As the brutal reaction of the Syrian regime to the growing protest movement unfolded over the weekend, we received several letters from Syrian socialists that give some interesting insights into the size of the movement and the effects it is having within the regime.
1)
Comrades,
It is safe to say that the situation in Syria has passed from a revolt to a revolution. The response of the Syrian masses surpassed all expectations. Thousands of protesters went out on the street in many Syrian cities and in most parts of the country. In Darr'a alone the numbers could have exceeded 200,000. Most notably, Thousands were out in big numbers in many areas inside and around the capital Damascus. Also, protests broke out in the coastal city of Latakia, were the infamous thugs and gangs of the regime are concentrated. We have tens of martyrs today but the regime is doing a very good job preventing media coverage.
2)
Comrades,
The mass protests in Syria are beginning to provoke divisions within the regime itself. Maher al-Assad, the president's brother, is commander of the Republican Guards, and the butcher who ordered the massacre in Daraa this week. Lebanese papers have reported today that he got into a fierce and violent argument with Farouk al-Sharaa, the vice-president, over how to handle the protests. If all this is confirmed it would indicate serious divisions among the top state bureaucrats over how to handle the situation.
3)
Hi comrades,
Today [25/03/2011] we saw a real Syrian revolution in many cities across the country against the brutal regime. The movement was a reaction against the repression in Daraa, and in solidarity with the people of this city. More than one thousand angry Syrian rebels were also on the streets of Latakia on the coast. They were shot at by Syrian security forces which lead to three rebels being killed and many more being injured. There were also many thousands on the streets around Damascus and Houms city, where the rebels tore down big pictures of Hafez Al-Assad. There were also many thousands in many other parts of Syria. We are fighting for our freedom in Syria.
4)
I am sending you here below important videos from the Syrian revolution. Here are scenes from Latakia on the coast [25/03/2011]: Facebook video
Here we have scenes from Damascus/Harasta [25/03/2011]: