Syrian protestors prepare for “God with us” protests

Syrian army invades Hama More than a hundred people have been killed by the Syrian army in the past 48 hours in Hama, doubling the deaths to 200 since the beginning of the week when army tanks invaded the city. This comes on the eve of the first Friday in Ramadan, which Syrians residents are naming “God is with us.” Phones, internet, electricity and water have been cut or severely reduced for the second day in a row; mobile phones connected to satellites is the only way of knowing what is going on in Hama; as it is feared isolating the city could be a tactic to starting a massacre similar to that of former President Hafez Al Asad in Hama in 1982. Witnesses complained about the lack of food and medical supplies and said that cars attempting to sneak in supplies were shot at by the army. In addition hundreds were arrested from their homes. Members of the Local Coordination Committee activist Saleh Alhamawi said that there’s a lack in flour and vegetables so many people are borrowing food from their neighbors.
The official Syrian Revolution Facebook page said: “armed men working for the government took over private hospitals and used them as a point for their snipers. Hospitals receiving patients has a serious lack in medicine and fuel for their electric generators.” Reports have stated that 6 people were killed in other Syrian cities in an open fire on protestors after the Taraweeh prayers. Over 1500 families have fled the city since the attacks began on Sunday.
Night protests are still ongoing such a sin Al Zahraa mosque in Aleppo, and Al Refai mosque in Damascus where police invaded the mosque and opened fire and arrested a number of youths, just before the Worshippers forced the police forces out of the mosque. Other protests calling for the downfall of the regime took place in “Hai Al Midan” and Duma and Al Zabadani in Damascus. Army forces are still surrounding Homs and witnesses and activists said that large numbers of policemen and military forces had surrounded Hai Baba Amro in the city and invaded it opening heavy fire and shelling the place, in addition to attacking houses and threatening to kill people if they were to leave their houses, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Deir Ezzor is also still surrounded and the coordinators of the Syrian revolution pointed out that the army forces closed Al Noor Hospital and Al Aboud Hospital and has forbidden pharmacies from opening, they also took control of all ambulances in the city. A statement was then released by tribes in Al Hassake city situated next to Deir Ezzor condemning the extreme violence and murder of citizens.
Official Syrian news agencies ignored the situation in Hama, focusing instead on what they saw as Al Asad’s attempt for an open political dialogue. The main headline on SANA’s website on Wednesday was about Asad issuing a multipartisan decree, which the opposition rejected and France considered ‘provocative.”
Syria is internationally isolated; Russian President Dmitry Medvedev who is considered as a strong ally to Syria, has in a radio interview criticized Asad. He said Syria is in desperate need of reforms and reconciliation with the opposition. He also expressed his country’s deep worry regarding the situation in Syria considering it ‘tragic.’ He however refused to compare Assad with Libya’s Gaddafi by saying: “Gaddafi has carried out a more vicious campaign against his people, we are realistic politicians and we have to see how things will develop.”
The United States sanctions against Syria include a prominent Syrian businessman who occupies a seat in parliament, saying that he worked for the interests of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his brother. The action taken by the U.S. Treasury is the fourth of U.S. sanctions against Syria, and aims to pressure the Asad government to ease its repression of protesters, but it does not amount to enough to achieve the demands of protesters. The Syrians and some members of the U.S. Senate ar planning to target the Syrian oil and gas sectors for tighter sanctions. “The U.S. Treasury Department said it has added Mohammad Hamsho and his company Hamsho International Holdings Group to the list of sanctions to prevent their own deals with the U.S. Hamsho and his company and seeks to freeze any assets are under the jurisdiction of the United States. She stated that Hamsho is closely linked with the Asad family and works as a front for the interests of Maher al-Asad.
Previous episodes of sanctions were targeted against Bashar al-Asad and his brother Maher and other senior government officials and Syrian security forces. In the same context, the European Union nations agreed to expand sanctions on Syria, not including oil and banking, which opponents say are the only way to cut off the money that enhances the suppression of demonstrators in the country.
It was agreed by representatives of States who met in Brussels to add other names to the list of sanctions, including President Bashar al-Asad and 34 other individuals in addition to companies linked to the army whose name was linked to suppression of the protests. The officials indicated that Union ambassadors also agreed to consider the possibility of extending the sanctions to include the oil sector.
Catherine Ashton who is responsible for foreign policy in the European Union considered that the decision of the Syrian president to issue a decree allowing multi-party system is a "step in the right direction," but only if he keeps his word. She said in a statement that "the recent reforms announced by Assad is the initial step in the right direction, but only if implemented.” Ashton also welcomed the announcement issued by the Security Council, which condemned the use of the Syrian authorities of violence against civilians, and asked Asad to stop violence against civilians, and respect the legitimate demands of the Syrian people.