Polls Open in Syria Amid Heavy Security, Scattered Opposition Violence

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad talking with people inside the country. The Syrian government has accepted a peace plan peddled by former UN General Secretary Kofi Anan., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Polls open in Syria amid heavy security, scattered violence

By the CNN Wire Staff
updated 12:51 AM EDT, Mon May 7, 2012

NEW: The opposition urges voters to boycott the parliamentary elections

Voting began under tight security across Syria
The election follows the adoption of a new constitution in Syria

Under the constitution, political parties can now compete with Bashar al-Assad's ruling party

(CNN) -- The opposition urged Syrians to boycott Monday's parliamentary elections, saying a vote for one of the more than 7,000 candidates vying for 250 seats in parliament amounted to a vote for President Bashar al-Assad.

"We are moving ahead til' we topple the regime," read a slogan on an opposition election poster that purported to show its candidates -- victims of al-Assad's crackdown on those calling for his ouster.

Security was expected to be heavy across Syria as voters began casting ballots in the parliamentary elections at 7 a.m. (12 a.m. ET), the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

The election follows the adoption of a new constitution that allows political parties to compete with al-Assad's ruling Baath Party. The referendum in February, hailed by government supporters as a step toward reform, was widely ridiculed by analysts and the opposition as window dressing.

Spurred by the success of popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, Syrians took to the streets in March 2011 calling for reforms and increased political freedoms. But a brutal crackdown against demonstrators saw the movement quickly devolve into an uprising with an armed resistance.

U.N. response in Syria mocked World powers, including many of Syria's Arab neighbors, have condemned the violence, which has pitted al-Assad's Alawite minority-dominated government against a predominantly Sunni uprising. Al-Assad is an Alawite, a Shiite offshoot.

The United Nations estimates at least 9,000 people have died in the conflict, though the opposition says the death toll is much higher. The Local Coordination Committees of Syria, a network of opposition groups, puts the toll at more than 11,000.

CNN cannot independently verify reports of violence and deaths within Syria, as the government has restricted access by most of the international media.

Thousands have fled the violence in Syria, primarily crossing the border into Turkey.

On Sunday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited a refugee camp along the Turkey-Syria border where he promised to allow the more than 23,000 Syrians living in Turkish camps to stay until they voluntarily choose to return to their country.

"God willing, those who oppress our Syrian brothers will account for what they have done in front of their people," he said.

Erdogan called on supporters of al-Assad within Syria to reconsider, saying Turkey would continue to support effort peace efforts by the United Nations, the Arab League and others.

"We have one concern: That is the bloodshed stop immediately, the tears end, the Syrian people's demand be met," he said. "We consider the Syrian people to be separate from the regime."

Relations between the two countries have been strained in wake of the uprising, and they have severed diplomatic relations.

Al-Assad has accused Turkey of allowing arms to flow to the opposition across its border.

The al-Assad family has ruled Syria for 42 years. Al-Assad's father, Hafez, ruled for three decades and was routinely criticized for his brutal handling of dissent. Bashar al-Assad assumed the mantle from his father in 2000.

Both the Syrian regime and the rebel Free Syrian Army have agreed to a peace plan brokered by Kofi Annan, the U.N.-Arab League special envoy. A key element of the plan involves a cease-fire by all parties, plus the withdrawal of Syrian forces from populated areas.

But there have been continuing reports of attacks and clashes since an April 12 cease-fire went into effect, raising doubts about whether it can be resolved.

The plan includes the government allowing humanitarian aid groups access to the population, releasing detainees, starting a political dialogue and withdrawing troops from city centers.

Additionally, dozens of United Nations observers are in Syria with a total of 300 expected by the end of the month to monitor the cease-fire and peace plan.