Violence in Syria has escalated dramatically in the last few weeks, with the Syrian military and security forces continuing to kill civilians and arbitrarily detain pro-democracy protesters. More than 2,000 civilians have been killed and tens of thousands have been arrested.
This week, Genocide Intervention Network, along with Freedom House and the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) sent a joint letter to President Obama calling on him call for the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad, and take more effective, targeted efforts to address the situation in Syria and prevent further atrocities. The letter also commends the President’s new Directive on Mass Atrocities and urges him to utilize its mandate to take more direct action in regards to Syria.
On Wednesday, the US Government announced new sanctions against Syria, including the country’s biggest commercial bank and its largest mobile phone company. Last week the Arab League condemned the Assad regime’s treatment of civilians, and a number of middle-eastern states, including Saudi Arabia, Bharain, and the United Arab Emirates have pulled their ambassadors. Italy’s relations with Syria have also broken down, and diplomatic breaks with other western states are anticipated in the coming weeks if the Syrian government continues to target civilians.
The White House spokesman stated today that Syria would be “better off” without President Bashar al-Assad. This follows previous statements by the President condemning the Syrian military’s abuse of peaceful protesters.
Despite pressure from the international community, the Syrian military continues to roll tanks into Hama, Homs, and Deir Ezzour and open fire on protesters. The UN Security Council has received criticism for its insufficient action on Syria, despite a statement release
Protesters Under Arrest
d this week. Rights groups are calling for a resolution condemning the Syrian government’s treatment of its citizens. Increased diplomatic pressure in the form of sanctions is essential to impel the Bashar al-Assad to step down and enable the growth of democratic institutions in Syria.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Save Darfur Coalition.
Tags: Assad, Obama, Security Council, Syria
