Human Rights Council Draft Resolution on Houla / Syria

The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold an emergency session Friday, 1 June 2012, on the deteriorating situation in Syria and  to address the massacre in Houla. Diplomats say this draft resolution is likely to be adopted at the end of the meeting. 

This draft resolution was posted by UN Watch. 

Draft Resolution on the human rights situation in Syria and the recent killings in El-Houleh

30 May 2012

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 66/176 of 19 December 2011 and 66/253 of 16 February 2012, as well as Human Rights Council resolutions S-16/1 of 29 April 2011, S-17/1 of 22 August 2011, S-18/1 of 2 December 2011, 19/1 of 1 March 2012 and 19/22 of … and Security Council resolutions 2042 (2012) and 2043 (2012),

Deploring the killings, confirmed by United Nations observers, of dozens of men, women and children and the wounding of hundreds more in the village of El-Houleh, near Homs, in attacks that involved a series of Government artillery and tank shellings of a residential neighborhood,

1. Condemns in the strongest possible terms such an outrageous use of force against the civilian population which constitutes a violation of applicable international law and of the commitment of the Syrian Government under the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2042 (2012)  and 2043 (2012) to cease violence in all its forms, including the cessation of use of heavy weapons in population centres;

2. Calls upon the Syrian authorities to put an immediate end to all violence and all human rights violations;

3. Reaffirms that those responsible for acts of violence must be held accountable;

4. Decides for the Council President to establish and urgently dispatch an independent fact-finding mission to conduct an immediate and unfettered investigation of the killings in the village of El-Houleh and to report its initial findings to the Human Rights Council at its twentieth session with a full report and interactive dialogue at its twenty-first session; and requests that the fact-finding mission coordinate, as appropriate, with relevant UN mechanisms;

5. Invites the United Nations – Arab League Joint Special Envoy for Syria Mr. Kofi Annan to provide a briefing to the Human Rights Council at its twentieth session.

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Ban's letter to Security Council on Houla / Syria

نص الرسالة باللغة العربية - أنقر هنا. 

THE SECRETARY GENERAL

27 May 2012

Dear Mr. President,

Further to my letter dated 25 May 2012, in which I updated the Security Council on the implementation of resolution 2043 (2012), I regret to inform that violence against civilian population and clashes between government forces and armed opposition groups in various parts of Syria have escalated in the past two days. The most disturbing and violent event took place in the El~Houleh area in Homs province on 25 May 2012 and early hours of 26 May 2012.

Accounts of local residents suggest that attacks began on Friday, 25 May 2012, after demonstrations which followed prayers, and lasted until after midnight. Members of the Free Syrian Army and other local residents said that 116 people had been killed in total and more than 300 Wounded.

Security Council's statement on Houla / Syria

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest possible terms the killings, confirmed by United Nations observers, of dozens of men, women and children and the wounding of hundreds more in the village of El-Houleh, near Homs, in attacks that involved a series of government artillery and tank shellings on a residential neighbourhood. The members of the Security Council also condemned the killing of civilians by shooting at close range and by severe physical abuse. The members of the Security Council extended their profound sympathies and sincere condolences to the families of the victims, and underscored their grave concern about the situation of civilians in Syria. 

Such outrageous use of force against civilian population constitutes a violation of applicable international law and of the commitments of the Syrian Government under United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2042 and 2043 to cease violence in all its forms, including the cessation of use of heavy weapons in population centres. The members of the Security Council reiterated that all violence in all its forms by all parties must cease. Those responsible for acts of violence must be held accountable. The members of the Security Council requested the Secretary-General, with the involvement of UNSMIS, to continue to investigate these attacks and report the findings to the Security Council. 

The members of the Security Council demanded that the Government of Syria immediately cease the use of heavy weapons in population centres and immediately pullback its troops and its heavy weapons from in and around population centres and return them to their barracks.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, and to the purposes and principles of the Charter.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support to the efforts of the Joint Special Envoy for the implementation of his six point plan in its entirety and requested him to convey in the clearest terms to the Syrian parties, and in particular the Syrian Government, the demands of the Security Council.

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French / British draft statement on Syria

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest possible terms the Syrian armed forces’ heavy shelling of a civilian populated area which resulted in the killing, confirmed by United Nations observers, of dozens of men, women and children and the wounding of hundreds more in the village of El-Houleh, near Homs. The members of the Security Council extended their profound sympathies and sincere condolences to the families of the victims, and underscore their grave concern about the lack of protection for civilians in Syria.

This indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force against civilian population constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2042 and 2043 and of the commitments of the Syrian Government to cease the use of heavy weapons in population centres and violence in all its forms. Those responsible for perpetrating this crime must be held accountable. The members of the Security Council requested the United Nations Human rights Commissioner and the International independent Commission of inquiry to investigate these killings.

