Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 October 2012
76. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the international community continue to be able to intervene in Syria in order to protect human rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45239/12]
View answerI have on a number of occasions stated clearly my grave concerns at the appalling situation in Syria. I have repeatedly condemned the unacceptable human rights violations and brutality which are now estimated to have claimed well over 20,000 lives since the conflict first erupted in March 2011. There is no doubting the widespread international revulsion generated by the conflict over the last 20 months and in particular by the violence and killings associated with the repressive actions of the Syrian regime. The international community has been prompt to express its indignation and to compel the Syrian regime to change course, notably through the adoption of a series of resolutions on the human rights situation in Syria by the UN General Assembly Resolution in February and by the UN Human Rights Council, in March, June and September.
The UN Human Rights Council has also initiated a process of inquiry through the establishment in August 2011 of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry. Mandated to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in Syria since the beginning of the conflict, and, where possible, to identify those responsible, the Commission, in its 15 August 2012 report, concludes that Government forces and its affiliated militia have committed crimes against humanity, war crimes and gross violations of human rights, all pursuant to a State policy. The report also found reasonable grounds to believe that serious abuses had been committed by anti-Government armed groups, although these did not reach the gravity, frequency and scale of violations committed by Government forces. This report may well pave the way for the situation in Syria to eventually be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC), a course called for by UN Human Rights Commissioner Pillay and which Ireland has long supported. We are also highly supportive of efforts underway at the UN that aim at building up cross-regional support for formal referral to the ICC by the UN Security Council.
The European Union has, of course, also reacted to the human rights violations in Syria. It has adopted a series of robust economic, political and diplomatic measures to compel the Syrian regime to cease its reprehensible attacks against its own people. While actively supporting the efforts of the UN/Arab League Joint Special Representative Ladhkar Brahimi to achieve a ceasefire and mediate some sort of peaceful settlement, the EU has continued to impose tough sanctions targeted on the Assad regime and those who support the repression. Last Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council which I attended adopted additional restrictive measures to step up the pressure on the Syrian regime to change course and halt its unacceptable violence and repression.
In saying all this, we must also acknowledge that the current paralysis of the international community is a major impediment to stopping the daily abuses suffered by ordinary Syrians. The UN Security Council need to step up to its responsibilities and give a lead in the international community’s efforts to halt the violence. Ireland, for its part, will continue to call for a strong UN Chapter VII resolution that would impose robust sanctions and notably a comprehensive arms embargo which is now long overdue in the current circumstances prevailing in Syria.
Ultimately, such a Resolution and united action on the part of the Security Council represent the best opportunity for ending the conflict and ongoing human rights violations and setting in train a process of urgently needed political reform and transition in Syria. Ireland and its EU partners will continue to work steadfastly in support of this aim.
