Syria: Kurdish activists call for mass Friday protests

Erbil, June 9 (AKnews) - Kurdish activists in Syria are calling on the country's Kurds to take to the streets for what they have dubbed the "Friday of Tribes" – in a show of solidarity with anti-government protestors across the country.

The Syrian protests, calling for an end to the Baath party's 40 year rule, have gained momentum over the past three months despite the government's aggressive and internationally-condemned crackdown.

The Federation of Syrian-Kurdish Youth Movements issued a statement today urging all components of Syria's population; Kurds and Arabs; Christians, Muslims and tribal factions, to stage "massive and effective demonstrations on the Friday of Tribes" in solidarity with "our people in Hamat, Der al-Zur and all other Syrian cities".

"The Baath regime is still dealing with the peaceful popular uprising with unprecedented, indiscriminate cruelty and violence," the statement reads, "with no exceptions being made for women and children".

The statement calls at the same time on the protestors to "be disciplined and committed to national interests".

Rights groups report that around 1,300 people have been killed in the government's crackdown on dissent so far, and more than 10,000 arbitrarily arrested.

Reports from either side are virtually impossible to verify as the government has imposed a ban on all foreign media in Syria.

On Tuesday, three of Syria's 12 Kurdish parties announced that they would join in the protests calling for an end to the despotic rule of the Assad family - the first official instance of Kurdish parties expressing their support for the uprising.

Over the past few weeks, thousands of Kurds in the north east of the country have taken to the streets in protest against the Syrian regime.

Last week, Britain and France submitted a draft bill to the UN's Security Council that strongly condemns the Syrian government's use of violence against the protestors.

Although it is not expected to contain recommendations of military intervention, the draft is believed to be a bid to generate enough support in the 15-member council to prevent major opponents to UN action in Syria - Russia and China - to veto the resolution.
 
Written by Raber Y. Aziz - reported by Abdullah Sabri (AKnews) – edited by Karl Allen

09/06/2011 15:26