Assad Announces the Legalization of Opposition Political Parties

Just as President Assad is unleashing his army upon Hama, ordering the killings of innocent civilians, he announces on state television that he just legalized the existence of opposition political parties.

The presidential decree makes very little sense as the regime continues to imprison, kill or torture all those who dare oppose it.

Back in New York, the UN Security Council fell short of voting on a resolution against Syria but strongly condemned the recent crackdown on the town of Hama.

Even Russia which so far was opposing any measure aimed at punishing the Assad’s regime, advocating that the international community had no business in intervening in one country internal affairs, said that the situation was indeed “dramatic”.

Witnesses in Hama told the press that at least 37 people had been killed on Wednesday as tanks were ordered to fire upon protesters in Hama.

A resident who successfully managed to escape the violence told the AFP that: “the bodies of 30 people who were killed during the shelling by the army have been buried in several public parks.”

“Tanks are deployed throughout the city, particularly in Assi Square and outside the citadel. Conditions are very difficult in the city. Communications, electricity and water are cut and there are food shortages," he added.

Other eye witnesses said that snipers were in position upon the rooftops, indiscriminately shooting at passers-by and that cluster bombs were being used against civilians.

Meanwhile SANA, the Syrian state news agency announced that President Bashar al-Assad was now allowing its citizens to join and form other political parties than his own.

"Citizens of the Syrian Arab Republic have the right to establish political parties and join them in accordance with this law," said SANA.

Despite this somewhat timid conciliatory effort on the government part to calm the revolutionaries, activists and human right advocates in Syria remain skeptic.

Catherine Ashton, the EU Foreign Policy Chief said that the multi-party reform offered “in principle a step in the right direction, but only it was genuinely put into effect.” She added that the EU was still “waiting for previously announced reforms to be implemented.”

Since the beginning of the popular uprising, some 1600 people dies and countless more are being help in prison.