Overview of Crisis in Syria
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I. Background to
the crisis in Syria
II. Crimes
against humanity perpetrated by Syrian government
a. Syrian government use
of excessive force against protestors
b. Access denied to
monitoring and humanitarian groups
III. Responses
to the Syrian crackdown on protesters
a. Regional response
b. Response from the United Nations
c. Individual government responses
d. Response from Civil Society
a. Regional response
b. Response from the United Nations
c. Individual government responses
d. Response from Civil Society
Massive human rights
violations in Syria have been committed as Syrian security forces have
responded to protestors with extreme violence, resulting in an estimated death
toll of over 5,400, according to the UN. Evidence of systematic acts of
brutality, including torture and arbitrary arrests, point to a clear policy by
Syrian military and civilian leadership amounting to crimes against humanity.
Under international law, commanders are responsible for the commission of
international crimes by their subordinates if the commanders knew about the
violations. In keeping with the norm of the Responsibility to Protect, UN
Member States, regional organizations and governments must urgently work
together towards an end to the violence.
Protests asking for the
release of political prisoners began mid-March
2011 and were immediately met by Syrian security forces who at first detained
and attacked protestors with batons, and later opened gunfire,
and deployed tanks and
naval ships against civilians. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad refused to halt
the violence and implement meaningful reforms demanded by protestors such as
the lifting of emergency law, broader political representation and a freer
media. Assad continued to deny responsibility
for the attacks on protestors, placing the blame for
the violence on armed groups and foreign conspirators instead. On 16 February
President Assad called for
a referendum to be held on 26 February that would end single party rule in
Syria; however governments, such as the United States, analysts, and members of
the opposition expressed reluctance that the promise of political reform would
be upheld, and noted that conducting a referendum during such a crisis was not
a necessary course of action to end the violence.
As the conflict wore on,
demands grew more splintered and protestors began to organize.
One of the main opposition groups, the Syrian National
Council (SNC), is an umbrella organization that was formed by
activists in Istanbul on 24 August. The SNC has received economic support
from Turkey,
who hosts an SNC office. The organization also met with the United Kingdom and United States.
The SNC called for
the Syrian government to be overthrown by
a united opposition, rejected dialogue with Assad, and, though officially
against military intervention, requested international protection of the
population. In contrast, another main group, the National Co-ordination
Committee (NCC) advocated for dialogue with the government,
believing that toppling the Assad regime would lead to further chaos. On 31
December, these two groups signed an
agreement to unite against the government. Another group, the Free Syrian Army,
comprised of an estimated 15,000 defected Syrian soldiers, executed retaliatory
attacks against Syrian forces.
UN High Commission for Human Rights Navi Pillay marked the death
toll at more than 5,000 when
she briefed the UN Security Council in early December. Between 26 December
2011, when independent monitors mandated by the Arab League arrived in Syria,
and 10 January 2012, there were at least 400 deaths,
according to UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynne Pascoe.
Though the death toll continued to increase with the ongoing violence in the
months following, the UN stopped releasing
estimates in January 2012 given the growing difficulty to verify casualties.
Humanitarian situation in
Syria worsens amid continued violence
Clashes between
government forces and the Syrian opposition continued into April 2012,
despite efforts by
the international community to end the violence. The appointment of Kofi Annan
as UN-Arab League
Joint Special Envoy to Syria led to a 16 March presentation
to the Security Council of a six-point plan,
which included a ceasefire deadline of 10 April, the end of government troop
movements towards population centers, the withdrawal of heavy weapons and
troop withdrawal. Contrary to skepticism from the international community -
including France and
the United States -
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accepted Annan’s
proposal for the ceasefire. The Security Council, after being briefed by
Annan on 2 April, issued a
presidential statement on 5 April in support of the plan and calling on the
government to follow through on its pledge, and on all parties to cease armed
violence. Additional demands made
by the Syrian government on 8 April - including a written ceasefire agreement
and observer mission deployment occurring simultaneously with the ceasefire –
were refused by
the Syrian opposition; the armed opposition group Free Syrian Army warned they
would resume attacks if the government did not adhere to ceasefire deadlines.
