Citizens speak out. In nations like Bahrain, Belarus, China, Greece, Libya, Morocco, Saudi
Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan and Yemen, many people continue risking their safety
and even their lives to gather in unified demands for basic freedoms and democratic
representation in their countries' governments.
CHINA - Riot police in China's eastern Zhejiang province dispersed hundreds of people on Thursday,
June 16 as they gathered in Rishanfen village seeking additional compensation for land taken
from them for development.
BAHRAIN - US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights
and Labor Michael H. Posner met with Bahraini officials on Wednesday, asking that they ensure
that protesters' trials are held in accordance with international law, while also encouraging
Bahrain to provide a conducive environment for national dialog toward peaceful political
reform. Associated Press reports that influential Bahraini cleric Sheik Isa Qassim called on
Friday for the country's rulers to end the crackdown on protesters so that dialog could
begin, and that people would continue their peaceful protests until real reforms were
made. Meanwhile, the al-Wefaq party organized a large anti-government protest on the island
of Sitra Friday, where leader and cleric Sheikh Ali Salman stated that his party was in favor
of dialog with the government but only if the discussions were leading to democratic
reform.
MOROCCO - Following months of protesters' demands for reform, King Mohammed announced
a new draft constitution Friday, which would share more power with the prime minister and
requires the king, following general elections, to select a prime minister from the winning
political party. The proposed constitutional amendments, which will be put to a public
vote on July 1, still allow the king exclusive control over the nation's military and religion.
TAJIKISTAN - The UK-based BBC on Thursday demanded that the Tajik government release
reporter Urinboy Usmonov, detained since June 13 on accusations that he is a member of a
criminal group and is calling for constitutional change.
SAUDI ARABIA - Many Saudi women with international drivers licenses took part in the Women2Drive
campaign on Friday June 17 by getting behind the wheels of cars, some with the support
of their husbands, to demand their right to drive. Although several were reported to have
been stopped and instructed by police to return home, or given citations for driving without
a Saudi license, there were no reports of any arrests.
GREECE - German and French leaders reached an agreement on a new loan package for Greece
to keep the country solvent and protect the eurozone. With a vote on the new agreement
that could be held among eurozone members as early as the European Union summit scheduled
for next week, around €12 billion will also be released to Greece on Sunday to allow the
country to make scheduled debt payments. Meanwhile, as promised, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou
inaugurated a new cabinet on Friday in an effort to create a more capable and resilient
government to help bring the country through the debt crisis while being sensitive to the
requirements of both international lenders and fellow citizens, who, in struggling with
challenges like high unemployment, are especially vulnerable to austerity measures that impact
areas such as social welfare programs.
BELARUS - Around 1,000 people defied a ban in the capital Minsk as they held a silent
rally Wednesday to protest government austerity measures. With President Alexander Lukashenko
having recently sought loans to help alleviate the country's financial problems, Euronews
reported that he announced Friday that a US$10 billion amount could be forthcoming.
SYRIA - On Friday, tens of thousands of Syrians took to the streets in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs,
Deraa, Der al-Zour, Jabla, Hama, Baniyas and Latakia, defying both a government ban on
protests and the gunfire of security forces. Human rights activists stated that 19 citizens
were killed, including one 13-year-old boy, with another 16-year-old who was critically
wounded. Security forces in tanks on Thursday invaded the two northern Syrian towns of Khan
Sheikhun and Maarat al-Numan just days after attacking Jisr al-Shughour, which has caused
some 8,000 10,000 refugees to flee into Turkey. Witnesses report that thousands have been
rushing to similarly escape these two latest towns as the army approached. On Friday, one
of the refugee camps set up by the Turkish Red Cross was visited by US Hollywood actress
and UN goodwill ambassador Ms. Angelina Jolie, who brought fruit and toys for the children
as she met with Syrian families, and pledged the United Nations' ongoing support. Meanwhile,
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged Syria to stop the killing and engage
instead in dialog before it is too late, while affirming that at least 1,100 people died
during the past three months of government crackdowns on protests.
LIBYA - On Friday, renewed attacks by Libyan forces on Misurata left at least 10 citizens
killed and over 40 wounded. Meanwhile, according to visiting Russian special envoy Mikhail
Margelov, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s government has begun direct informal talks with activist
leaders. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed deep concern on Thursday regarding
reports of widespread sexual assault toward women by Libyan security forces as a tool
of war. The Spanish Foreign Ministry meanwhile expelled Libyan Ambassador Ali Abdussalam
Ajeli Breni, saying that he represented a government lacking legitimacy.
YEMEN - Thousands of Yemeni citizens continued to protest on Friday in the capital Sana’a
demanding that an interim presidential council to be formed to transfer power from President
Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been receiving medical care in Saudi Arabia for significant
injuries. Also on Friday, UK-based newspaper The Telegraph reported that a Saudi official
informed Agence France-Presse that President Saleh would not be returning to Yemen.
With deep sympathies for the loss of fellow human lives as well as for the displaced and
injured, we pray that all conflicts are halted and that people in nations throughout the
globe may decide to live in peace, dignity, and freedom