Revue <strong>de</strong> Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro <strong>de</strong> la Prensa-Basin Oz<strong>et</strong>i MtraUJSgSribime Wednesday, march 13, 2013 Un<strong>de</strong>r strain, Syria turns to paramilitary groups for help # * 'll ' 0 'j?
34 Revue <strong>de</strong> Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro <strong>de</strong> la Prensa-Basin Oz<strong>et</strong>i the groups on the mo<strong>de</strong>l of Iran's feared Basiji militia. In government-controlled areas of Aleppo, in parts of Damascus and else¬ where, many of the ubiquitous check¬ points are now controlled by those groups, usually ma<strong>de</strong> up of locals rather than the army, said P<strong>et</strong>er Harling, the Syria analyst for International Crisis Group, a conflict monitoring organiza¬ tion. "There are a lot of people who don't want to be absorbed into the army," he said. "There are huge amounts of casu¬ alties, and no clear progress, so going to fight for the regime in far-flung areas is not a very appealing proposition. Hold¬ ing your ground, protecting your own neighborhood, is far more appealing to people." The pro-government daily Al Watan <strong>de</strong>clared Tuesday that the army re¬ mained unbent and had "at its disposal enough men and weapons to fight for years to <strong>de</strong>fend Syria." But it also urged civilians to come to the army's aid. "The army is fulfilling its duties, and citizens must now <strong>de</strong>fend their districts, each according to their capacity, as they have done in Aleppo, Hama and Homs, where resi<strong>de</strong>nts have taken up arms," the newspaper said. The shift toward paramilitary opera¬ tions reflects the conflict's dangerous turn toward sectarian warfare b<strong>et</strong>ween the Sunni Muslims who make up most of the insurgency and the presi<strong>de</strong>nt's minority Alawite sect. A Damascus resi<strong>de</strong>nt said in an inter¬ view in Antakya, Turkey, on Sunday . that in his neighborhood Tadamon, which lies b<strong>et</strong>ween contested areas south of the city Sunni resi<strong>de</strong>nts were far more afraid of Alawite paramilitar¬ ies, who abduct and harass people with impunity, than of soldiers. He said he had many friends in the military who remained there only be¬ cause they were afraid to leave, nee<strong>de</strong>d their salaries to support their families or relied on the extra packages of bread that military members received. Some Christian families have fled Aleppo rather than submit to a recent aggressive army recruiting campaign, fearing that their sons will be stopped at checkpoints and forced into service, ac¬ cording to Aksalser, an Arabic language Web site that says it is in<strong>de</strong>pen<strong>de</strong>nt and based in Aleppo. "Syrians don't want to push their children to join a battle which . aims to ensure Assad's survival in the seat of power," the site said. The government has consistently painted itself as the guardian of a secu¬ lar or<strong>de</strong>r that protects minorities, fuel¬ ing an impression among many of its supporters that they are fighting for their lives against the uprising. Many critics reject that argument, saying the government oppressed the Sunni majority un<strong>de</strong>r the cover of secu¬ larism for <strong>de</strong>ca<strong>de</strong>s and then played on minority fears by painting a broad- based opposition as extremist Muslim terrorists. The uprising began as a peaceful movement for <strong>de</strong>mocratic reform but turned to arms after the government fired on nonviolent protesters. As cash- strapped rebels found support from for¬ eign Islamist backers, the influence of extremist fighters has grown, further stoking the fears held by minorities. In an unusual appeal on national tele _ i.-uui.vmu.'ai. Hcrdo^ifeSribunc Wednesday, march 13, 2013 Iran receives harsh review from UN. rights official GENEVA BY NICK CUMMING-BRUCE With presi<strong>de</strong>ntial elections approaching in June, Iran has cracked down on jour¬ nalists, rights activists and lawyers in what appears to be an attempt to stifle dissent, a United Nations investigator said Tuesday. He also said the judicial authorities in Iran had tortured some Iranians for contacting him. Iran rejected the assertions by the in¬ vestigator, Ahmed Shaheed, calling them unfoun<strong>de</strong>d propaganda done un¬ <strong>de</strong>r pressure of the West to malign the country. Iranian officials have issued similar rejoin<strong>de</strong>rs to the reports of Mr. Shaheed, a former foreign minister of the Maldives, since he was appointed to the role after the repression of anti-gov¬ ernment protests over the disputed Ira¬ nian presi<strong>de</strong>ntial election of 2009. "The human rights situation in Iran has been worsening, is continuing to worsen," Mr. Shaheed said. Speaking after briefing the U.N: Human Rights Council, he said, "I characterize the situ¬ ation as one of wi<strong>de</strong>spread violations that are systemic and systematic." He asserted that rights abuses, in¬ cluding what he called "serious tor¬ ture," had been carried out across a wi<strong>de</strong> section of soci<strong>et</strong>y, affecting people engaged in a range of activities. Mr. Shaheed expressed particular concern for the situation of journalists, rights activists and prominent lawyers <strong>de</strong>fending politically sensitive cases or working with organizations promoting human rights who were facing long pris¬ on sentences or lengthy bans on their ability to practice their professions. In a statement to the council he said they "continue to be subjected to harass vision on Monday, the top state-appoin¬ ted Muslim cleric called on all Syrians to urge their children to join the army. "Syria is the last mo<strong>de</strong>l of a civilized nation which converts diversity into richness instead of clashes and weak¬ ness," he said. Y<strong>et</strong> he also ma<strong>de</strong> what appeared to be a special appeal to Sunnis, saying that the rebels were "targ<strong>et</strong>ing the Arab and Islamic nation." Analysts said that the mufti could not seriously expect to draw recruits from the Sunni heartland, where entire neighborhoods have been leveled by government artillery and airstrikes, and that the speech appeared aimed to reinforce the government's narrative that the fall of the regime would <strong>de</strong>stroy Syrian soci<strong>et</strong>y. A group calling itself the Coalition of Free Aiawite Youth pushed back Tues¬ day, offering an alternative for Alawites who do not want to take up arms. It invited them to flee to Turkey, promising that "within a few days, we will secure free accommodation for them with a monthly salary that will shield them from humiliation." It invoked God's blessings, and con¬ clu<strong>de</strong>d: "Those who wish to leave, please contact the administrators of the page"- Hania Mourtada contributed reporting. ment, arrest, interrogation, and torture and are frequently charged with vaguely <strong>de</strong>fined national security crimes, which is seemingly meant to ero<strong>de</strong> the front line of human rights <strong>de</strong>fense in the country." The Iranian authorities arrested at least 17 journalists this year, charging nearly all of them with communicating with "anti-revolutionary" international news organizations or human rights or¬ ganizations, he said. Another 45 journa¬ lists were already in <strong>de</strong>tention at the start of the year. "With elections round the corner in June, these sort of accusa¬ tions do not bo<strong>de</strong> well for the prospect of free and fair elections in the country," he said. As further evi<strong>de</strong>nce of Iranian author¬ ities' <strong>de</strong>termination to shut off such con¬ tacts, they had charged five Kurdish prisoners with "contacting the office of the special rapporteur," Mr. Shaheed told the council. "These prisoners were reportedly interrogated and severely tortured for the purpose of soliciting confessions about their alleged contact with me."
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