Activists reject Assad's decree for formation of opposition parties

SYRIAN OPPOSITION activists dismissed the decree issued yesterday by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad allowing a multiplicity of political parties to function in the country.

Dr Assad authorised draft legislation earlier adopted by the government, bypassing parliament and making the measure effective immediately. The law permits the formation of political parties not based on religion, ethnicity or tribalism.

Although the Baath Party has dominated the Syrian scene since 1963, another nine secular parties operate with the Baath in a national front.

The new law should provide an opportunity for opposition parties to function.

The opening of Syria’s political system to multiparty competition has been one of the main demands of the protesters who have taken to the country’s streets and squares since mid-March.

But opposition spokesmen say the law is too little, too late.

The adoption of the multiparty law is the latest measure intended to defuse the crisis in Syria.

Dr Assad previously ended a decades-old state of emergency, abolished state security courts and called for dialogue with peaceful opponents with the aim of agreeing a reform package and a new constitution.

But dissidents have refused to engage with the government until it ends its crackdown on demonstrations and releases all political prisoners.

On Wednesday the UN Security Council issued a presidential statement condemning the government’s use of force against protesters and violations of human rights, and called for those responsible to be held “accountable”.

The statement, agreed after weeks of acrimonious dispute, pitted the US, Britain, France and Portugal, which wanted a formal resolution, against Russia, China, India, Brazil and South Africa, which did not.

Russia and China threatened to veto a resolution but were prepared to accept a much weaker presidential statement.

Syria’s neighbour, Lebanon, disassociated itself from the statement.

Washington has toughened its stance on Dr Assad, dubbing him a cause of instability in Syria, and has vowed to find new means to exert pressure on him to halt military action against protesters.

The Syrian government blames “armed gangs” and Muslim fundamentalists for the violence, which has killed 500 army and security personnel, while opposition and human rights organisations maintain that the protests are peaceful and say 1,600 civilians have been killed by the regime.

Opposition spokesmen say troops and tanks have moved into the central square of Hama, the latest restive city to be targeted, and continue operations in Homs.