Despite the 10 April deadline – and complete ceasefire deadline of 12 April - set by Kofi Annan, attacks continued with no sign of troop withdrawal. According to Syrian National Council representatives in Geneva, over 1,000 civilians were killed in the first two weeks of April, with shelling and mortar fire in the northern village of Marea and the city of Homs on 10 April. Reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch highlighted ongoing rights abuses, from the arrest of minors to extrajudicial executions. The impact of the conflict began taking its toll on the countries bordering Syria, with over 24,000 Syrians occupying the Turkish refugee camp of Kilis, which reportedly came under fire from government forces on 9 April; meanwhile Lebanese opposition leader Amin Gemayel has voiced concern that the fighting could spill over into Lebanon.
Despite the 10 April deadline – and complete ceasefire deadline of 12 April - set by Kofi Annan, attacks continued with no sign of troop withdrawal. According to Syrian National Council representatives in Geneva, over 1,000 civilians were killed in the first two weeks of April, with shelling and mortar fire in the northern village of Marea and the city of Homs on 10 April. Reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch highlighted ongoing rights abuses, from the arrest of minors to extrajudicial executions. The impact of the conflict began taking its toll on the countries bordering Syria, with over 24,000 Syrians occupying the Turkish refugee camp of Kilis, which reportedly came under fire from government forces on 9 April; meanwhile Lebanese opposition leader Amin Gemayel has voiced concern that the fighting could spill over into Lebanon.
Syrian government use of
excessive force against protestors
The Syrian government’s
violent response to protests since mid-March has left over 5,400 people
dead as of 10 January 2012, including at least 300 children, according to the
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Thousands more
have been wounded, arbitrarily arrested, tortured and
disappeared as protestors and their families within
and outside of Syria have been targeted. Under-Secretary-General B. Lynn
Pascoe informed Security
Council members on 27 April 2011 that sources in Syria were “consistently
reporting the use of artillery fire against unarmed civilians; door-to-door
arrest campaigns; the shooting of medical personnel who attempt to aid the
wounded; raids against hospitals, clinics and mosques and the purposeful
destruction of medical supplies and arrest of medical personnel.” Over ten
thousand refugees fled
the country since March, many to Lebanon and Turkey, as noted in the Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights Commission of Inquiry’s report to
the General Assembly published on 23 November 2011. Amnesty International
stated in its 24 October report that
wounded civilians seeking medical treatment in at least four hospitals faced
torture and other forms of ill-treatment from security officials and medical
staff. Additionally, medical professionals attempting to help the wounded
engaged in protests were threatened with arrest and torture. Human Rights Watch
(HRW) reported as early as June that the attacks by the government reached the
level of crimes against humanity in multiple cities across Syria, such as Daraa and Homs.
Later on 15 December HRW named over
70 Syrian commanders who imposed a ‘shoot to kill’ policy against protestors,
making clear that these crimes were knowingly committed against the civilian
population. In January 2012, violence in Syria escalated as
evidenced by reports of a “massacre”
in the district of Karm al-Zeitoun on 26 January which resulted in the death of
more than 74 Syrian citizens over two days. Further reports were
released by HRW on 3 February stating that authorities had detained and
tortured children with impunity.
Access denied to
monitoring and humanitarian groups
As President Bashar
al-Assad deployed troops and tanks to meet protesters with deadly force, he
compromised civilian access to necessities including food, water and medical
supplies. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) raised
awareness of the forced humanitarian crisis in its 28 July report, Bashar
Al Assad: Criminal Against Humanity. A 25 October Amnesty
International report provided
detailed findings that civilian access to hospitals was also limited by the
ongoing violence and by government control of medical staff and
facilities. President Assad blocked access
to the country of most outside humanitarian and human rights groups, the OHCHR
fact-finding mission and the OHCHR Commission of Inquiry. Information from
within Syria on the state of the humanitarian crisis remained limited as
a result of the refusal of entry for journalists as well as cracking down on
internet and social media use.
Following weeks of negotiations, the Syrian government agreed on
19 December to allow an independent monitoring mission full freedom of movement
within Syria as part of a peace initiative brokered by the League of Arab
States. However, shortly after the mission began reports emerged stating that
the Syrian government was obstructing monitors’ access. Human Rights
Watch reported on 27 December that Syrian security forces were
moving detainees to more sensitive military sites where access to monitors
would not be readily provided. HRW also reported that military personnel had in
some cases been given police identification cards, violating the terms of the
Arab League initiative for Syrian troop withdrawal. On 5 January,
Syrian activists claimed
the Syrian government was deceiving observers, who had begun their
mission on 26 December, by painting military vehicles to look like police cars
and taking observers to areas loyal to the government.
