· March, 2011

Stories about Syria from March, 2011

Syria: Reactions to President Assad's Speech

  30 March 2011

President Bashar Al Assad finally made a speech Wednesday 30 March, 2011, at the Syrian Parliament after days of postponement and anticipation. The president's arrival at the Parliament was met with thundering applause and chanting by the Members of Parliament, and his speech was often interrupted by an MP reciting poems of praise. Twitter users did not receive this well.

Syria: Complexity Behind the Protests

  29 March 2011

Unrest in Syria enters its second week, as anti-government protests continue in their bid to oust President Bashar al-Assad. Whilst it may seem that the unrest in Syria is a natural progression of the Arab revolution spreading throughout the region, there are unique dynamics in Syria that distinguish it from other Arab states.

Syria: Free Muhammed Radwan

  28 March 2011

Egyptian Chronicles comments on the arrest of Egyptian-American Muhammed Radwan in Syria under espionage charges here. His cousins Nora and Tarek Shalaby also share their thoughts.

Syria: Egyptian-American Tweep Accused of Spying

  26 March 2011

Egyptian-American Twitter user Muhammed Radwan (@battuta) was arrested in Syria and paraded on Syrian Television as a spy who is accused of allegedly visiting "Israel in secret and confessed to receiving money from abroad in exchange for sending photos and videos about Syria." His arrest is expected to unleash the wrath of the Egyptian cyberspace against the Assad regime.

Iran: Syrians Protest “Neither Iran Nor Hezbollah!”

  26 March 2011

Several Iranian bloggers react to the slogan of Syrian protesters during Wednesday's march where people chanted “Neither Iran, nor Hezbollah!” Syria is an ally of Iran and is also friendly with the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Syria: Protesters Demolish Symbols of Regime

  26 March 2011

In Syria, the faces of President Bashar al-Assad and his father, former President Hafez al-Assad, are regularly seen on billboards, buildings, and in the form of statues. Visitors to the country are often surprised by the prevalence of such images, while Syrians have grown used to them as a daily feature of life. Yesterday, a number of videos surfaced in which protesters tear down the symbols of the regime: posters and statues of the ruling family.

Syria: ‘Friday of Dignity’ Protests Erupt Countrywide

  25 March 2011

Massive protests broke in several cities in Syria today in response to calls for a “Friday of Dignity” after a brutal governmental crackdown left dozens of protesters dead in the Southern city of Daraa and nearby villages. Videos emerging from across Syria show enormous protests in multiple cities.

Syria: Citizen Videos Show Horror in Daraa

  23 March 2011

As the crackdown on protests in Daraa continues and reports pour in of more deaths, citizen reporters in the town are capturing video and uploading it to YouTube, which was only recently unblocked in Syria. The videos in this post show the extent of the violent crackdown in Daraa.

Arab World: The Arab Tyrant Manual

  23 March 2011

The Arab Tyrant Manual is out, and is being tweeted as I type. On Twitter, Iyad Elbaghdadi is repeating all the excuses we have heard from the governments of Arab countries which have had protests calling for regime change and reforms since the Tunisian uprising at the end of 2010. Although they sound like one liners from a comic strip, they still get support from people on the ground.

Syria: Horror Mounts as 150 Protesters Reportedly Dead in Daraa

  23 March 2011

Alarming news from Syria has dominated my Twitter timeline, with reports of up to 150 people allegedly killed by security forces in Daraa, in southern Syria, where anti-regime protests continue. Earlier estimates of six people killed as Syrian police attacked Al Omari mosque to disperse protesters are now being questioned, as reports of more doom and gloom start to seep out of the town, where communications, including phone and Internet, have been cut off.

Syria: Implementing Ushahidi to track protests

  22 March 2011

Syrian Revolution Map is a new Ushahidi instance launched in Syria to track ongoing protests in several cities based on citizen reports of protests, security patrols, dangerous locations, clashes, and anticipated gatherings. Six protesters have reportedly been killed in Daraa, and dozens have been arrested. The website is in Arabic...

Syria: Protests Continue to Gain Momentum

  21 March 2011

Monday 21 March, 2011, protests continue in Daraa, in the Syrian south, where five protesters have been reportedly killed yesterday and another one today. While news reports claim that protesters have later on set fire to public buildings, netizens argue that it was the state security forces who have burnt the buildings. Many on Twitter argue that Daraa would be what Sidi Bouzid was for the Tunisians.

Syria: Protests Across the Country, 6 Reported Killed in Dara'a

  18 March 2011

Syria is the latest country to join the wave of erupting protests across the Middle East. While previous calls for protests on 5 February failed, a renewed call to take to the streets on 15 March managed to bring several hundred people to the streets in multiple cities including the capital, Damascus, and Aleppo. Today, in the southern city of Dara'a, 6 protesters have reportedly been killed.

Arab World: Bloggers Compete for Arabisk Competition

  7 March 2011

Arab bloggers are vying for the Best of the Arabic Blogs Awards, Arabisk, which is now in the judging phase of the competition. The top 20 nominations in four categories are being judged now, and the competition results will be announced at the beginning of April. Haifa Al Rasheed has more on the competition.