Syria: Hundreds quit ruling party in protest over crackdown ("We denounce and condemn everything")

[Turborama]

Source: France 24

An additional 203 members of Syria's ruling Baath party quit on Wednesday, protesting a deadly crackdown on anti-government demonstrations that have gripped the country. It brings the total number of resignations to 233.

LATEST UPDATE: 04/27/2011

AFP - Another 203 members of Syria's ruling Baath party announced their resignation Wednesday in protest at the deadly crackdown on protesters, raising the number to 233, according to lists seen by AFP.

The latest group to step down were members from the Houran region, which covers the flashpoint town of Daraa in the south of the country. Earlier 30 members resigned from the restive city of Banias in northwest Syria.

"The security services have demolished the values with which grew up. We denounce and condemn everything that has taken place and announce with regret our resignation from the party," they said in a signed statement.

"Practices of the security services against our unarmed citizens ... are against all human values and the slogans of the party," they wrote.

Read more: http://www.france24.com/en/20110427-hundreds-resign-from-syria-ruling-baath-party-protest-against-crackdown

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In this photograph taken today, Syrian protesters in Baniyas hold placards which read (at right):
'We will continue peacefully even if you shed our blood with your bullets', and (at left):
'The regime who kills his own people doesn't deserve to stay'.

From Syria Live Blog - April 27: http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/middle-east/syria-live-blog-april-27

[TheWraith]

1. Cue someone coming in to say it's all a CIA sham. nt

[Turborama]

2. Syria opposition warn Assad as Daraa assault rages

Published: 27/04/2011 at 09:31 PM

Syrian opposition figures on Wednesday warned embattled President Bashar al-Assad his regime will collapse if he fails to usher in democracy, as troops kept their grip on the flashpoint town of Daraa.

Five EU countries meanwhile are summoning Syria's ambassadors over the violent crackdown on protesters, France said Wednesday it was joined in the move by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.

According to rights activists, the military assault on Daraa, 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of Damascus, has killed more than 30 people since Monday.

As the military assault on the agricultural town near the Jordan border entered its third day, the newly-formed National Initiative for Change (NIC) said a democratic transition will "safeguard the nation from falling into a period of violence, chaos and civil war."

Full article: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/world/234091/assad-under-pressure-as-hundreds-of-baathists-quit

[On the Road]

4. I Have Thought All Along

that Assad and his father were smarter than the average dictator and had an extensive enough network of support to be able to ride out the unrest for better or worse.

But maybe not. Especially with the mutinies in the military ranks.

[AllTooEasy]

3. Tomorrow's news: Houran Region rebels, Gov't forces attack Daraa...

...UN mandate calls for the protection of Daraa's civilians, US/NATO shells Syrian forces, rebels advance, US hands command completely to NATO, NATO proves useless again, rebels get pushed back, etc., etc., etc.

Either way, Syria's gov't has to go.

[Jefferson23]

5. K&R n/t

[Turborama]

6. Strangely, there's hardly anything about this in the "Western" media

The one in the OP and this one posted by pampango http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4829996&mesg_id=4830097">here are the only other reports I've found so far...

Assad under pressure as party members quit
http://www.smh.com.au/world/assad-under-pressure-as-party-members-quit-20110428-1dxe6.html