The members of the Security Council demanded that the Government of Syria immediately cease the use of heavy weapons in population centres and immediately pullback its troops and its heavy weapons from in and around population centres and return them to their barracks. They reiterated that all violence in all its forms by all parties must cease.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support to the efforts of the Joint Special Envoy for the implementation of its six point plan in its entirety and requested him to convey in the clearest terms to the Syrian authorities the condemnation and the demands of the Security Council.

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Ban, Annan joint statement on Houleh / Syria

Statement on behalf of the Secretary-General and the Joint Special Envoy for Syria

 The Secretary-General and the Joint Special Envoy condemn in the strongest possible terms the killing, confirmed by United Nations observers, of dozens of men, women and children and the wounding of hundreds more in the village of El-Houleh, near Homs. Observers from the UN Supervision Mission in Syria have viewed the bodies of the dead and confirmed from an examination of ordnance that artillery and tank shells were fired at a residential neighbourhood.

This appalling and brutal crime involving indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force is a flagrant violation of international law and of the commitments of the Syrian Government to cease the use of heavy weapons in population centres and violence in all its forms. Those responsible for perpetrating this crime must be held to account.

The Secretary-General and the Joint Special Envoy extend their profound sympathies to the families of the victims and to the wounded, and underscore their grave concern about the lack of protection for civilians in Syria.

The Secretary-General and the Joint Special Envoy demand that the Government of Syria immediately cease the use of heavy weapons in population centres. They reiterate that all violence in all its forms in Syria must cease.

The Joint Special Envoy is contacting the Syrian authorities to convey in the clearest terms the expectations of the international community, and he will also do so during his forthcoming visit to Syria.

New York/Geneva, 26 May 2012

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Ban's report on the implementation of resolution 2043 / UNSMIS

Find here the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's report on the implementation of resolution 2043. 

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رسالة سورية الى مجلس الأمن: لبنان ممر لهجمات القاعدة

نص الرسالة السورية الى مجلس الأمن والأمانة العامة للأمم المتحدة - أنقر هنا. 

Security Council: Measures to support peace process in Somalia

A Burundian soldier serving with the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)
 mans a frontline positions in territory recently captured from insurgents,
 in Deynile District, in the northern fringes of Somali capital Mogadishu
(Click on picture) 

"On Tuesday 15 May the members of the Security Council received a briefing from Augustine P. Mahiga, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Somalia, and President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed of Somalia.

The members of the Security Council noted that the political process in Somalia was at a critical phase, with only three months to go until the end of the transitional period on 20 August. 

The members of the Security Council welcomed progress so far in the implementation of the Roadmap to End the Transition, and reaffirmed their commitment to support the process. They expressed concern that some deadlines for the completion of tasks had already been missed. 

The members of the Security Council urged the Transitional Federal Institutions and all other signatories of the Roadmap to redouble their efforts to complete the roadmap tasks, including the creation of a representative Constituent Assembly, with participation of women and civil society, and the adoption of a Constitution underpinned by respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

They stressed the primary responsibility of the Somali parties to reach agreement on broad-based, inclusive and representative post-transitional arrangements, in line with the Djibouti Agreement, Roadmap and Garowe Principles. 

The Members urged the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Roadmap signatories to abide by their commitments and stressed the importance of a transparent and legitimate political process, including public consultation on the constitution. Building effective governance through representative and accountable institutions at every level would be key to securing lasting peace and stability in Somalia.

The members of the Security Council strongly supported the joint AU-IGAD-UN letter of May 2012 and reiterated their readiness to support measures against internal and external actors or groups who sought to undermine or block the peace process in Somalia, including after the August transition deadline has passed. They encouraged all Somalis to engage constructively in the political process and move towards a more peaceful and stable Somalia."

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Blue draft resolution in Sudan/ South Sudan

Diplomats say that the Security Council will vote on this draft resolution on Wednesday 2 April 2012.

"The Security Council,

Recalling its previous resolutions and statements on the situation in Sudan and South Sudan, in particular resolutions 1990 (2011), 2024 (2011) and 2032 (2011), and its Presidential Statements of 6 March 2012 and 12 April 2012, and further recalling the priority it attaches to the full and urgent advancement of all outstanding issues from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,

Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Sudan and South Sudan, and to the purposes and the principles of the United Nations Charter,

Noting paragraph 7 of the 24 April 2012 decision of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union at its 319th meeting, and reiterating that the territorial boundaries of states shall not be altered by force, and that any territorial disputes shall be settled exclusively by peaceful means,

Recalling the importance of the principles of the peaceful settlement of international disputes, good neighborliness, non-interference and regional cooperation,