The human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic!
The human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic!
The human rights council remains to be a hostage to the pre-existing political propaganda against the Syrian Arab Republic engineered by Saudi Arabia, UAE, USA, UK, and allied countries. These countrys’ negative and hostile approach based on fabricated accusations and distortion of facts have dictated this council’s discussion on Syria.
As per usual UK along with its traditional allies including France tabled a biased, selective and politically motivated resolution on the Syrian Arab Republic under the disguise of “protecting the human rights of the Syrian population” A/HRC/39/L.20 titled The human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. For 8 years now the Syrian people have fallen victim this politically motivated propaganda aimed at the Syrian government. In reality the aim of the resolution is to promote the political positions of the group of countries tabling the resolution who are still trying to forcibly changethe legitimate Syrian government.
The U.K. On behalf of the sponsoring counties introduced the resolution and professed its serious concern for the Syrian people due to the escalation of war across the country . The U.K. Further remake calling a vote for this resolution is unnecessary, and it should be adopted with out amendment and with consensus.
Russia then took the floor to present its amendments to this biased resolution, reiterating the co-sponsors are supporting the armed groups in Syria hence their continuous rejection of our amendments that call for explicit denouement of the terrorist groups like DAESH and ISIL which is a departure from the responsibilities in the framework of the UNSC Resolutions on terrorism.
As well we urge the council to warn countries to stop supporting terrorists, even this amendment is called to a vote that's telling of the real self serving political agenda of the co-sponsoring countries in Syria.
Russia's other amendment is regarding the Draconian restrictive measures against Syria through economic embargo , the SR on unilateral coercive measures echoes this amendment as he has witnessed the suffering of innocent civilians as a result of this embargo during his country visit.
The U.K. to no ones surprise called for a vote on all of the amendments presented by Russia.
Cuba reiterated this resolution doesn't contribute to a peaceful and political solution in Syria, therefore expressed their stance against it by saying Cuba will vote no on the resolution.
China also took the floor to show support to the amendment presented by Russia China said they will vote no on this politicized resolution.
Syria as a concerned country took the floor and preceded to reject this one sided and politically driven resolution that aims to further destabilize the Syrian Arab Republic. The sponsors are manipulating legal concepts and this human rights council to further their own economic and political interest in Syria. This resolution doesn't contribute to a strain led peaceful political solution; hence we call for a vote on this resolution and urge Members to vote against it.
The vote on the amendment was called at the request of UK and was rejected by a majority vote.
Amendment L.27 that requests specific condemnation of terrorism and terrorists like DAESH was also called for a vote by Germany stating there is no need for such specific emphasis for this as the issue has already been addressed in the resolution. If the real agenda of the sponsoring countries is the lives of innocent Syrian population, why would there be any rejection to the condemnation of terrorist groups that's fundamental to the suffering of Syrians. This resolution was also rejected by a majority vote.
Qatar and Georgia also took the floor to express their rejection of amendment L.28. Saying it is one sided and unbalanced. As expected this amendment was voted against by majority vote.
Amendment L.29 also fell victim to the politicized propaganda dominating this council's work on Syria. Slovakia said there is no comprehensive financial and economic embargoes against Syria, the EU restrictive measures are not unjust they are targeted hence no need to amend and criticize. Australia said the proposed amendment paints all sanctions as unjust and are of negative impact on the enjoyment of human rights which is not the case of Syria. The sanctions on Syria are balanced, targeted, and to promote and protect human rights in the country. Once again this amendment was rejected by majority vote.
Egypt while addressing the council stated the draft resolution is not objective and only focuses on specific regions and discusses issues based on biased sources of information. There fore Egypt will abstain from voting on this resolution. Some countries are putting their political interest before the lives of Syrians and this trend has to stop.
Iraq said the draft resolution doesn't treat all parties to the conflict to the same responsibility, and the resolution has undertaken issues that are assigned to special procedures which have not concluded their mandate. So we will be abstaining from voting on this resolution.
Venezuela addressed the council during the discussion on the resolution and expressed their rejection of the politicization and one sided nature of this resolution. "Therefore we will vote no on his resolution."
At the request of the delegation of Cuba the council called for a vote on the resolution and it was adopted with a majority vote of 27 Yes, 16 abstentions, and 4 no.
Venezuela, Cuba, Burundi and China voted no on this grossly biased and politicized resolution.
The resolution heavily relies on the report of the Commission of Inquiry – an inquiry sponsored by the same countries tabling the resolution and funding terrorist groups- and the self-serving and biased narrative designed by the sponsoring countries that continuously presents us with unverified and unsubstantiated "evidences " in order to cast responsibility on the Syrian government.
Although the Commission of Inquiry was established under the principle of impartiality and objectivity, the COI continues to present us with reports that are filled with contradictions and legal flaws because of its reliance on untrustworthy sources of information like the white helmets, who are financed by the USA to disseminate staged and fictional videos and information to assign blame on the Syrian government. It is apparent that the work of the COI is dictated by its financiers. To illustrate, in addition to blindly assigning blame on the Syrian government, the Commission persistently continues to condemn the evacuation of militants from the conflict areas and calls it "forced displacement."
Meanwhile the COI merely deals with the American-British-French tripartite military assault on Syrian territory with aggression that violates international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
In this regard ICSFT categorically rejects the practice of introducing unilateral coercive measures that not only violate the norms of international law, but also basic human rights and freedoms, and undermine the political and diplomatic efforts of states to resolve crisis situations. We have repeatedly called for an end to this illegal unilateral coercive measures againstSyria to enable the country to recover.
As such we take note of the findings of the special rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures, IdrisJazairi, that unilateral sanctions exacerbate the suffering of the Syrian civilian population through their negative impact on human rights and humanitarian access.
Of note, even though the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons had declared that chemical weapon stocks have been verifiably destroyed, the commission once again highlights the use of chemical weapon and states the guilt of the Syrian government despite having no evidence. Such groundless accusations only play into the hands of Western countries, who are planning another aggression against the Syrian Arab Republic under a contrived "chemical weapon use" pretext.
It is under these terms this resolution is tabled to the human rights council attempting to distort reality and facts with fake news and politically sensationalized rhetoric.
ICSFT deplores the systematic and fabricated campaign led by UK, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and allied countries sponsoring this resolution against the Syrian government. These countries are maintaining the conflict in Syria, by providing weapons, financing, intelligence and logistics to terrorist groups, as part of their regime change agendas, and are responsible for the thousands of innocent victims and the humanitarian situation that nation is experiencing to date.
ICSFT deeply regrets the HRC’s continued disregard to terrorism and unilateral coercive measures which are fundamental to the suffering of Syrian citizens. The Syrian government’s priority is liberation of the country from terrorist groups and protection of civilians. Therefore we urge this council and states to provide support based on constructive cooperation and respect for its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
We must not let biased and unilateral international political rhetoric overwhelm our responsibility to the ongoing illegal and unilateral attacks on the people of Syria and their sovereign country. This one sided and politicized resolution should not be entertained by this human rights council year after year as it weakens the UN human rights system and norms underpinning it, and States obligations to protect and promote human rights.
ICSFT strongly urges the HRC to discontinue the politicized approach toward Syria and COI, and sincerely engage in constructive dialogue and cooperation with the government for genuine promotion of human rights.
ICSFT would like to thank the delegation of Cuba, China, Venzuela, and Burundi for standing firm against this one-sided and politically sensationalized "human rights agenda" at the HRC and walking the talk of the spirit of multilateralism and constructive engagement by voting No on this resolution.
Despite our reservation and rejection of the adoption of this resolution, see attached the resolution on Syri
