Syria: the world is now watching as violence grips Deraa
As dozens die in violent clashes in Syria, John Sparks looks at why the deaths are now making international headlines.
A few months ago, a series of protests and shootings in an unremarkable agricultural town called Deraa in Syria would probably have gone unnoticed by much of the world.
But the mood of change around the Arab world has changed the equation. Localised violence can quickly grow into something much bigger. That’s why an uprising in a community of 75,000 souls on Syria’s southern border now presents the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with his biggest challenge since he took office 11 years ago.
It all began last week, when a group of school children got their hands on some spray cans and splashed anti-regime slogans on walls. They were inspired by the ‘Arab Spring’ as broadcast on pan-Arab news channels and the internet.
The Syrian police didn’t see the funny side and detained some of the children. This caused a massive reaction – Deraa is part of the Harwan tribal region where loyalties run deep. The community came out in force, demanding their political freedom and an end to corruption.
On Tuesday night, in a further escalation of tension, security forces stormed a mosque where protesters were camping out and treating the wounded. According to opposition activists there were 150 people inside the mosque at the time. Yesterday, there were reports that troops fired on hundreds of youths heading for protests.
Read more: Middle East uprisings
Claims of fatalities over the last couple of days have ranged from 32 to more than 100. Hundreds more are thought to have suffered from injuries and Amnesty International has compiled a list of 93 people who have been arrested for taking part in anti-government protests. Here in the newsroom, we have watched amateur footage on ‘YouTube’ which suggests that armed troops did open fire protestors in Deraa. In scenes too shocking to broadcast, demonstrators lie motionless, some in pools of blood.
The prospect of further trouble only grows. An estimated 20,000 people have gathered today in Deraa for the burial of those killed by the security services the day before. “God Syria, Freedom. The blood of martyrs is not spilt in waste!” they chanted in Deraa’s southern cemetery.
For President al-Assad it may come as a bit of shock. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in January, he predicted that his country was the least likely to fall victim to the turmoil and activism now sweeping the region.