‘Massacre’ in Homs While U.N. Risks Russia Veto

On the day citizens were commemorating the  1982 Hama massacre, Assad’s forces cracked down on the city of Homs, killing an estimated 220 people and injuring hundreds more. The forces shelled the residential areas of the city with tanks, heavy artillery and missiles, destroying homes. According to the Strategic Research and Communication Centre, “[Bashar Al Assad's] forces raided the Amal hospital where at least 100 injured were present and executed most of them.” Activists described it as “the bloodiest episode in the nearly 11-month-old uprising.” The Syrian government, on the hand, has denied the assault, attributing media and activist reports to an “incitement by the armed groups” and a “hysterical campaign” against Syria to be exploited at the Security Council,” which is going to vote on the resolution today. The draft of the resolution, which has been reworded from its original version, “supports a decision by the Arab League to “facilitate a Syrian-led political transition,” and in going to vote today, risks a veto from the Russian delegation.  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the Security Council of a “scandal” if the vote proceeds with the draft in its current form. “Russia’s main objection to the draft resolution is that it sets down measures to be taken against the government of President Bashar al-Assad, but not against what Lavrov said were armed groups who were manipulating peaceful protesters.” Meanwhile, France’s Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said, “those who continued to block a U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria after activists said more than 200 people were killed in Homs would bear a “‘heavy responsibility in history.’”

As reports of the violence spread, rallies broke out all over the world in front of Syrian embassies, condemning the actions of the Syrian government, and questioning why the Security Council hasn’t made a definitive decision yet.  In London, five were arrested during the protests outside the embassy; in Cairo, the front gate to the embassy was broken in and furniture and equipment were smashed;  Embassies in Germany, Spain, Sweden and the U.S. all saw forms of protest as well. Even in Tunisia, Foreign Minister Rafeeq Abdel Salaam told Al Jazeera that “his government has taken the decision to expel the Syrian ambassador.”