The Syrian uprising has proved remarkably resilient over the past seven months, but it has shown some signs of stalling in recent weeks as the government continue a bloody crackdown that the estimates has killed more than 3,000 people.
Although the mass demonstrations in Syria have shaken one of the most authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, the opposition has made no major gains in recent months; it holds no territory and has no clear leadership.
Now the armed uprising in Libya that drove Gaddafi from power, with NATO air support, appears to have breathed new life into the Syrian revolt. “Gaddafi is gone, your turn is coming, Bashar,” protesters shouted on Friday in the central city of Hama, long a hotbed of resistance to the regime.
Syria’s opposition formed a national council like the Libyans‘ National Transitional Council, hoping they could form a united front against Assad that Syrians and the international community could rally behind.
In addition, with the successes of armed Libyan revolutionaries present in their minds, many Syrian protesters say they are starting to see the limits of a peaceful movement, particularly when compared to the armed uprising in Libya.
There have even been calls for help by some Syrians who are now calling on protesters to take up arms and inviting foreign military action, hoisting signs that say “Where is NATO?” and urging the world to come to Syria’s aid. Despite this, for the most part, Syrian opposition leaders have opposed foreign intervention, meaning that unlike Libya, leaders and everyday protestors may not see eye to eye on various issues, which may prove to be too much for the Syrian revolution.
(아주경제 앤드류 이 기자)
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com