The international
community grew increasingly alarmed as the violence in Syria escalated.
However, compared to the crisis in Libya,
which saw widespread international support behind an early response, regional
and international organizations proved more hesitant in responding to the
political and humanitarian crisis in Syria.
Regional
The League of Arab States
The League of Arab States
initially remained passive in its response to the Syrian government’s
crackdown,stressing that
it would not take action itself in response to the crisis. The League issued a
statement on 25 April that condemned the
use of violence against protestors in Arab countries without highlighting Syria
or proposing any measures to end human rights violations. Eventually, on 7
August, the League released a statement callingfor
a “serious dialogue” between Syrian authorities and protestors.
As the conflict wore on,
the League took a stronger position. On 10 September Secretary-General of the
League Nabil El Araby met with
President Assad and urged him to stop all violent attacks on civilians,
reaching an agreement for the implementation of reforms. However it wasn’t
until 2 November that the Arab League secured Syria’s agreement to
implement a peace plan, which included a promise to halt violence, release
prisoners, allow for media access and remove military presence from civilian
areas. Even then, according to
Amnesty International, over 100 civilians were killed in the week immediately
after Assad agreed to the plan.
In response, the
League suspended Syria’s
membership on 12 November, and in an unprecedented move, imposed economic sanctions on
27 November. On 19 December Syria signed a peace deal,
agreeing to an Arab observer mission for an initial period of one month while
explicitly ruling out intervention and protecting Syrian sovereignty. The
initiative also included a ceasefire, the release of detainees and military
withdrawal.
As the one-month mandate
of the Arab League’s observer mission in Syria came to a close, the League met
on 22 January in Cairo to discuss the mission’s future. Following the meeting,
Arab leaders, in addition to extending the mission's mandate and providing
additional equipment for observers, called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
to cede power to his vice president and form a national unity
government. This plan was immediatelyrejected by
Syrian authorities who called the plan “flagrant interference” in Syrian
affairs. Meanwhile, the monitoring mission launched by the Arab League in
December 2011 suffered additional setbacks as Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States withdrew their
support on 23 and 24 January respectively, citing Syria’s failure to implement
the peace plan. Though Arab leaders initially agreed to extend the
mandate of the monitoring mission for another month on 27 January, they
later suspended the
mission on 29 January due to "critical" worsening conditions. After
the Security Council failed to
reach a consensus on the Arab League’s strengthened stance,
resulting in a double veto of a resolution on 4 February, Arab leaders agreed on
12 February to open contact with Syrian opposition and ask the UN to form a
joint peacekeeping force to halt the violence in Syria.
The Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC)
The GCC - Bahrain,
Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – issued
a statement on
7 February recalling their envoys and expelling Syrian ambassadors. The
statement was a strong condemnation ofthe “mass slaughter against the unarmed
Syrian people,” and urged Arab leaders to take "decisive measures in
response to this dangerous escalation against the Syrian people."
The European Union (EU)
The European Council announced
on 9 May 2011 that it would impose an
arms embargo on Syria and a visa ban and asset freeze on 13 individuals
identified as responsible for the conflict. The EU later imposed targeted
economic sanctions, additional travel bans and asset freezes against Syrian
government and military officials on 1 August. In a statement issued
on the same day, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton reminded the Syrian government
of “its responsibility to protect the population” and
denounced attacks on civilians in Hama and other Syrian cities. The EU also
adopted a ban on
oil imports from Syria to increase pressure on the regime on 2 September, and
continued to expand its
economic sanctions on Syria for the duration of the conflict. On 23 January the
European Union announced an
expansion of economic sanctions to twenty-two more individuals. The EU gave
its support on
13 February to the Arab League’s call for a joint Arab-UN peacekeeping force.
United Nations
Special Advisers on the
Prevention of Genocide and RtoP
On 2 June, the
Advisers reminded the
Syrian government of its responsibility to protect the civilian population, and
called for an investigation into alleged violations of international human
rights law. Later, on 21 July the Advisers reiterated their alarm at the
systematic and widespread attacks targeting civilians and peaceful protestors
and their call for an investigation, stating that
“the scale and gravity of the violations indicate a serious possibility that
crimes against humanity may have been committed and continue to be committed in
Syria.” The Special Advisers issued a third statement on
10 February calling for “a renewed sense of determination and urgency to
prevent further atrocities against the people of Syria”. The Special Advisers
reminded that in order to uphold the responsibility to protect, Syria and the
international community must “build trust among communities within Syria, (…)
facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need, and (…)
encourage regional cooperation in advancing human rights and preventing further
rounds of violence against civilian populations.”
