SYRIA: Facing rising anti-Assad, the Syrian Christians are reluctant to take a stand

While the Syrian regime is working to quell violent protests calling for his ouster and the proceedings were extended and radicalized in the country, some segments of the Syrian population - Multifaith - watch carefully the movement that is shaking up the system President Bashar al-Assad, in power since 2000.

Iraqi scenario

Since the uprising began, two million Christians living in Syria (12% of the population) were kept out of events, consisting of an overwhelming majority of Sunnis, who spearheaded the mobilization. "Most Christians have been left out of the revolt, Syrian sitters.They fear an unfavorable outcome to the crisis that would affect their lives and their property, "said Mohamed Ajlani, professor of political science and international relations at the Center for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies (CEDS), joined by FRANCE 24.

Within this community, concern of a repeat the Iraq scenario is very strong. Many fear being forced into exile, as were Iraqi Christians since the fall of Saddam Hussein, victims of several murderous attacks."The destabilization of Syria could jeopardize relations between religious communities and, in the same way as happened in Iraq after the occupation of Americans, harm to the two million Christians living in the country," said recently Vicar Apostolic of Aleppo Latin Catholic Bishop Giuseppe Nazzaro, the missionary agency Misna.

So far in fact, the Assad family in power in Damascus since 1970, itself a result of the Alawite religious minority (derivative of Shia Islam), has placed de facto under the protection of Christian and Druze minorities in the country ."The regime has always tried to maintain a privileged relationship with the Christians of Syria to secure its internal legitimacy. Partnering with minorities, the authority wanted to balance the roles against the Sunni majority, and maintain its image bulwark against Islam vis-à-vis the outside, "Mohamed Ajlani analysis.

Caught

For their part, Christians have been comforted over the years by the secular nature of the regime and not by the establishment of radical Islam that they fear the takeover in case of revolution."The Assad has always operated this card, claiming that if the regime falls, chaos will reign and that Christians would be the first to pay the piper," notes Mohamed Ajlani.

In exchange for the security and freedom of worship, the Christians of Syria have renounced to play a political role similar to that of their fellow Lebanese. Despite the presence of some of their representatives in government or parliament.At the cost of this implicit bargain - and not so much political commitment to the Assad regime - one of the oldest Christian communities in the world has prospered economically in a climate of religious tolerance.

"The Syrian Christians are a very active component of Syrian society, especially in the economic and cultural.If some people are accommodated in the scheme and benefited from the system to enrich themselves, others chose the opposition and the underground, like other communities, "analysis for its part Samir Arbache, religious historian and specialist Middle East at the Catholic University of Lille, joined by FRANCE 24.

Sandwiched between demonstrations calling for the downfall of the regime and pending a political solution to the crisis, the Christian community is therefore reluctant to take a stand. "If the regime falls, you may get wrong to anger all those who have been frustrated by the regime of Assad. If we participate in the demonstrations, the regime could make us pay dearly by addressing our rights.In both cases we lose! "Concluded Sami, a young Maronite Christian from Damascus.

BURKINA FASO: President Blaise Compaore took over the Ministry of Defence

The Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore, whose country has been faced with mutinies of soldiers, has assigned the Ministry of Defence in the new government, whose composition was announced Thursday night, according to decrees read on state television RTB.

"The president of the (Burkina Faso) Faso, supreme commander of armed, took office as Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs," reads one of the decrees.

This position is particularly sensitive in the present context, the regime of President Compaore, a soldier who seized power in a coup in 1987, facing more than a month to the mutinies of soldiers who received up his own personal guard.

These riots occurred in parallel with other protest movements of most of society in Burkina Faso which began in late February.

Fifteen new ministers enter this government comprises 29 ministers (against 38 previously), all members of the ruling party or the presidential movement.This is the team most ressérée history of Burkina Faso.

Djibril Bassolé, former joint mediator of the UN and African Union (AU) for Darfur (Sudan), was appointed foreign minister.

Economy and finance back to Lucien Marie-Noel Bembamba, brother-in-chief of the State, Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Security, Jerome Bougouma, another close to Blaise Compaore.

