Syria

We have received two letters that give a very interesting insight into what is happening in Syria. In spite of the regime's combination of repression and concessions, the movement that initially began with the youth continues to build up and spread to other layers of society.

Things have been changing very rapidly in Syria, including some violent shifts in the mood of different layers of society. Last Friday, named the Friday of Martyrs, did not meet expectations in terms of the number of protesters, however we saw new towns join the protests as well as the Kurds coming out for the first time. Also some members of the Christian community joined the movement.

On Tuesday, Vice President Farouq al-Sharaa (clearly alive in spite of rumours to the contrary) announced the President was going to be making a speech which would "make the people happy". Tuesday night came and went, and nothing came from Assad. His media advisor, Buthaina Shaaban, came out and repeated that the emergency law would be repealed, without saying when.

As the brutal reaction of the Syrian regime to the growing protest movement unfolded over the weekend, we received several letters from Syrian socialists that give some interesting insights into the size of the movement and the effects it is having within the regime.

Events are beginning to move in the direction of revolution in Syria. Prior to today’s day of action we received this letter from a Syrian socialist that gives some interesting insights into the difficulties the regime is facing.

From a spontaneous demonstration of 1500 ending with the interior minister himself apologizing to the crowd in Damascus, to thousands in Daraa facing live shots by security forces, to protests in the Kurdish areas: Syria is on the verge of boiling over into revolution.

The Syrian regime has been systematically harassing Communist activists. Here we publish an appeal against the latest arrests. Please send in solidarity messages and protest messages to the Syrian authorities. We provide a model letter and details of local Syrian embassies.

The UN, under US pressure, has passed a resolution on Syria. The implications are that Syrian officials were involved in the assassination of former Lebanese Premier, Rafiq Hariri. But Syria has gained nothing from his assassination. And there are clear indications that much of the so-called evidence may have been fabricated, in order to pressurise the Syrian regime.