Nov 19 Local government

Syria's unrest-hit Hama gradually recovers from violence
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-11/18/c_131253885.htm
English.news.cn 2011-11-18 06:26:54 (several photos in the above URL)

DAMASCUS, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Syria's fourth-largest city Hama is gradually recovering from violence after being one of the main strongholds of dissent during the eight-month-old unrest.

Streets and main squares in the city on Thursday returned to its normal pace after a heavy November rain. The city has witnessed numerous rallies against President Bashar Assad starting from mid-March.

Contrary to some reports on the deterioration of the health sector in the city, hospitals in Hama are fully functioning.

Located some 210 km north of the capital Damascus, Hama, a city of 800,000 people and with a history of dissent, has fallen out of government control in June. But the Syrian army entered the city on July 31 to fight the "terrorist groups" and withdrew on Aug. 7.

But still, the scars of violence were visible in various neighborhoods in Hama, as some streets were left ravaged and strewn with debris. Government vehicles were damaged or burnt, and some government institutes, including the city hall and the courthouse, were covered by shattered window pieces.

While some local people feared that violence could return, others expressed relief that the situation now is getting better. They, however, shared complains that their interests and business have been hugely affected over the past months.

Law-enforcement members were still manning makeshift checkpoints in some areas to avoid any possible attacks by armed groups, which the government has accused of fomenting anarchy in the country.

"I can't say that normalcy is restored one hundred percent," Hama governor Anas Naem told reporters during a trip organized by the Syrian Information Ministry to foreign correspondents.

"Every now and then remnants of the armed groups carry out some limited attacks, but I can say that normalcy has been restored by 90 percent," Naem said.

The governor meanwhile revealed a plan that the government will undertake within the coming days to put an end to the armed manifestation in the city and "particularly in its suburbs." He charged that those armed men are weapons smugglers and drug dealers.

Also, General Attorney of Hama Ismail Sharifa told reporters that law-enforcement officials are working to end the armed men phenomena.

Syria has overtly charged that some countries are behind the unrest in the country and even fund what it called armed terrorist groups it blames for killing hundreds of policemen and military personnel across the country.

Foreign reports, however, said that some 3,500 Syrians have been killed since the anti-government protests erupted in March.

The Assad administration is facing an unprecedented political quagmire for his alleged bloody assault on protesters. The Arab league (AL) has recently put forward a plan with the aim of bringing the months-old crisis to a close.

The AL, however, accused Syria of not abiding by the plan, and decided Wednesday to give Syria a three-day deadline to accept Arab observers on its territories to monitor the government compliance with the dealt-upon plan.