DAMASCUS -- Syria's government declared on Saturday its intentions to crack down hard on what it describes as violent unrest stirred by outside instigators.

“There's no more room for leniency and tolerance in enforcing law,” the Interior Ministry said.
Syria issued the statement after widespread protests on Friday, in and near Daraa and in Latakia, Banias, Qamishli, Homs, Douma, Moathamia, Daraya, Tal, and Hama.
According to CNN, Syria blames instigators and saboteurs for infiltrating peaceful demonstrations and feeding violent confrontations. For example, the government said 19 security forces were killed in Daraa on Friday and dozens of others were injured in violence caused by “armed groups” firing at citizens and “unarmed security forces.”
Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem is explaining the government's position to foreign ambassadors in Damascus, according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency, or SANA.
The Interior Ministry noted that demonstrators have taken to the streets with demands swiftly tackled by the government, which announced decrees and responses to various grievances.
The ministry said attackers have torched official establishments and military and security personnel “still committed to not opening fire” have been killed and wounded. It urged citizens to identify the “criminals” responsible and report them to authorities.
“It became obvious that these people do not want reform and are not concerned with popular demand or prohibiting the use of weapons, taking advantage of the latter and infiltrating demonstrators or people seeing off martyrs. They began to open fire randomly in order to cause a schism between citizens and security personnel,” the ministry said.
Following is the complete statement issued by the Ministry of Interior:
“Fellow citizens,
“In recent weeks, groups of citizens gathered in demonstrations in several areas in Syria, particularly on Fridays, making a number of demands that were met with immediate response from the leadership. Several procedures and decrees were announced in response to these demands, with decrees continuing to be issued and the necessary steps being taken in the framework of the process of development and modernization witnessed in Syria today.
“However, there are some spiteful individuals, outsiders and those who were compelled by known foreign parties, accompanied by blatant instigation by satellite channels and internet sites, that didn't like the initiatives and the responses to the citizens' just demands that are being carried out; the responses which the great Syrian people showed support for with demonstrations across all Syrian governorates and cities.
“It became obvious that these people do not want reform and are not concerned with popular demand or prohibiting the use of weapons, taking advantage of the latter and infiltrating demonstrators or people seeing off martyrs. They began to open fire randomly in order to cause a schism between citizens and security personnel.
“They burned official and services establishments, prompted some to assault military and security personnel who are still committed to not opening fire, which led to the martyring and injuring of high numbers of these personnel.
“The Ministry of Interior appeals to fellow citizens to understand and realize the reality of what is happening and the hidden aspects of the plot, and to uncover those criminals and isolate them and report them wherever they are so that they may be held accountable and brought to justice, thus revealing their intentions and the intentions of those who compelled them and paid them.
“The Syrian authorities, in order to preserve the security of the country, citizens and the governmental and services establishments, will confront these people and those behind them according to the law which specifies the conditions for using weapons.
“The Ministry of Interior affirms that there is no more room for leniency or tolerance in enforcing law, preserving security of country and citizens and protecting general order under the pretext of demonstration, which we still consider a healthy state. However, we will not allow for deliberately confusing peaceful demonstration with vandalism, sowing discord, undermining the strong national unity, and attacking the basis of Syrian policy which is based on defending national standards and the people's interests.”
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