SWITZERLAND: U.N. high commissioner condemns Syria, envoy walks out of rights council meeting

Record ID: 280327

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: U.N. high commissioner condemns Syria, envoy walks out of rights council meeting
  • Date: 29th February 2012
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (FEBRUARY 28, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS
  • Embargoed: 15th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland, Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAAU9GBBUNYDONFH6GHGU127D7U
  • Story Text: The United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights on Tuesday (February 28) condemned the 'unspeakable violations' of human rights in Syria and recommended referring the country to the International Criminal Court.
    Navi Pillay said that whilst Syria had made moves in the right direction to address the situation, such as allowing access to Arab League observers and the ICRC, it was not enough.
    "However, these steps pale into insignificance in the face of the continuing onslaught of violence against people by state actors. In light of this and in light of the unspeakable violations that take place every moment, I remain convinced that referring the situation of Syria to the International Criminal Court will be a step in the right direction," Pillay told the U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva.
    She called on the international community to send a clear message to Syria.
    "The human rights mechanisms of this council can also play an important role to enhance truth, justice and accountability in Syria. However what is urgently needed today is for the killings to stop. For that to happen, the international community must unite in sending a clear message to the Syrian authorities and the Security Council must assume its reponsibility to protect the population of Syria," Pillay said.
    "More than at any other time, those committing atrocities in Syria have to understand that the international community will not stand by and watch this carnage and that their decisions and the actions they take today will not go unpunished."
    Syria in turn called for countries to stop "inciting sectarianism and providing arms" to opposition forces in the country, and charged that sanctions imposed by some countries were preventing Damascus from buying medicines and fuel.
    Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui, Syria's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, stormed out of the U.N. Human Rights Council after delivering an angry speech to the Geneva forum's emergency debate on the deteriorating situation in Syria called at the request of Gulf countries and Turkey, and backed by the West.
    "And considering that the whole aim of holding this session is to fuel the flames of terrorism and prolong the crisis in my country, by expressing a message of support through this session to the armed groups and considering the fact that the concepts of protection and humanitarian intervention are being maniplutaed in a flagrant manner for political reasons, my delegation declares its withdrawal from this sterile discussion. We also declare that we do not recognise the legitimacy of the session, nor the legitimacy of any malicious and prejudiced resolutions it may adopt," Hamoui.
    The UNHRC debate is its fourth rebuke to President Bashar al-Assad since an uprising began last year.
    The 47-member forum, which has moral authority but no legal force, looked set to back a resolution condemning Syria's "continued widespread and systematic violations," diplomats said.
    Drafted by the Arab countries and Turkey, with strong support from the European Union and United States, the resolution condemns "the use of heavy artillery and tanks to attack residential areas ... that have led to the death of thousands of innocent civilians".
    It also voices alarm at the humanitarian crisis in areas lacking food, medicine and fuel and calls for aid agencies to be allowed to deliver vital supplies to civilians in heavily-hit areas, especially Homs, Deraa and Zabadani.
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