Arab Parliament Head Calls for Withdrawal of Syria Monitors

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

An Arab League advisory body called on Sunday for the immediate withdrawal of an observer mission in Syria saying the deadly crackdown on protest continues despite the presence of monitors.

The speaker of the Arab parliament, ِAli Salem al-Diqbassi, urged Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi to "immediately pull out the Arab observers, considering the continued killing of innocent civilians by the Syrian regime."

Damascus' actions are "a clear violation of the Arab League protocol which is to protect the Syrian people," Diqbassi said in a statement.

"We are seeing an increase in violence, more people are being killed including children ... and all this in the presence of Arab League monitors, which has angered the Arab people," he said.

The Arab Parliament is an 88-member advisory committee made up of parliamentarians from each of the League's member states.

Diqbassi's comments came as the Arab League prepares to send a new team to Syria on Thursday.

"Around 20 more observers will head to Damascus from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Tunisia," said Adnan al-Khodeir, Arab League's Syria operations chief.

A first team of 50 observers arrived on Monday as part of an Arab plan endorsed by Syria on November 2, which calls for the withdrawal of the military from towns and residential districts, a halt to violence against civilians and the release of detainees.

The mission has already been the focus of controversy, with some Syrian opposition members unhappy with the choice of veteran Sudanese military intelligence officer General Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi as head of the mission.

The general ruffled opposition feathers by saying Syrian authorities were so far cooperating with the mission and by describing his visit to the flashpoint city of Homs, where hundreds have been killed, as "good."

Rights activists have urged the Arab monitors to do more to protect civilians from regime forces.

The U.N. estimates that more than 5,000 people have been killed in the regime's crackdown on dissent since March. Assad's government insists the violence has been instigated by "terrorist armed gangs" with foreign help.

Comments 21
Missing youssefhaddad 01 January 2012, 17:57

A Dictator like Assad is not deterred by monitors but by a credible military threat.

Default-user-icon Gabby (Guest) 01 January 2012, 18:21

ASSad only understands a stronger force than his. It is time for the protests to be backed by a new credible joint military force.

Default-user-icon Beiruti (Guest) 01 January 2012, 18:43

At least this one guy who stood up doesn't want to be made a joke of by the Assad Regime.
What is the "Arab Parliament"? Some fictional body that emitted a fictional monitoring mission to Syria with a fictional mission of being witness to Syrian snipers kill unarmed protesters in broad daylight and then declare "things look pretty good".

The Assad Regime is making a joke of the international community; the rule of law; the truth; facts; common decency; and the common humanity of us all. It has shown a willingness and ability to engage in any conduct, outrageous or criminal, which it feels is necessary to retain power.
Of course, conduct is neither outrageous or criminal unless some authority has the willingness and ability to hold the criminal regime accountable for its actions.
The international community, if it means anything, must bring this to an end.

Default-user-icon MUSTAPHA O. GHALAYINI (Guest) 01 January 2012, 18:51

the arab habal league is just covering the crimes of bashar regime...

Missing renren 01 January 2012, 19:01

Any way it was not the right decision to send monitors, you gave those criminals more time to kill more innocent people.

Default-user-icon Physhko (Guest) 01 January 2012, 19:18

So are the monitors doing the monitoring or the parliamentarians? Why not send the parliamentarians to monitor the monitors monitoring those to be monitered? And who will monitor the parliamentarians? How about those who will monitor those who monitor the parliamentarians? Keep monitoring my posts.

Thumb mobious125 01 January 2012, 19:20

mfawaz. Innocent people are dying, why don’t you try and put some proper comments on here and debate the issue with other people, instead of being hell bent on Zionism. No matter who you support, everyone should support the Arab people first and foremost before supporting your religion or regional alliance. The death of any civilian at the hands of their own arm is criminal and unjust, no matter what the country.

Missing startrip 01 January 2012, 19:55

Take the observers out. Create safe zones (Syria's Benghazi), arm the opposition, and push the bastard out. The brave Syrian people are at the point of no-return. Eliminating Assad will solve many problems.

This monitor group is mired in difficulties. Its joke leader was the intelligence chief of the regime of Sudan - should've never been a choice to lead such a mission in the first place. Countries like Lebanon and Jordan did not want to participate because of their closeness and internal politics. The Syrian regime would not accept observers from the Gulf countries. So the majority of these observers are from Sudan - not a shining example of human rights.

