Syrian President Bashar al-Assad granted citizenship on Thursday to Kurds in eastern Syria, part of attempts to cool resentment over nearly five decades of strict Baathist rule and deflect pro-democracy protests. Popular protests across mostly Sunni Muslim Syria demanding an end to a decades-old emergency law and one-party rule have posed the most serious challenge to Assad's 11 years in power.
More than 70 people have been killed in the protests, which have been inspired by popular uprisings across the Arab world. At least 10 people were killed last Friday in the Damascus suburb of Douma, seen as the next focal point of protests where demonstrators have set up a vigil outside the mosque.
Syria's ruling hierarchy, packed with minority Alawites, has tolerated no dissent and has used emergency laws to justify arbitrary arrests, including those of other minorities such as Kurds who say they are discriminated against. Assad's overture to Kurds, who make up about 10 percent of the 20 million population, came after reports that authorities had released 48 Kurdish prisoners and that the president had met leaders in the eastern al-Hasaka region where many Kurds live earlier in the week.
It was not immediately clear how many would be granted Syrian nationality, but at least 150,000 Kurds are registered as foreigners as a result of a 1962 census in al-Hasaka. Kurdish leader Habib Ibrahim said Kurds would press their non-violent struggle for civil rights and democracy to replace autocratic rule. In a move to mollify conservative Muslims, Syria lifted on Wednesday a ban on teachers wearing the full face veil and ordered the closure of the country's only casino.
Comments
Comments are closed.