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    March 15, 2012

Syria Marks One-Year Anniversary of Uprising

   VOA News
   Hana, 12, flashes the victory sign next to her sister Eva, 13, as they
   recover from severe injuries after the Syrian Army shelled their house
   in Idlib, north Syria. (March 10, 2012 file photo)
   Photo: AP
   Hana, 12, flashes the victory sign next to her sister Eva, 13, as they
   recover from severe injuries after the Syrian Army shelled their house
   in Idlib, north Syria. (March 10, 2012 file photo)

   Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of the uprising against Syrian
   President Bashar al-Assad's government, which has shown no signs of
   slowing its offensive in cities that have been key hubs of the
   opposition.
   Pro-Assad forces overran most of the northern city of Idlib on
   Wednesday, while the military launched its biggest raid in months on
   the southern city of Daraa - the town rebels call "the birthplace of
   our revolution."
   Search for solution
   Note: VOA has revised its figures based on information complied by
   UNOSAT via death toll figures from Syrianshuhada.com and the Violations
   Documenting Center. This change reflects a shift in the numbers.
   Because of the difficulty of monitoring and reporti Note: VOA has
   revised its figures based on information complied by UNOSAT via death
   toll figures from Syrianshuhada.com and the Violations Documenting
   Center. This change reflects a shift in the numbers. Because of the
   difficulty of monitoring and reporting, these numbers can not be
   independently verified or confirmed.
   Meanwhile, the international community continues to push for a halt to
   the violence in Syria, but has been unable to find a solution to the
   crisis.
   Amin Saikal, the director of the Center of Arab and Islamic Studies at
   the Australian National University, says he does not expect a
   resolution any time soon.
   "The international community, and more specifically the United Nations
   Security Council, is paralyzed on the basis of the Russian and Chinese
   opposition to adopt a position whereby greater pressure could be
   exerted on Assad's regime," Saikal said.
   Push for action
   A group of 200 non-governmental organizations is teaming with
   celebrities and activists in a campaign Thursday to push for greater
   action. The initiative called [1]Unite For Syria is using Facebook,
   Twitter and YouTube to highlight calls for a Security Council
   resolution, support for U.N.-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan and
   humanitarian access to all areas in Syria.
   Annan, the former U.N. chief, is scheduled to brief the Security
   Council Friday. His spokesman said Assad's government has responded to
   his overtures to end the crisis, but that questions remain.
   Council diplomats say Annan's assessment will be crucial to a bid by
   the United States and its European allies to pass a U.N. resolution
   that would ensure humanitarian aid workers have access to besieged
   towns across the country. Russia and China have twice vetoed
   resolutions condemning Mr. Assad's government.
   Show of loyalty
   Syria's state-run SANA news agency said Thursday that Syrians across
   the country would gather to show their loyalty to the nation.
   U.N. officials estimate that 8,000 people have died in the year-long
   series of protests and government crackdown. The Syrian government
   blames the unrest on "terrorists" and outside agitators.
   Join the conversation on our social journalism site - [2]
   Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on [3]Twitter and
   discuss them on our [4]Facebook page.

References

   1. http://www.facebook.com/events/121625887927327/
   2. http://middleeastvoices.com/
   3. http://twitter.com/#!/mideastvoice
   4. http://www.facebook.com/pages/VOAMiddleEastVoices/124360240958667?%20%20%20%20v=wall

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