Assad Family - Syria Holds Referendum Reuters - As Violence Rages

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BEIRUT Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:40pm EST

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria secures a referendum upon Sunday upon a fresh constitution, dismissed with the others to be a charade amid a great intensifying crackdown around the 11-month-old revolt in opposition to President Bashar al- Assad .

Forces dependable to help Assad took that bombardment of rebel-held areas around Homs suitable next week. Activists say many hundreds men and women include died from the violence in this central city.

"No one should vote. This was a constitution made to be able to Bashar's tastes in addition to meanwhile were getting shelled along with killed," stated activist Omar, speaking through Skype in the rebel-held Baba Amro district of Homs.

"More compared to 40 men and women had been killed these days and also you desire all of us to be able to vote within a referendum? . No one has got to vote."

The International Committee belonging to the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was before continue to can not evacuate distressed civilians out of embattled Baba Amro. After per day of talks with Syrian government bodies and others fighters, that explained there are "no concrete results".

"We proceed our negotiations, expecting which later this morning (Sunday) we'll capable to enter Baba Amro to handle your life-saving operations," mentioned spokesman Hisham Hassan.

Conditions were nightmarish for many of the people caught with the fighting.

"We have many hundreds injured folks bombarded in to houses. People perish through blood loss. We simply aren't efficient at treating everyone," explained activist Nader Husseini via Skype.

ELECTIONS PROMISED

Assad has vowed to hold on to parliamentary elections within 3 months when the referendum approves the revolutionary constitution.

The fresh insurance would likely decline a page that tends to make Assad's Baath bash the first choice with condition along with society, accommodate political pluralism plus enact your presidential limit connected with not one but two seven-year terms.

Activists leading the revolt alongside several ages of Assad friends and family concept have called for a boycott on the referendum. In Damascus plus suburbs where troops drove out insurgents continue month, activists point out they're going to attempt to store protests near polling facilities in addition to use up copies of the fresh constitution.

State television demonstrated training video with administrators stacking cardboard boxes of referendum ballots plus preparing voting centers, and folks interviewed stated some people thought out in order to vote yes inside this national interest.

Across your country, as a minimum 72 men and women were being put to sleep within the conflict on Saturday, 24 of which within Homs, opposition groupings said.

Four Western journalists, a couple with which were hurt in a very bombardment by federal aids in which killed two different dangerous journalists upon Wednesday, have however to get extracted from broken Baba Amro. It has been not yet determined whenever they were being specifically outlined while in the ICRC talks.

The ICRC said it has the local partner, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, ended up capable to carry out two evacuations within regions of Homs aside from Baba Amro on Saturday.

RED CRESCENT "DISTRUSTED"

But Husseini reported people in Baba Amro were suspicious on the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in addition to didn't would like to work with an organization "under this manipulate regarding the regime".

The ICRC explained your Red Crescent seemed to be unbiased in addition to their associates were being risking their world to support individuals inside need.

Sources nearly the actual ICRC discussions said talks on Saturday failed due to confusion amid heavy shelling and awful communications along with mma fighters as well as point out forces.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu questioned how the vote may possibly be held inside midst associated with this kind of violence.

"On one palm everyone say you will be keeping a referendum and around the alternative you will be terrorized with tank shoot about civilian areas. You even now think the people will visit a referendum your next day in the exact city?" he or she questioned at a news discussion around Istanbul.

Davutoglu, in whose united states has turned clearly next to it's ex - good friend considering that the Syrian revolt started within March, said Syria must acknowledge an Arab League plan that phone calls about Assad that will quit.

Opposition activists throughout Homs complained many people spotted no support coming, in spite of an worldwide "Friends of Syria" management meeting inside Tunis upon Friday. They mentioned everything had abandoned these people that will makes loyal towards president.

"They are usually however allowing opportunities to the current dude who is actually eliminating people and provides previously harmed countless numbers connected with people," mentioned Nadir Husseini.

Damascus condemned just about all terms designed on the Tunis conference, which it dubbed "the enemies regarding Syria meeting".

Russia as well as China, which did not attend your conference, vetoed a new proposed U.N. Security Council solution on Syria as well as there is very little appetite from the worldwide community regarding government intervention.

"I don't understand what they may be waiting around for. Do they have to view half the people involving Syria concluded away first?" said a health care provider speaking anonymously from your restive village associated with Zabadani.

"The men and women with Zabadani resent what occurred inside Tunis. We will need these folks to supply the revolution."

(Editing by way of Andrew Roche )