SYRIAThe Revolution

Amy Freeman Pd. 2

Syria

Demographics• Population(as of 2009): 21 million• Major Ethnic Groups: Arabs(90%), Kurds(9%),

Armenians, Circassians, Turkomans• Religions: Sunni Muslims(74%), Alawis(12%),

Christians(10%), Druze(3%), small numbers of Muslim sects, Jews, and YazidisOfficial Language: Arabic

• Life Expectancy: Male-69.8 years; Female-72.68 years

• Population Growth Rate(2009): 2.37%• Literacy:90.8%

Goal of Revolution:

•The Syrians say that their protest is against the “repressive measures” of Assad’s rule. This includes more controlling Internet censorship, arresting political prisoners, and the spreading use of travel bans.

President Bashar al-Assad

•President Assad inherited the power his family has had for four decades. He decided to move towards more reforms politically in Syria

Key Events

•March 15-Dozens of people stormed into Damascus due to a Facebook page calling for a “Day of Dignity”

•March 20- Crowds set the Baath Party headquarters on fire.

•March 29- The government resigned.•March 30-Assad speaks to the people for

the first time since protests started. He doesn’t expand on any major reforms.

Key Events(Cont)•April 16- Assad gives another address saying

that emergency laws are going to be abolished and that there will be further reforms.

•April 22- Security forces are reported to have shot at least eighty people dead.

•April 23- Bloodiest Day since the uprising began. 75 people reported killed.

•Syrian troops begin an 11-day siege on Deraa•April 29- May 23- U.S., Switzerland, and EU

begin sanctions on Assad and other officials.

Key Events(Cont.)• May 28- Call for new protest after word comes of

the alleged torture and killing of a 13 year-old boy from Deraa.

• May 31- Amnesty announced by Assad for political prisoners.

• June 18- Tanks enter a city on Turkey’s border where there were 100,000 Syrians seeking refuge.

• June 29- U.S. impose sanctions on the security forces from Syria due to human rights abuses and also against Iran for their support of Syria.

• July 2- Assad sacks the Hama province’s governor.

Key Events (Cont)• July 10- Main group of opposition boycotts

talking with the government until they end the violent crackdown and free political prisoners.

• August 18-Barrack Obama and EU tell Assad to step down.

• Oct. 6- UN says that more than 2,900 people have been killed since protests began.

• Oct. 7-National investigation under way into killings.

• Oct. 8- At least 14 mourners are killed when Syrian forces open fire on them as they go to funerals of those who had died that Friday.

Like the American Revolution

•The Syrian Revolution is like the American Revolution in that they both wanted freedom from their overbearing rulers.

Vs.

Unlike the American Revolution

•The Syrian Revolution is unlike that American Revolution in that The American Revolution was somewhat more organized, and they Americans were trying to escape from a foreign leader, not from their own leader.

Vs.

The Effects of the Revolution

•The Activists have said that more than 2,000 people have been killed and thousands of people have been arrested. There end has not yet come.

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