The relentless cycle of protest and crackdown in Syria over the last four months appears poised to enter a new phase in the coming Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with activists planning to capitalize on religious rhythms to hold nightly demonstrations despite fears of an even harsher government reaction.
The protesters say it should be easier to gather people since they would ordinarily end their days of fasting and nights of feasting with a visit to mosques for prayers. Their hope is that mobilizing people every day, rather than waiting for large Friday protests, will wear down a government that has so far been able to hang on to support among substantial sectors of the population despite protests that have grown larger and more widespread.
The anticipation of a change in tactic is high enough, and the fear palpable enough, that rumors of the government’s plans abound: most notably that authorities plan to begin a major renovation program at mosques, effectively closing many of them during the holy month, which starts next week.
“People are talking about a very different Ramadan this year,” said Um Janti, a homemaker from Homs, a city with a combustible sectarian mix that has emerged as a flashpoint. “People are saying they will pray on the streets, if mosques get closed. They believe that the reward for dying in Ramadan is far greater.”
Both sides in Syria’s uprising, which erupted in mid-March in the poor southern town of Dara’a, have struggled for momentum. Government officials have regularly said they have the upper hand, even as they failed to quell protests with a fierce crackdown that human rights activists say has killed at least 1,600 civilians. Protesters have also overestimated their abilities, repeatedly speaking of bringing the government down in weeks despite continued backing for President Bashar al-Assad from minorities and the business elite in Damascus, the capital, and in Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city. Read More