Uprisings Possible in Syria

Protests are set to be staged Friday and Saturday in front of the Syrian parliament in Damascus and at Syrian embassies worldwide. Demonstrations will also be held in the cities of Homs, Aleppo and Qamishli.

The Syrian government cut down on its people's internet access last week by blocking certain websites and chats when rebellion erupted in Egypt.

Twenty plainclothes Syrian police officers violently attacked and dispersed fifteen demonstrators who were attempting to hold a candlelight vigil in support of the Egyptian people in Damascus on Wednesday. This was done under an emergency law, now in effect, which bans protests that are not approved by the government.

"Syria's authorities detained political and human rights activists, restricted freedom of expression, repressed its Kurdish minority, and held people incommunicado for lengthy periods, often torturing them, during 2010," stated a Human Rights Watch report from last week.

Syria also faces high unemployment rates, with every fourth Syrian being unemployed.

Activists both in Syria and living abroad have been working hard to start a reform movement in their country. Many of them are using Facebook and Twitter.

However, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad recently stated his intention to push through democratic reforms in his country. The government also increased the heating oil allowance for public sector workers by 72% last month. This was all done as an attempt to keep Syria stable and unaffected by the uprisings in other parts of the Arab world.

"I want to feel safe in my own country," said al-Assad, "That is my goal."

The social upheaval across the Middle East and North Africa is now sending shock waves throughout governments in the region, as seen by the reaction of the Syrian president. More upheaval is needed to bring freedom and equality to those countries, but recent news has shown us how much progress can be brought by confronting the system. Take note of this, North America! Governments should fear their citizens, not the other way around.