Human Rights Council and
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
The Human Rights Council
and OHCHR were seized of the situation in Syria early on and a Special Session
of the Human Rights Council (HRC) was held on
the crisis on 29 April. In a Resolution adopted
during the session, the Council condemned the crackdown and called for the
OHCHR to dispatch a fact-finding mission to investigate into human rights
violations. The Mission, which was successfully launched on
15 March, released findings on
15 September that the widespread and systematic attacks against the Syrian
population could amount to crimes against humanity, including murder,
disappearance and torture as well as deprivation of liberty and persecution.
The Report also called on the Syrian government to prevent impunity, allow the
safe return of refugees, release all detainees, and facilitate further
investigation by the OHCHR and the Human Rights Council.
From 22-23 August 2011,
the HRC held a second Special Session on
Syria to investigate the ongoing human rights violations, subsequently adopting
a Resolutionmandating
an independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate human rights violations in
Syria. The Commission’s Report was released on
28 November, detailingextensive
human rights violations occurring in Syria and expressing concern that crimes
against humanity have been committed. On 19 September, High Commissioner Navi
Pillay urged the
Security Council to refer the case to the International Criminal Court, a
recommendation she reiterated on
12 December as she warned that Syria was at risk of civil war.
As the crisis remained
unresolved and the international community failed to take decisive action,
Pillay stated on 8 February, “At their 2005
Summit, World leaders unanimously agreed that each individual State has theresponsibility
to protect its population from crimes against humanity and other
international crimes...They also agreed that when a State is manifestly failing
to protect its population from serious international crimes, the international
community as a whole has the responsibility to step in by taking protective
action in a collective, timely and decisive manner...The virtual carte blanche
now granted to the Syrian Government betrays the spirit and the word of this
unanimous decision. It is depriving the population of the protection they so
urgently need.”
Security Council
The Security Council was
a source of disappointment for many due to its consistent inability to form a
consensus around the crisis. The Council released a presidential
statement on 3 August that condemned the violence while
reaffirming the Council’s “strong commitment to the sovereignty…and territorial
integrity of Syria.”
September saw renewed
discussions in the Council on a possible Resolution, but Permanent Members
Russia and China vetoed the
text, which came to a vote on 4 October 2011. The text included the
condemnation of ‘grave and systematic human rights violations’ and included a
warning of possible sanctions should the situation continue to deteriorate.
Brazil, India, Lebanon and South Africa abstained from
the vote, while opponents of the Resolution argued that the Council needed to
prioritize a Syrian-led dialogue rather than condemn the government. The
Resolution’s critics also
cited concerns over the implementation of Resolution 1973 in Libya as reason
for caution over Syria. Civil society organizations and several Member States
announced their dismay at
the double veto.
On 15 December, Russia
introduced a draft resolution in
the Council. The draft condemned the violence committed by all parties in Syria
and heavily emphasized that the Resolution did not mandate a military
intervention. Though Security Council Members welcomed the
draft, it never came to a vote as some Member States, including France, Germany,
and the United States felt
that the resolution language was too lenient on the Syrian government.
In late January,
Secretary General of the League of Arab States Nabil El Araby traveled to
UN Headquarters with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani to seek support for the Arab League’s 22
January plan which
called for Assad to transition out of power and for the formation of a unity
government. An Arab and Western supported draft resolution based, in part, on
the Arab League’s plan wasintroduced to
Members of the Security Council by Morocco on 27 January. The resolution
comprised four key aspects: an end to all acts of violence; release of
detainees; withdrawal of armed forces from civilian areas; and freedom of
access to the UN, NGOs and human rights monitors. During a 31 January U.N.