The new team includes three women appointed to the Ministries of National Education, Social Action and Promotion of Women.

This government was formed by the new Prime Minister Luc Adolphe Tiao, a journalist by training and former ambassador to Burkina Paris, appointed Monday to replace Tertius Zongo, who was fired after a mutiny within the leader's own presidential guard of State, April 14.

Mr.Compaore had also replaced the main army officials, including Chief of Staff.

The new team of faithful head of state, while many observers had expected an opening to members of civil society and opposition, will have to try to stem a wave of protest unprecedented in history of the country.

Since late February, all segments of the population, youth, students, judges, soldiers, traders, expressed with varying degrees of violence across the country against Compaore's regime and the high cost of living while most of the 16 million Burkinabe live with about 1.5 euro per day.

Balance: At least six deaths, injuries, looting, damage to property.

RUSSIA: NATO beyond the mandate of the UN in Libya, says Moscow

AFP - NATO oversteps in Libya on UN mandate, said Friday the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for a political settlement of the Libyan crisis.

"Today we are witnessing the actions in a number of cases go beyond the mandate of the Security Council of the United Nations" as set out in resolution 1973, saidLavrov after meeting with his counterparts from the Atlantic Alliance in Berlin.

"We believe it is important to move urgently to the political phase and move towards a political and diplomatic settlement" of the Libyan crisis, "he added.

"In this context, Russia supports the initiative of the African Union" said the Russian minister, condemning "excessive use of military force that would lead to further losses among civilians."

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had already high Thursday against the NATO operations in Libya in these terms: "What we as a result. We have essentially a military operation.The resolution says nothing about that. "

Shortly before, the secretary general of the Alliance Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in reporting the meeting of NATO-Russia Council that "Russia (was) clear that the NATO operation was legitimate."

He even described as "very, very positive" exchange of views "between Lavrov and his 28 counterparts in the Atlantic Alliance.

Operation Protector unified NATO "takes place in accordance with resolution 1973 of the Security Council," he said, adding: "Let me emphasize that in the conduct of the operation we will not beyond the text and the spirit of EVs resolution.

"Quite the opposite," Mr. launchedRasmussen, "we are implementing in strict conformity with the letter and spirit" of the resolution.

The text voted on March 17 authorizes "all necessary measures" to protect civilians.

NATO took over the reins March 31 military operations launched March 19 by an international coalition led by the United States, France and the United Kingdom, which had relied on the resolution to bomb Gaddafi's troops since they represented a danger to the civilian population.

CHINA: A wave of shock after the arrest of Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei

Main photo taken from the blog of Ai Weiwei (blog.aiweiwei.com /)

Since his arrest Sunday morning in broad daylight, at the international airport in Beijing, Ai Weiwei has given more news. This internationally renowned artist, troublemaker Chinese policy was to go to Hong Kong and Taiwan to discuss the organization of an exhibition. His wife was interviewed Sunday night by local police and then released, but said he could not collect any information about her husband. The eight assistants from studios headed by Ai Weiwei, the district Caochangdi, north-west of Beijing, were also released on Monday afternoon, reports the website on Ai Weiwei.The studio has been excavated and is still under police surveillance, several computers and hard disks were confiscated, and Internet access was cut in the neighborhood.

The absence of new Ai Weiwei, more than a day after his arrest, is not a good sign. The Wall Street Journal points out that Chinese law provides that the relatives of a detainee must be alerted within 24 hours. Neither his lawyer nor his wife could not contact him.

"The time of open dissent is over"

Concern about the fate of Ai Weiwei is all the greater because it follows "the arrest of dozens of people in recent months," the statement from Amnesty International.The authorities have reacted to the appearance on the Internet encouraging messages at rallies in China regularly on Sunday to protest against inflation, corruption and the gap between rich and poor.

By these waves of arrests, the Chinese government wants to "send the message that the time of open dissent is over," understands the organization of human rights based in London."If the Chinese authorities have the audacity to question a world-renowned artist in broad daylight at the Beijing airport, one can only worry at the thought of how treaties are likely to be other dissidents least known, "says the NGO.

