Syrian Crisis

Background :

Syrian 20112012 uprising is basically an internal violent conflict in Syria. Public demonstrations across Syria began on 26 January 2011 and developed into a nationwide uprising. It is a part of the wider Arab Spring ie the wave of upheaval which has happened throughout the Arab World. In Syria, the protesters demanded the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad and wish to overthrow his government, thereby putting an end to nearly five decades of Baath Party rule. Reasons : The reasons for this violent conflict are similar to other internal uprisings of the Middle East high unemployment among youth, and economic disenfranchisement of young adults. Though Syrias overall unemployment rate has traditionally been about average for the Middle East (about 25%), what distinguishes Syria is that the youth jobless rate has been more than six times higher than the rate among older adults (only 4%). This constitutes the highest ratio [youthadult imbalance] among the regions countries outside the Gulf States. Socio-economic complaints have been reported, such as a deterioration in the country's standard of living, a reduction of state support for the poor resulting from the gradual transition towards a free market economy, the erosion of subsidies for basic goods and agriculture, free trade without suitable support to the local industry, and high youth unemployment rates. Events : Since spring 2011, the Syrian government deployed the Syrian Army to quell the uprising, and several cities were besieged though the unrest continued. According to witnesses, soldiers, who refused to open fire on civilians, were summarily executed by the Syrian Army. The Syrian government denied reports of defections, and blamed "armed gangs" for causing trouble. Since early autumn 2011, civilians and army defectors began forming fighting units, which began an insurgency campaign against the Syrian Army. The insurgents unified under the banner of the Free Syrian Army and fought in an increasingly organized fashion; however, the civilian component of the armed opposition lacked an organized leadership. The uprising has sectarian undertones, though neither faction in the conflict has described sectarianism as playing a major role. The opposition is dominated by Sunni Muslims, whereas the leading government figures are Alawites, affiliated with the Shia Islam. As a result, the opposition is winning support from the Sunni Muslim states, whereas the regime is publicly supported by the Shia dominated Iran and the Lebanese Hizbullah. According to various sources, including the United Nations, up to 10,10012,500 people have been killed, primarily protesters but also including 3,6554,200 armed combatants. Many more have been injured, and tens of

thousands of protesters have been imprisoned. According to the Syrian government, 6,8757,450 people, including 2,5653,120 members of the security forces, more than 830 insurgents and up to 3,500 civilians, have been killed in fighting with what they characterize as "armed terrorist groups". To escape the violence, tens of thousands of Syrian refugees have fled the country to the neighboring countries of Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. The total official UN numbers of Syrian refugees reached 42,000 at the time, while unofficial number stood at as many as 130,000. The United Nations reported that over 400 children have been killed. Syria's government has dismissed this, characterizing claims from UN officials as being based on false news reports that originate from opposition groups. Additionally, over 600 detainees and political prisoners have died under torture. The UNICEF reported that over 400 children have been killed Another 400 children have been reportedly arrested and tortured in Syrian prisons. Human Rights Watch accused the government and Shabiha of using civilians as human shields when they advanced on opposition held-areas Anti-government rebels have been accused of human rights abuses as well, including torture, kidnapping, unlawful detention and execution of civilians, Shabiha and soldiers. HRW also expressed concern at the kidnapping of Iranian nationals

The UN Commission of Inquiry has also documented abuses of this nature in its February 2012 report, which also includes documentation that indicates rebel forces have been responsible for displacement of civilians. The Arab League, US, EU states, GCC states, and other countries have condemned the use of violence against the protesters. China and Russia have avoided condemning the regime or applying sanctions, saying that such methods could escalate into foreign intervention. However, military intervention has been ruled out by most countries. The Arab League suspended Syria's membership over the government's response to the crisis, but sent an observer mission in December 2011, as part of its proposal for peaceful resolution of the crisis. The latest attempts to resolve the crisis has been made through the appointment of Kofi Annan, as a special envoy to resolve the Syrian crisis in the Middle East.

Latest News As On 2nd Week of April, 2012: The peace plan for Syria which involved a ceasefire within 48 hours is in tatters as the Assad regime demands rebel fighters lay down their arms first. Under a peace deal brokered by UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, Syria's armed forces are supposed to withdraw from protest centres on Tuesday (10th April, 2012), with a complete end to fighting set for 48 hours later. But the truce already appears in jeopardy after Damascus said on Monday (9th April, 2012) it would carry its side of the bargain only if rebels first handed over written guarantees to stop fighting, a demanded rejected by rebel army chief Colonel Riyadh al-Asaad. The 11th-hour demand came as weekend violence claimed almost 180 lives, most of them civilians, a surge in bloodshed that former UN chief Annan described as 'unacceptable'. Making matters worse, fresh fighting killed another 13 people on Monday (9th April, 2012) , all but one of them soldiers, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 'The regime had thought that it would control all areas (of

rebels by April 10). As this is not happening, it is procrastinating to gain time,' said the Observatory's Rami Abdel Rahman. 'If the Annan plan does not work, no other plan would, and Syria would plunge into a civil war,' he told AFP. Around 25,000 Syrian refugees are currently housed in camps in Turkey's three provinces bordering Syria, where civilians have been fleeing the deadly crackdown over the past year. The Milliyet newspaper reported on Monday that Turkey would consider using troops to secure humanitarian corridors in border areas should the number of Syrian refugees swell to above 50,000. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin, meanwhile, urged the Syrian government to honour its truce commitments. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem was scheduled to fly on 9th April, 2012 to ally Moscow, which along with Beijing has blocked two UN Security Council draft resolutions condemning Damascus for its bloody crackdown. Rebel army chief Colonel Asaad countered: 'We are committed to the Annan plan.... We will present our guarantees and our commitments to the international community but not to this (Syrian) regime.' The Security Council has formally endorsed the 10th April, 2012 deadline for a ceasefire, but Damascus said a day later that the number of 'terrorist acts' has risen since the deal was agreed with UN-Arab League envoy Annan. Annan 'said he would work to stop the violence, disarm armed groups ... initiate a comprehensive national dialogue with opposition movements,' when he met Assad last month, the foreign ministry said. France denounced as 'unacceptable' the new Syrian demands. The United Nations says more than 9,000 people have been killed since anti-regime protests broke out in March 2011, while monitors put the number at more than 10,000. On 9th April, 2012, Human Rights Watch said security forces and pro-regime militias had executed more than 100 civilians and rebels in attacks on protest hubs since late 2011, urging any UN mission to Syria to collect evidence.