SYRIA: Activists say United Nations-backed ceasefire plan is bound for failure

Record ID: 280744

  • Title: SYRIA: Activists say United Nations-backed ceasefire plan is bound for failure
  • Date: 22nd April 2012
  • Summary: CHILD CARRYING POSTER READING IN ARABIC: "I AM SYRIAN AND I AM NOT A TERRORIST AND I AM SEARCHING FOR PEACE"
  • Embargoed: 7th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVA39UHU6G82AYC48DKK4SB3WLLW
  • Story Text: Opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed to continue peaceful protests in accordance with a United Nations-backed ceasefire, despite their belief that the Syrian government would not adhere to the plan.
    In the town of Zabadani near the Lebanese border, thousands gathered in the town's main square after Friday (April 20) prayers for the weekly anti-Assad protest, as armed members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) guarded the streets around the square to secure the gathering.
    "We will not stop protecting the peaceful protests. We are following Annan's plan, but we can't trust them (the Assad government), and they don't keep their word. They have continued shelling and attacking the protests," said an unnamed FSA member patrolling the square.
    "This is just trying to fool the people and the world and the international community. As they lied before to the Arab League, now they are lying to and manipulating the international community," said another FSA member carrying a rifle.
    "For sure they will not stop the killing, because during the ceasefire that was part of the Arab League plan before or the U.N. plan, the killing continued in front of all the people." he added.
    Zabadani, 30 km (19 miles) northwest of Damascus, has seen regular big demonstrations demanding the removal of Assad.
    The U.N. monitoring mission is seen as the last chance to avoid a civil war in Syria, where Assad has quelled protests against his 12-year rule - which started peacefully a year ago but have since taken a militarised turn - by shooting at demonstrators and shelling residential neighbourhoods.
    U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan is hoping the U.N. Security Council will agree to send a second wave of up to 300 more observers to monitor the ceasefire progress.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains identifiable children: users must ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations governing the publishing of this material.
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