2nd December 2011;The Maldives today joined the EU, US and Arab League in convening a UN Emergency Session on the human rights situation in Syria. The meeting, at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, heard the report of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria which uncovered widespread evidence of gross and systematic human rights violations in the country. The conclusion of the Commission of Inquiry is that these violations amount to crimes against humanity, and thus necessitate referral to the UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court.
The Maldives, which is a member of the 47-member Human Rights Council, played a leading role in convening the session following the killing of thousands of Muslim civilians by the Syria security forces since the outbreak of protests earlier in 2011.
In her statement at the session, H.E. Ambassador Iruthisham Adam said that the Government of President Bashar al-Assad had missed numerous opportunities to respond to the protests with dialogue and reform. Instead the Government had chosen the path of repression. Moreover, the Syrian authorities have, she said, spurned numerous international efforts to mediate, including by the United Nations and the Arab League.
Ambassador Adam argued that, because of the gravity of the crimes committed, which amount to crimes against humanity, it is necessary for the international community to scale-up its efforts to protect the civilian population. In this regard, the Maldives expressed its full support to ongoing efforts by the Arab League.
The UN Emergency Session ended with the adoption of a new resolution which will significantly increase international pressure on Syria by citing crimes against humanity, referring the matter to relevant UN bodies in New York, and establishing a UN Special Rapporteur on Syria.
ENDS