Security Council high-level debate on
the situation in Syria, where al-Thani and El Araby briefed the
Council and advocated for the adoption of the resolution, statements of support
were presented by the Foreign Ministers of France, US, UK,
Guatemala, Portugal, Morocco and Germany.
In the statement by
Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs Harold Caballeros, he reminded Security
Council members of their duty to act under the principles of RtoP,
recalling “the obligation of all States to observe certain norms of conduct in
relation to their own populations”. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé recalled every
state’s “responsibility to protect its civilian population”. Opposition
was voiced by the Permanent Representatives ofSyria, Russia and China. South Africa and India urged
all sides to work with the Arab League in a Syrian-led process, one that
respects the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Syria.
After days of negotiation, explicit
references to the specifics of the Arab League plan regarding President Assad’s
delegation of power and operative clauses that stated Member States could
pursue measures like arms embargoes and economic sanctions were dropped from the resolution. The resolution did not pass on 4 February, despite support from 13 Security
Council Members, including India and South Africa who had abstained in October
2011. In opposition to the Arab League endorsed resolution, Russia and China
exercised their vetopower
for a second time.
On 21 March 2012, the
UN Security Council adoped a presidential
statement expressing "its gravest concern" regarding
the situation in Syria. The statement voiced full support for the United
Nations-Arab League Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan, and called on the Syrian
government and opposition to work with the Envoy towards a peaceful settlement
of the Syrian crisis and the implementation of his initial six-point
proposal. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the
"clear and unified voice of the Council", expressing his hope that
the united action by the Council will mark a turning point in the international
community's response to the crisis.
General Assembly
The Third Committee
(human rights) of the General Assembly (GA) passed a
Resolution on 22 November that condemned the Syrian government’s prolonged
crackdown against protesters. A total of 122 states voted for the resolution,
with 13 against and 41 abstentions. Introduced by
Britain, France, and Germany, the resolution carried no legal weight, but
called on the Syrian government to end all human rights abuses and urged Assad
to immediately implement the Arab League’s November peace plan. On 21 November,
the Syrian envoy to the UNcharacterized the
Resolution as declaring “diplomatic war” against the country. However, the vote
at the GA was marked by strong regional support for the Resolution, with
Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and Saudi Arabia – all co-sponsors of
the Resolution – voting in favor. Russia and China abstained from voting, along
with India and South Africa.
On 19 December, the
GA adopted a
second resolution calling for Syria to implement a peace plan brokered by the
Arab League, which included allowing observers into the country. The
Resolution, which passed with
133 votes in favor, 11 against and 43 abstentions, also called on Syria to
cooperate with the independent international commission of inquiry establish by
the Human Rights Council.
The General Assembly was
briefed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay in a meeting on
Syria held on 13 February. Ms. Pillay again recalled her
earlier statements urging the Security Council to refer the situation of Syria
to the International Criminal Court so as to ensure that crimes do not go
unpunished. On 16 February, a third resolution,
circulated by Saudi Arabia, was passed in
the GA with 137 votes in favor, 12 against and 17 abstentions. Based on the
vetoed Security Council resolution text of
4 February, the resolution issued support for the League of Arab States’ peace
plan in Syria and stressed the importance of ensuring accountability, the need
to end impunity and “hold to account those responsible for human rights
violations, including those violations that may amount to crimes against
humanity”. The resolution further called for the Secretary-General to appoint a
Special Envoy to the country.
United Nations-Arab League Joint Special Envoy to Syria
On 23 February, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby announced the appointment of Kofi Annan as UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy to Syria, in accordance with GA Resolution A/RES/66/253. In a UN-Arab League statement on March 7, former Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Al Kidwa was announced as Deputy Joint Special Envoy, and was joined on 20 March by Jean-Marie Guéhenno, former UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations. The Deputy Special Envoys are tasked to assist Annan in the exercise of his mandate.
On 23 February, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby announced the appointment of Kofi Annan as UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy to Syria, in accordance with GA Resolution A/RES/66/253. In a UN-Arab League statement on March 7, former Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Al Kidwa was announced as Deputy Joint Special Envoy, and was joined on 20 March by Jean-Marie Guéhenno, former UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations. The Deputy Special Envoys are tasked to assist Annan in the exercise of his mandate.
