And next, Syria?

This was on the BBC site:

I thought it was unlikely to spread to Syria - but was I wrong?

Here is a link to some video of that including the minister who turned up.

http://newsfromsyria.com/2011/02/18/syrians-protest/

the fact that the minister appeared immediately makes me wonder if it was a carefully staged provocation. . .

don't know. Maybe they sent him right out there to nip anything in the bud. I hear there has been a little unrest in the middle east recently so they might want to avoid having the same issues.

This via Twitter Google Translate required:

Activist arrested:

http://www.marxy.com/middleeast/syria/save-touhama-maarouf270211.htm

Apparently protests have emerged in Syria today! I dont have any useful detail yet.

Via twitter:

from this tweet:

more happening today, from this tweet:

There appear to be demos happening all over the place today:

Tweet:

anyone interested in following events on Twitter, these people seem fairly reliable:

Razaniyat also has a blog:

http://razaniyyat.tumblr.com/

this from Reuters Arabic:

http://ara.reuters.com/article/topNews/idARACAE72J0GI20110320

Well it's all looking a bit fucking grim in Deraa also further protests elsewhere:

There's an interactive map of events and locations here:

http://syriarev.crowdmap.com/

Google translate required

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12800243

These protestors are obviously cia stooges or fools who have been stirred up by foreign powers. I mean, honestly, why would anyone have a problem living under the Syrian government?

It's all a Zionist conspiracy

Protesters being teargassed yesterday in Daraa

There's loads of tweets atm about a massacre at the mosque in Daraa here is just one of them:

Some stories from before the apparent latest events at that mosque:

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2060788,00.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-syria-protests-20110323,0,2884903.story

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/23/syria-kills-six-mosque-attack-deraa

Grim

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12843905

Via the Guardian:

The government are going to announce a series of reforms this evening no doubt to hedge off protests tomorrow.

Why it satisfy the people or will it give them confidence to ask for more? I guess we'll find out tomorrow

They are making the announcement live on Al-Jazeera now

1. Increased salaries from government enquiries
2. Help for the unemployed
3. Enquiry into the killings

Spokeswomen stated the President hae ordered the security services not to use live ammunition

4. Allow political parties
5. New media to be allowed
6. End emergency powers

The Syrians seemed to have gotta a bit of a better handle on PR than the Libyans.

They have a normal looking person in a normal press conference rather than some nutter ranting on about exterminating rats and cockroaches

More on these 'concessions' after they kill a 100 people:

I find it interesting how they have taken a totally different approach to Tunisia, Egypt and Libya and which is to give deep concessions (or the impression of giving concessions) right at the beginning rather than giving small concessions in stages as the protests build

The big 'concession', ending emergency law, has been promised before but never delivered; much of the other stuff is bribery rather than reform.

Cheers - Louis MacNeice