Islamabad (News International / Pakistan News - 11th Dec, 2024 ) UN Special Representative for Syria Geir Pedersen has called for the start of political talks for the country’s peaceful future, while the agency’s relief coordinator Tom Fletcher has said that every effort is being made to help displaced people.
After the occupation of the capital Damascus by opposition forces consisting of several armed groups in Syria and the departure of President Bashar al-Assad from the country, the United Nations has vowed to continue relief work and provide support for political stability.
More than 370,000 people have been displaced within a week during the recent armed movement against the former government in the country.
A large number of them have taken refuge in the northeastern regions, while many others were trapped in war-torn areas. A large number of people, including women and children, were also killed and injured in the fighting between the government and its opposition forces.
Tom Fletcher says that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will continue to provide all essential items, including food, water, fuel, tents and blankets, to people in need, everywhere and at all times.
International humanitarian law must be upheld in the country and the protection of all civilians, including aid workers, must be ensured. Although essential relief operations are ongoing in Syria, the UN has evacuated some of its staff members from the country as a precautionary measure.
UN support
On the other hand, Geir Pedersen said that his call for peace talks has the support of Iran, Russia, Turkey, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Union.
The country's new rulers must ensure a stable transfer of power and maintain the country's institutions.
On the sidelines of the Doha Forum in Qatar, Geir Pedersen also held talks with representatives of Turkey, Iran and Russia, members of the Astana Group established to resolve the Syrian issue. In a joint statement issued at the end of the talks, the three countries and the Foreign Ministers of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt announced their support for the UN-led efforts to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis under Security Council Resolution 2254.
A decisive turning point
The Special Representative said that the 14-year war has had a profound impact on the lives of the Syrian people, but today a new era is beginning in the country, in which, despite many concerns, there can be hope for peace, reconciliation, dignity and equal treatment for all.
Expressing solidarity with the Syrian people, who have faced years of death, destruction, imprisonment and human rights violations, he said that today his country stands at a decisive turning point.
Now is the time for the return of those displaced by the war, the release of those illegally detained and the reunification of families. Syria and its people will face enormous challenges in the coming period and will have to put the country on a path of unity and peace.
A stable and inclusive future
The Special Representative has reported that people from many groups in Syria, including armed factions and members of civil society, have told him that in the future, civilians and state institutions must be protected from reprisals and harm.
He has called on all armed groups to uphold good conduct and the rule of law, protect civilians and safeguard state institutions. All Syrians must prioritize the resolution of problems through dialogue in the reconstruction of their society, maintain mutual understanding and respect for international law. Collective efforts are needed to ensure peace and dignity for all.
The establishment of a stable and inclusive transitional government is essential for the millions of Syrians so that the country’s institutions can function, the people can fulfill their legitimate aspirations and a united Syria can restore its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, with the support of the international community. The United Nations stands ready to support them in their journey towards this goal.
Accountability for rights abuses needed
The release of those held for decades in the notorious Saydnaya prison is a sight that Syrians could only have imagined just a few days ago, said Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, head of the UN Commission of Inquiry for Syria.
Future leaders must ensure that the past is not repeated within the prison’s walls or in other prisons across the country. The release of these prisoners will bring peace to them and their families, and will bring hope to the thousands of missing people.
Commission member Len Wellcome says that during the 14-year war, families of prisoners have taken great risks and paid huge sums to corrupt state officials to obtain information about their loved ones.
Armed groups running the prisons must not allow evidence of human rights violations and crimes committed there to be lost.
Report on looting expected
The Commission has urged all political parties to allow human rights activists access to all areas of the country, including detention centres. The government and opposition leadership have pledged in their initial statements to maintain good conduct and protect civilians, which is welcome.
They must deliver on their promises in this regard.
The Commission will issue its new report on the situation in Syria in the coming days, which will include details of the widespread looting and systematic destruction of homes and displacement during the recent armed uprising against the government of Bashar al-Assad.
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