Damascus’ UN envoy criticises the investigative body and the UNGA resolution, calling them a tool of Qatar to spread destructive actions. Over the span of several centuries, Syria, which was at the forefront of the Islamic Caliphate, witnessed multiple invasions and occupations: from the…
The UN envoy to Damascus criticises the investigative body and the UNGA resolution, calling them a tool of Qatar to spread destructive actions.
Background
Over the span of several centuries, Syria, which was at the forefront of the Islamic Caliphate, witnessed multiple invasions and occupations: from the Romans to the Crusaders, to the Turks. The current conflict, the Syrian Civil War, has been going on since 2011. It began during the Arab Spring protests due to resentment towards the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
The war is being fought by several factions. The Syrian government and its allies, have been facing against a loose alliance of Sunni Arab rebel groups (including the Free Syrian Army) since the uprising. These rebels have been pushed back into a few areas of control largely with the help of Iranian and Russian backing.
The majority-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in the North and East of the country, are backed by the US in the fight against the Islamic State. However, Turkey has expressed displeasure with the Kurdish presence at their border and entered North-western Syria to attack a Kurdish militia in January. Turkey is an ally in the fight against ISIL.
Read more about our extensive analysis of the Syrian Civil war here, here and here.
Analysis
Syria is sharply criticizing an upcoming event on the U.N. investigative body that is helping to document serious crimes during the seven-year Syrian conflict, including possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. Syria’s U.N. ambassador, Bashar Ja’afari, said in a letter to General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak that the investigation is another “destructive” action by its sponsors, Qatar and Liechtenstein.
The event will take place on the sidelines of the 193-member assembly’s annual gathering of world leaders.
Ja’afari reiterated Syria’s claim that the investigative body, established by the General Assembly in December 2016, is illegal and violates the U.N. Charter.He said any evidence it collects “will be ineligible for future criminal proceedings.”
The resolution adopted by the assembly said the body — “the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism” — would help collect and analyze evidence of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. The resolution also called for the body “to closely coordinate” with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which was established by the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council. The commission has alleged that Syrian government and rebel forces committed war crimes and it accused the government of using chemical weapons.
Qatar’s U.N. mission called the resolution, which was co-sponsored by 58 countries and approved by a large majority, “a decisive step to ensure accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.” It said Syrian civilians “continue to be subjected to heinous violations.”
“Now is a crucial time to underscore that a political process aimed at ending the conflict must include credible and comprehensive measures to address impunity,” the mission said, in explaining its move with Liechtenstein to hold the ministerial event. Syria’s “regime routinely makes baseless accusations about all those who have called out atrocities committed against the Syrian people,” the Qatar statement said.
When the resolution was adopted, Ja’afari called the resolution “a flagrant interference in the affairs of a U.N. member state.” He said it was “a direct threat to a solution” to the Syrian conflict, which has killed at least 400,000 people, according to monitoring groups.
In the letter circulated on Friday, Ja’afari said the situation in Syria “is now at a delicate stage” and the political process led by U.N. special envoy Staffan de Mistura “is moving forward, but with caution and fragility.”
Ja’afari has accused the U.N. of abandoning its neutrality and responding to “political and financial pressure and the polarization practices of some member states,” especially those supporting the investigative body. Syria “has the full capability, with its legal and judicial institutions, to achieve justice and accountability without external and destructive interference,” he concluded.
Assessment
Our assessment is that the Syrian envoy is defending his country’s position with respect to the resolution. However, we believe that there is no certain way to figure out which country is truthful in their defence as Qatar has also been accused of spreading propaganda in the region for its strategic benefits. We feel that the UNGA-sponsored Investigative committee should be allowed to present its report in full, before making any accusations on its integrity.
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