All it took was some graffiti daubed on a school wall and the arrest of the culprits in the middle of class to trigger the revolt that had been brewing. After more than a month of peaceful demonstrations against emergency laws and arbitrary rule, which at Deraa, Banias, Baida and Homs were violently repressed as security forces fired their weapons even at those seeking to help the wounded, the Syrian government finally adopted a bill on Tuesday 19 April to repeal the state of emergency, which had been in force for almost fifty years. This was one of the demonstrators’ key demands. Furthermore, the State Security Court, responsible for trying political prisoners, was abolished and demonstrations were once again permitted.
But scarcely a few hours after the government announcements, arbitrary arrests were on the increase and extreme violence seemed to be the only response to people’s demands for an open, multi-party political system. With the introduction of fresh ‘anti-terrorist’ laws, the new legal arsenal at the disposal of those in power is just as restrictive as the one it has replaced.
Citing a foreign conspiracy and threats to the country’s stability, the authorities are blowing hot and cold, ignoring what thousands of demonstrators are risking their lives to call for: dignity, reform and the opening up of their country to the world.