1936 GMT: A prominent activist Facebook Page reports that 106 people have been killed today in Syria, most of whom were killed in Idlib province. There are unconfirmed reports that the city of Idlib has fallen to Assad military forces today. We'd note that the city has been nearly impossible to get any information out of for the last 24 hours or so.
The Local Coordinating Committees of Syria have not released numbers for several hours, but at their last tally, they had confirmed 49 deaths.
French surgeon Jacques Bérès speaks with France 24 about his efforts in Homs in Syria
At the age of 71, Dr. Jacques Bérès, a veteran of war zones, left his comfortable Paris life last month to smuggle himself into Homs, the center of the Syrian revolt, to tend to the wounded and the sick.
Working in secret, in a dark, abandoned house, with only one operating table, three beds, four local aides and intermittent electricity, Dr. Bérès operated on 89 people, he said; all but nine survived.
1744 GMT: Bank Watch. More on yesterday's story that the Central Bank has seized $1.4 billion from seven Iranian banks, claiming that they did not provide legitimate records for foreign exchange transactions --- Central Bank head Mahmoud Bahmani has defended the action as one "on behalf of the Government".
1733 GMT: Oil Watch. Parliament has extended the rights of the Minister of Oil, Rustam Qassemi, to make deals for "exploration, development, production, repair and maintenance of joint oil and gas fields" without going through formal tenders and processes for compliance.
An EA reader is sceptical:
Iranian oil income is now the personal wealth of Brigadier Qassemi and he can legally, without any Majlis oversight, give it to whomever he wants for wha ever price ---China,Russia, his cousin twice removed, his mother-in-law, you name it because it is more "expedient" this way. Even some of the "principlists" are having a hard time swallowing this one.
Based on the development plan, oil must stop being used as source of income and for funding the country’s budget and instead become a source for the progress and economic might of the country and authorities must pursue this policy ...with determination....It is necessary that we act in a manner that any decision making about our oil production and sales is up to us and based on our interests and of course we have taken good steps in this regard.
On a related matter, MP Asadollah Abbasi has claimed that 4000 Iranian oil experts have "taken refuge abroad" and this could have been stopped by higher payments to staff.
Arseh Sevom, the non-government organisation promoting civil society in Iran, presents its weekly review of developments in the country:
A New Year Greeted with Empty Pockets, Joy, and Trepidation
The celebration of Iranian New Year (Norooz), which falls at the moment of the Spring Equinox (5:14 am UTC or GMT, March 20), has managed to survive every political regime and every change of religion. It remains autonomous of state control and an example of “the configuration in which society stands apart from the state.” Its continuing celebration in Iran represents a requisite of a civil society.
The fast approaching new year is causing a mixture of apprehension and excitement. This will be a difficult Norooz for many suffering from the bad economic situation in Iran where a combination of run-away inflation, poor economic management, and sanctions are really taking their toll.
Anita Hunt ("lissnup") writes on her blog about Monday's mass protest in Mauritania in northwest Africa:
I’ve collected some photos posted online today from the huge rally in Nouakchott, the biggest one in the history of Mauritania according to local contacts. Estimates vary for actual numbers, from anywhere between 20,000 and 80,000. Regardless, it was a massive show of strength and a clear signal to Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who could not fail to hear tens of thousands of people all chanting that they want the downfall of the regime.
Mohammad Javad Larijani, the head of the human rights section of Iran's judiciary, addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, ostensibly responding to the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran's human rights situation.
Even by Larijani's standards for defiance and bold declaration, it is an extraordinary eight-minute statement. He does not actually reposond to the 34-page report --- instead, he gives the sweeping assurance that Iran is a benchmark for political, economic, and scientific progress and then launches an attack on the Rapporteur, Ahmad Shaheed, the "Zionist mafia", and the US and other countries who guide a "terrorist apparatus".Larijani denounces the "chronically weak" UN system and concludes that Shaheed is "biased, ignorant, and perfunctory in his claims".
After Larijani finishes, he is implicitly reminded that "all members of the Council should use appropriate language that is commensurate with the dignity of the discussions...on the human rights issue".
Larijani's statement begins at the 10-minute mark of the video:
1904 GMT: Oil Watch. I am sorry but --- amidst uncertainties over Iran's oil exports --- I have no clue what the Supreme Leader means in his statement today: “Based on the development plan, oil must stop being used as source of income and for funding the country’s budget and instead become a source for the progress and economic might of the country and authorities must pursue this policy ...with determination....It is necessary that we act in a manner that any decision making about our oil production and sales is up to us and based on our interests and of course we have taken good steps in this regard.”
Meanwhile, an Iranian oil official has denied a report by Reuters that 350,000 tonnes of gasoline had recently been shipped from China to Iran's southern port city of Bandar Abbas: “Iran is currently a major exporter of [various kinds of] oil products and does not need to import gasoline from any country."
UN peace envoy Kofi Annan arrived in Ankara. Annan met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and is scheduled to meet with Syrian opposition members on Tuesday. Annan said:
2100 GMT: Hayrettin Ayoglu, a 75-year old Turkish citizen was killed by Syrian border soldiers' fire while himself and the driver were approaching to cross the border. The driver didn't stop and drove to Kilis province of Turkey. Ayoglu was not saved in Kilis Hospital. It is also reported that another car was targeted by Syrian soldiers in the evening but no one was hurt.
2030 GMT: George Sabra, a spokesman for the opposition Syrian National Council, told a news conference in Istanbul said that they had already decided to arm the Free Syrian Army and added that some foreign governments were helping to send weapons.
The Syrian National Council has taken concrete and practical decisions to arm Free Syrian Army that is established to protect the civilians. And we invite all colonels and other military officials in the Syrian army to take sides with the people of Syria.
One Site of the Kandahar Killings (Mammon Durrani --- AFP/Getty)Americans are not the only people who are addicted to generalisng peoples and countries based on their appearances and locations; however, if your average American can easily mistake Afghans for Arabs and Afghanistan for Saudi Arabia, you should be prepared for Afghans to at least draw some similarities between the Soviets and the Americans.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 8:30
