Sea Change in Syria
Charles Johnson
Wed Mar 2, 2005 at 7:36 am PST • Views: 187
The waves of change sweeping across the Middle East now reach Syria: Lebanon ‘victory’ spurs Syrians to demand a voice.
DAMASCUS, Syria — Demonstrations that brought down the government of neighboring Lebanon on Monday inspired Syria’s intellectuals and activists to issue new calls yesterday for greater political participation in their own country — a nation known for its strict limits on dissent.
“What happened [in Lebanon] was a huge victory not only for the Lebanese people, but for the people of this region,” said Wael Sawah, a Syrian political analyst and activist. “This is the first time a Cabinet resigns under popular pressure.”
Michel Kilo, another prominent Syrian opposition figure, said that the Lebanese protests could have a ripple effect in Syria. “The people here will want a bigger role and will start demanding their rights more,” Mr. Kilo said.
Frank says: