end to any type of resistance, by force or even killing the demonstrators.

Human rights organizations declared Monday, Syria's security forces had come like a wave of arbitrary detentions and excessive force, in cities where protests against the government were being held in the last few days.

11 were held by security forces on Friday just after the demonstration in front of the Omayyed Mosque, Damascus. Others were arrested in Banias, a port city in Syria.

Thursday, thirty two were arrested in Damascus for the protest there, which called upon the goverment to release some political prisoners who had been accussed of "attacking the state reputation" and "inciting racism and sectarianism."

Saturday, security forces arrested "dozens of protesters" in Daraa, after thousands had attended funerals of 2 out of the 4 people killed the day before during the violent crackdown, according to sources there.

A Facebook group calling for a "Day of Dignity" all across Syria, has come from almost nowhere, and yet it has inspired thousands and thousands of average citizens to be willing to assemble together peacefully and demand their rights and remove oppressive dictatorship type regimes that have been in place for decades.

The Syrain Observatory has condemned the oppressive treatment of those holding opposing views to the rulers, and demanded the Syrian government to "free all prisoners of conscience".

"The government of Syria has no problems killing their own citizens -  just for speaking out", says Leah Whiston, Middle East and North Africa director of US-Based Human Rights Watch.

Just like Egypt - the hardened "security services" have become much feared, mobilised forces in Old City Damascus using so-called "emergency laws" to use police brutality against any gathering or group showing opposition to existing rulership.

"Syrians have shown incredible courage in daring to protest publicly against one of the most repressive governments in the region, and they shouldn’t have to pay with their lives," Whitson said.

Activists said one person was killed Sunday and at least 100 were wounded when security forces fired on protesters who went on a rampage in Daraa on the third consecutive day of demonstrations in the town.

They had reported four deaths in the preceding two days.

A Syrian official actually denied Sunday's death, accusing "troublemakers" of fuelling unrest as cabinet ministers, dispatched by President Bashar al-Assad, gave condolences to the families of protesters killed in Daraa.

France on Monday condemned the crackdown and called for the release of all detained protesters.

That was how it started . . but look at today and then tell us . .

What Do You Say? What is your opinion?
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