16 May 2013, New York; The United Nations General Assembly yesterday adopted a resolution expressing grave concerns over the continuing escalation of violence in Syria and condemning ongoing widespread and systematic gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The resolution entitled "The situation in the Syrian Arab Republic" was adopted by a vote of 107 in favour to 12 against, with 59 abstentions. The Maldives cosponsored the resolution and voted in favour of it.
President of the General Assembly Mr. Vuk Jeremić, - along with many other speakers - highlighted that 80,000 Syrians had been killed in the violence and that 5.5 million have been displaced either internally or as refugees. In emphasizing the need for decisive action, he said that "it is high time to say enough is enough."
The resolution demandsthe immediate cessation of all violence against unarmed civilians, calls for an inclusive Syrian-led political transition to a democratic political system, supports for the work of the Joint Special Representative, calls on Syrian authorities to grant immediate, safe, full and unimpeded access to humanitarian personnel and supplies. And lastly, the resolution repeats the international community's call to all sides of the conflict to respect international human rights and international humanitarian law.
Since the beginning of the Syrianconflict, the Maldives has repeatedly and publicly condemned the grave violations by both sides and called for immediate cessation of violence. As a member of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) the Maldives joined its calls for a peaceful political solution to the crisis. Speaking at the OIC Summit in Cairo last February, His Excellency President Dr. Mohamed Waheed stated, "The government in Syria has to recognise that the civilised world will not tolerate a government killing its own people. The government in Syria has to also understand that the international community will continue to provide moral and material support for the forces of democratic change. And it has to recognise that the current wave of democratic change is unstoppable and irreversible".
By cosponsoring yesterday's resolution the Maldives has once again stood by the people of Syria and its partners within the Arab Group. The Government has also maintained a consistent policy of advocacy for the safety and rights of the Syrian people, and have made its voice heard at the General Assembly in New York, the Human Rights Council in Geneva and the OIC.
This is the fifth resolution on the situation in Syria by the General Assembly since 2011.
ENDS.