In a meeting on 8 March
in Cairo, the Arab League and Russia - in conjunction with Kofi Annan - ruled out military
intervention, believing that
it would only worsen the situation. Annan began talks with Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad on 10 March, only to leave Syria without reaching a ceasefire
agreement. Both Assad and
the leader of Syria’s main opposition group rejected
dialogue, with the opposition saying negotiation was “unrealisitic” and
advocating for military force.
Following a presentation
in mid-March by Annan to the UN of a six-point proposal for ending the violence
in Syria, the Security Council adopted a presidential
statement on 22 March issuing support for the plan. Annan’s
six-point proposal calls for
an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of forces by both the government and
opposition, humanitarian aid deliveries, an inclusive political process and
respect for freedom of association and demonstration.
Under-Secretary General
on Humanitarian Affairs
In response to escalating
conflict, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on
22 February for Under-Secretary General on Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos,
to “visit Syria to assess the humanitarian situation and renew the call for
urgent humanitarian access”. On 7 February, the Under-Secretary General met with
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallim in Damascus, before visiting the
neighborhood of Baba Amr in Homs, an area where fighting between government and
opposition forces has been centered.
Government responses
Qatar was
the first Arab state to recall its ambassador in Syria on 21 July, with Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrainfollowing suit
on 8 August, and Tunisia and Morocco doing
the same on 11 August and 17 November. Traditionally an ally of Syria’s,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, announced in
a meeting with President Assad that Ankara had “run out of patience” with the
situation on 9 August. Following severalstatements condemning
the violence, Turkey imposed economic sanctions on Syria on
30 November.
On 15 January, a US news
agency quoted Qatari leader Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani who suggested that
Arab troops be sent to Syria to end the conflict. Syria immediately condemned
Qatar’s remark, warning it would jeopardize Syrian-Arab relations and promising
to “stand firm” against any intervention. After Arab leadersaffirmed on
23 January that they were not in favor of a military intervention, Qatar
maintained its leadership role in responding to the crisis, briefing the
Security Council alongside the Secretary-General of the Arab League on 27
January.
Outside the region, the
United States reacted quickly by signing an executive order on
29 April 2011 imposing sanctions on three Syrian officials responsible for
human rights violations, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for
providing material support to the Syrian government for the suppression of
civilians and the Syrian General Intelligence Directorate for participating in
crackdowns on civilians. Additional sanctions were
issued on 18 May targeting President Assad and six government aides, and Syrian
oil imports were banned on
18 August. The US also joined several European nations, including UK, France and
Germany, in calling for Assad to step down on 18 August. Some governments
recalled their ambassadors to Syria, including Italy on
2 August,Switzerland on
18 August, and France on
16 November. On 7 September French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé accused the
Syrian government of committing crimes against
humanity against the Syrian population.
Russia was
criticized by many governments and civil society for its consistent support for
Assad’s government even as it deplored the ongoing violence. Russia has been a
long-time arms exporter to Syria, and throughout the conflict worked to ensure both
that the opposition’s violence was internationally recognized and that Assad’s
sovereignty was protected, even in its 15 December draft resolution
in the Security Council. Other states were similarly hesitant to condemn Assad,
including the India, Brazil, South Africa Dialogue Forum (IBSA), which released
a statement on
11 August calling for an immediate end to all violence and for all parties to
exercise restraint. However, the statement did not call for further action to
protect civilians and, in regards to the violent measures carried out by the
Syrian government, merely noted that President Assad “acknowledged that some
mistakes had been made by security forces.” Russia’s Permanent Representative
to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, statedon
7 February that the international community should try to “put the
parties at the table and to arrange dialogue among them in order to find a
political solution without further bloodshed.”
Following the second
double veto in February, Member States remained seized of the situation, as
evidenced by the U.S. government when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for
the formation of a “friends of democratic Syria” on 5 February. Echoing
Clinton’s remarks, the Prime Minister of Turkey announced on 7 February that
Turkey would prepare “a
new initiative with those countries that stand by the people, not the Syrian
government.”
Civil Society
Civil society called for
a swift, decisive and unified response by international and regional bodies to
end the targeting of civilians in Syria and bring the perpetrators of human
rights violations to justice. Please see the op-eds, analyses, and calls to
action from civil society actors, which related the responsibility to protect
to the crisis in Syria.
Source : responsibilitytoprotect.org
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