BBC News, 24 March 2011
Related Stories
Syrian leaders have pledged to introduce reforms to meet the demands of protesters, after days of violence in the country's south.
 |
| Activists say dozens were killed |
Officials promised to study the need for lifting the state of emergency, in place since 1963, which gives security forces sweeping powers.
Several protesters have been killed in the city of Deraa in recent days.
The government said it would investigate and bring to trial those suspected of the killings.
Relaxing restrictions?
Presidential spokeswoman Buthaina Shaaban denied that the government had ordered security forces to open fire on protesters.
But she said this "did not mean mistakes had not been made".
"We should not confuse the behaviour of an individual, and the desire and determination of President Bashar al-Assad to move Syria to more prosperity," she told a news conference in Damascus.
She said a committee would be set up to talk to "our brothers in Deraa" and bring to justice those responsible for killing protesters.
She also said the government would raise workers' wages, introduce health reforms, allow more political parties to compete in elections, relax media restrictions and establish a new mechanism for fighting corruption.
Ms Shaaban announced a similar package of reforms in 2005.
She also accused international media, including the BBC and CNN, of exaggerating the crackdown on the protesters.
Estimates vary as to how many people were killed in Wednesday's crackdown.
Some reports quoting witnesses and activists have put the figure as high as 100; others have claimed about 15 people were killed.
The government said 10 people had died.
Related Articles:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.