Stop Fundamentalism – Bashar Assad forces opened fire on unarmed demonstrators during United Nations monitoring team’s visit near Damascus, Wednesday, say dissident sources. Eight civilians are reported injured. The Plainclothes security forces opened fire on demonstrators near vehicles carrying the UN observing team.
In another incident, after the monitors left a scene in Daraa, security forces shot and killed two and injured dozens.
In spite of a one-week long truce in place, government forces continue to shell cities and specially the city of Homs.
A team of six observers is spearheading a large deployment of UN peacekeeping monitors, according to Kofi Annan’s plan to somehow make his peace plan work. Despite the fact that one week has passed since the two sides have agreed to cease fire, the shelling, and killing has continued leaving very little hope that the plan will actually work. Many international authorities worry that if the Kofi Annan’s please plan fails, civil war would breakout.
Foreign ministers of European countries and the United States were in Paris meeting to devise up a ‘Plan B’ if the peace plan fails. The meeting was called a “Friends of Syria” meeting.
Kofi Annan accuses Syrian forces of not honoring the cease fire and that they have not withdrawn from cities.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the current stage a “crucial turning point” demanding “tougher actions” against the Assad’s government.
The six-point plan, drawn up by Kofi Annan, states that demonstrators must have the right to protest peacefully.
UN observers say that the Syrian government has turned down their requests to go to the city of Homs.
The United Nations estimates that at least 9000 people have died in Syria since the uprising started 13 months ago.