"What I find most disturbing is the fact that these activists have" disappeared "and that the government refuses to take responsibility for their detention. It has been almost over a month they are unreachable.There is serious risk of torture and abuse ", reports the China specialist at Human Rights Watch based in Hong Kong, Nicholas Bequelin, interviewed by Le Monde.

Very popular on the blogosphere

The arrest of Ai Weiwei is an important step in this "wave of repression, the largest since more than ten years," said Agnes Gaudu, head of the section China, Singapore and Taiwan International Mail. "For the first time since the criminal detention of twenty people - activists, lawyers, activists, bloggers, known to a limited circle - someone who is extremely popular in China has been arrested," decrypt- she said.Ai Weiwei had made known to the general public during his survey of public buildings that collapsed during the earthquake in Sichuan province in 2008. "It also has built a solid reputation for his impertinence and his political jokes," recalls Agnes Gaudu.

His subversive photos on Tiananmen Square have been around the Chinese web, and his blog on the consumer website Sina.com has been a big success, before being censored two years ago. So much so that he had been elected by Chinese netizens "Artist of the Year" in a poll conducted by Sina.com earlier this year. The website had finally had to back off and hold a new vote.Ai Weiwei's works are currently exhibited at the Tate Modern Gallery in London. They should have been the subject of a first major exhibition in Beijing, before the Belgian gallery UCCA will withdraw in February.

BENIN - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: After several postponements of the elections, the Beninese elect their president

Beninese voters about to elect a new president Sunday, the outgoing Boni Yayi who is having ruled out a third postponement of the poll despite continuing delays in registering voters.

President Yayi is one of 14 candidates in this election, said Friday evening at a final campaign rally on the outskirts of Cotonou, there would be no further postponement.

"I can not violate the Constitution.March 13, will vote overwhelmingly, "he said before thousands of supporters, referring to the fact that its mandate expires on April 6 and a new president must be proclaimed before that date.

Under the Constitution, a second round must indeed be held if no candidate obtains an absolute majority in the first round, what many consider anaystes likely.

Adrien Houngbedji, the main opponent of President Yayi, criticized the decision not to postpone the election, but nevertheless called on his supporters to vote."Each of your voice will be seen as a sanction imposed on a system incapable of corrupt and dishonest, a regime that endangers our democracy and peace so dear to our people," he said in a statement that he read in the press.

The first round, originally scheduled for February 27, was relocated once a week to allow the compilation of electronic files and then postponed again on March 4 at the request of the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA) but also the UN and African Union.

This week, election authorities have tried to complete the registration of some 300,000 voters on the electronic file, while according to the opposition, up to a million potential voters had been omitted from the list or did not have voter registration cards.

The deadline has been extended until Friday noon until Saturday noon, and even where the formalities were late getting started.

Registration operations continued late into the night Friday to Saturday and resumed early Saturday morning and ended at mid-day.

The ballot should be played mainly between the outgoing president, 58, elected in 2006, and the opponent Adrien Houngbedji, 69, who covets the presidency for twenty years. A third man, economist Abdoulaye Bio Tchane, 58, could play the role of arbiter.

TURKEY: Several dead and dozens wounded in an accidental explosion in Ankara

AFP - A powerful explosion occurred Thursday accidental origin in a workshop of an industrial district of Ankara killed three and thirty wounded, said the local mayor, Yasar Fethi, the news channel NTV.

"Three people are dead, unfortunately," said Mayor Yenimahalle the district to which the industrial and commercial area Ostim the Turkish capital, where the accident occurred.

The official said "there is a 90% chance that this is an accident," caused by the explosion of the boiler room of the building due to a gas leak.

Workers could be buried under the rubble, the official said.

The blast occurred in a large studio in a building with four floors producing generators and drilling rigs.Maximum 80 workers employed in the workshop, says Yasar.

According to images broadcast by NTV, many ambulances arrived on the scene transported the wounded to hospital while others were injured, most lightly affected and apparently in shock, receiving on-site first aid.

Television channels have also raised the Runway to explain the disaster. The authorities have not yet decided.

Rescuers accompanied by sniffer dogs were busy in the cold area of the accident to search for potential workers trapped under the rubble of the building, including at least two floors have been very badly damaged.