FRANCE: Thousands rally at the base of the Eiffel Tower in Paris in support of Syrian civilians on the third anniversary of a conflict which has claimed more than 140,000 lives

Record ID: 214428

  • Title: FRANCE: Thousands rally at the base of the Eiffel Tower in Paris in support of Syrian civilians on the third anniversary of a conflict which has claimed more than 140,000 lives
  • Date: 15th March 2014
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 15, 2014) (REUTERS) DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING BALLOONS AND SYRIAN OPPOSITION FLAGS IN FRONT OF THE EIFFEL TOWER BALLOONS WITH EIFFEL TOWER IN THE BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) MEMBER OF INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (FIDH) MARIE CAMBERLIN, SAYING: "These organisations want to express first their solidarity with the Syrian people but also to ring the bells to the International community and ask them to do all what they can in order to support civilians in Syria." PEOPLE HOLDING FLAGS AND CHANTING EIFFEL TOWER TO CROWD EIFFEL TOWER EIFFEL TOWER TO PEOPLE CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (French) MEMBER OF SYRIAN OPPOSITION MOHAMED TAHA, SAYING: "It is important because it is the third anniversary of the start of the Syrian revolution to send several messages. First to tell the Syrians inside Syria that the Syrians who emigrated abroad by force are with them the Syrians of inside Syria and also to tell them that the French civil society, the human rights organisations are supporting them too. We are trying our best despite it is not enough, but we do continue." LIGHTED SIGN READING (French) "WITH THE SYRIANS" WRITTEN ON EIFFEL TOWER CROWD IN FRONT OF EIFFEL TOWER MAN HOLDING CANDLE
  • Embargoed: 30th March 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVADBSFPTFGJOOHBI082TNUSCZW5
  • Story Text: Thousands of people rallied in Paris on Saturday (March 15) on the human rights square near the Eiffel Tower to mark the third anniversary of the conflict in Syria and express their support to the Syrian population, saying they wanted to show their commitment to the cause of freedom in Syria.
    The conflict began three years ago with peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad but turned into an armed insurgency after a violent security crackdown on demonstrators.
    More than 140,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million have fled abroad as refugees in an increasingly sectarian civil war.
    In Paris, several humanitarian organisations held a large rally with Syrians from France.
    People were holding balloons and Syrian opposition flags in front of the iconic Eiffel Tower.

    "These organisations want to express first their solidarity with the Syrian people but also to ring the bells to the International community and ask them to do all what they can in order to support civilians in Syria," said member of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Marie Camberlin.

    "It is important because it's the third anniversary of the start of the Syrian revolution to send several messages. First to tell the Syrians inside Syria that the Syrians who emigrated abroad by force, are with them the Syrians of inside Syria and also to tell them that the French civil society, the human rights organisations are supporting them too. We are trying our best despite its not enough, but we do continue," said a member of the Syrian opposition in France, Mohamed Taha.
    The demonstration came as the Syrian government appeared to be regaining ground, after the army entered eastern districts of the town of Yabroud, the last rebel bastion near the Lebanese border north of Damascus, and tightened its grip on the remaining rebels there from the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front.
    The Syrian government has been making incremental gains around Damascus and Aleppo in recent months, regaining the initiative in a conflict which enters its fourth year this month.
    Opposition leader Ahmad Jarba has repeatedly urged world leaders to fulfill their promises to provide weapons to the Free Syrian Army.
    Emboldened by failed peace talks in Geneva and with ongoing support from Iran and Russia, Assad is looking increasingly likely to stand for a third term in July.
    If he does so, in defiance of the opposition and Western leaders who have demanded he step down, that would end the U.N.-backed Geneva peace process, which was predicated on steps towards a democratic transition.
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