SYRIAN UNREST

AFTER Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Bahrain, it is the turn of Syria now. Anti-government protests in Syria are becoming more widespread with every passing day. The Syrian army has taken control of Jisr Al-Shughour, the town which has been in the news for intense protests for a long time against the Bashar Al-Assad government. The region where the town is located has been known for rebellion against the rule of the Alawite minority. Bashar’s father, Hafiz Al-Assad, also had to use force to quell protests against his rule in 1980. Many people lost their lives then. In the current agitation, over 1200 protesters have been done to death by the armed forces of the regime. Yet the unrest is not under control.

The Syrian regime has been known for its repressive policies. It has done little to end corruption, which is rampant at every level in the government. There is an acute job shortage and prices are skyrocketing. People have been leading a miserable life in this West Asian country. The pro-democracy protests in other countries in the region provided them an opportunity to raise their voice against the incompetent and repressive regime. The government was forced to end the emergency, which it had imposed a long time back to punish people on any pretext. But it has taken no serious step to go into the grievances of the protesters.
Thousands of people have crossed over the borders to find refuge in the neighbouring countries. The indiscriminate use of force may compel more people to leave their homes. But this will not end the trouble in Syria. The unrest has acquired a sectarian complexion. The Sunnis, who have never been comfortable with the rule of Damascus, have been at the forefront of the protests because the ruling family belongs to the Alawite Shia sect. The rebellion is unlikely to come to an end so long as there is no regime change. President Bashar Al-Assad should know this and start preparing for introducing democracy in Syria. Otherwise the continuing protests will lead to the country getting ruined.