Violence continued again today in Syria, with at least seven killed in security force crackdowns in Homs, while officials for the ruling Ba’ath Party announced moves toward the creation of a new constitution.

The current constitution includes a number of objectionable clauses which the opposition have criticized, including guaranteeing Ba’ath domination of the government. One of the key protester demands was a constitution which allowed free elections.

Officials say the constitutional committee will be announced within the next two days and will have a constitution ready to be considered by parliament and a voter referendum to replace the existing one.

Whether it will offer the sort of authentic reforms that would have placated the pro-democracy protesters earlier in the year or not remains to be seen, but the bloody crackdown on dissent has left few ready to believe it is anything but an effort to silence dissent.

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