Missing startrip 01 January 2012, 20:14

mfawaz,
I asked Jabal a while ago to bring me an order of medium pepperoni pizza, side of bread sticks and a Diet Pepsi. It's taking him too long and we're getting worried. Do you mind helping him out? I and my Department colleagues are getting hungry!
Executive Director, Zionist Information War Department

Default-user-icon Gabby (Guest) 01 January 2012, 21:14

Bring in Arab jets and a no-fly zone. Don't forget the anti-tank weapons. This protest needs to go up to a new level.

Default-user-icon Former Lebanese (Guest) 01 January 2012, 21:40

Mfawaz, I need to tell you the truth about your birth. It was a Zionist conspiracy they have masterfully designed you to spread conspiracy theories about them so that when they really do something eventually we won't believe they really did it! Awesome huh?

Mobious couldn't agree with you more! Libya was a good example of Arabs taking action with western support, but Syria militarily is a tough case if they attack Syria there is a very big possibility that Iran and their cronies will rise to rescue Assad and than I do not believe the Arab world can fight this alliance.

Default-user-icon The Truth (Guest) 01 January 2012, 21:48

@mfawaz: You're an idiot. Where are the protesters being killed in Qatar? In Egypt, Mubarak fell and they just had elections. In Yemen, Saleh is going into exile soon. The US isn't protecting their ally dictators from the protests.

Default-user-icon Le PheneChien (Guest) 01 January 2012, 22:56

The regime in Syria is blind, they are killing left and right without any mercy and this is their pitfall which the world has warned them and asked the terrorist regime to stop 10 months go. It is time for a regime change so that Lebanon is a stable country and the so called shoe kissers wake up and smell the coffee.

Missing moeraff 01 January 2012, 23:56

It is simple the assad regime is on the wronge side of the fight, do you really think lebanon or syria is going to get better with assad out. No way, you have thugs and crooks, that have been stealing both lebanon and syria. The problem with lebanon is you have people who are civil servants in the government all they do is ask for bribes to do there job and steal.
These people are not leaving once assad is gone, but assad is gone because they want to but pipelines for oil and nat gas throw syrian and turkey, and assad is not relevate to global business, the west could care less about domestic problems in lebanon, or syria. I want lebanon to do better but it is simple, islam is not a progressive religion, and the sheep that follow it are told to kill and dominate no muslems, and it is simple, where ever there are to many muslems, there are major problems with corruption, and innovation. This is not racist thing this is just a fact.

Default-user-icon Dan (Guest) 02 January 2012, 00:57

Assad's regime will fall in 2012...and soon after it will be Iran's turn

Default-user-icon Gabby (Guest) 02 January 2012, 02:03

Bring out the monitors, they have seen enough. They have had enough of ASSad's games. Time to formulate military plans and chop the fingers of Iran in Syria.

Yalla let's get the party started.

Default-user-icon xolile (Guest) 02 January 2012, 13:24

The Arab people are great people their should also stop taking bribes from Europeans to sell their brother blood to the Americans.Remmember each Arab country has the right to defend it self.Once you become a military.or Police officer your duty is to uphold the dignity and defend and protect the nation.Once you defect your create serious terrorism to your respective country.Please learn from distruction of Afganistan,Iraq,Serbia and Libya which were having a power full institutions in the world.One man dead is another mans bread that what the powerfull countries wants.Learn also from South Africa.

Default-user-icon Minx (Guest) 02 January 2012, 14:35

The league should've declared that they are not able to put any presssure on the tyrant, and hence, call for the international community to intervene to stop the killing of innocents & civilians.

This regime will succumb to force and only force will effectively sort the situation

Thumb jabalamel 02 January 2012, 17:43

the filthy zionst information war department is in dismay and disbelief because arab monitors didn't see their halucination version of syrian events

Thumb www.jabalamel.fanclub.com 02 January 2012, 19:01

yeslam hal tem, i always agree with you!

Thumb mobious125 02 January 2012, 20:45

You know something, in dark times like these, all of us should take comfort that there are people like Jabalamel around to keep us entertained.