2023-06-29 22:20:19
Non-governmental organizations estimate the number of missing persons at about 100,000 since the outbreak of the popular uprising in 2011. They are victims of the repression of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad or the factions opposing him.
The resolution, adopted by the General Assembly by 83 votes in favor, 11 against, with 62 abstentions, indicates that “after 12 years of conflict and violence” in Syria, “little progress has been made to alleviate the suffering of the families” of the missing.
Therefore, Member States decided to establish, “under the auspices of the United Nations, the Independent Institution for Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic, to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons” in Syria.
The text notes that they will have to ensure “the full participation and representation of victims, survivors and families of missing persons” and be guided by a victim-centred approach.
But it does not specify the working modalities of this institution, whose “framework of reference” will have to be developed by the UN Secretary-General within 80 days in cooperation with the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The UNHCR, through its Twitter account, commended the “much-needed initiative,” adding, “Families have the right to know the fate and whereabouts of their relatives to help heal the wounds of society as a whole.”
For his part, Louis Charbonneau, an official at Human Rights Watch, said, “United Nations member states must ensure that this new institution has the necessary staff and resources,” adding, “The Syrian people deserve nothing less.”
The General Assembly resolution also calls on states and “all parties to the conflict” in Syria to “fully cooperate” with the new institution.
“politicization” of human rights
On the other hand, Syria expressed its explicit opposition, stressing that it was not consulted on the decision.
Syria’s delegate to the United Nations, Bassam Sabbagh, considered that the decision “clearly reflects blatant interference in its internal affairs, and constitutes additional evidence of the continuation of the hostile approach of some Western countries,” referring in particular to the United States.
Sabbagh also denounced “the establishment of a strange mechanism with vague features, which does not provide any specific definition for the term missing persons, with unknown time frames and geographical boundaries,” and warned that this constitutes a “precedent” that may be repeated in the future regarding other countries, especially developing ones.
This argument was echoed by China, which voted against the resolution, as did Russia, North Korea, Cuba and Iran.
“This is a new example of countries politicizing and exploiting human rights and humanitarian issues to oppress and hinder developing countries,” said the delegate from China.
The vote on the resolution followed a report by Secretary-General António Guterres in August recommending the establishment of this body.
The report stresses that “the families are conducting the searches themselves at the present time, which exacerbates their trauma and puts them at risk.”
“As one person representing the Families Association said, ‘Just imagine having to watch leaked videos of massacres over and over (on social media) to see if your loved ones are among the decapitated and mutilated corpses, and desperately do your own research’.”
Guterres said in March that “according to estimates, the whereabouts and fate of 100,000 Syrians remain unknown,” calling on member states to act.
In turn, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield said Thursday that “the victims are not only those who have been imprisoned, tortured and killed.”
“The victims are also their families and relatives,” she said, noting that “more than 155,000 people are missing.”
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