Ambassador Ali Ahmed: Only the immediate lifting of the coercive measures imposed on the Syrian people can address their disastrous effects

Geneva (ST): Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Haider Ali Ahmed, affirmed that only the immediate, complete and unconditional lifting of the coercive unilateral measures imposed on the Syrian people can address their disastrous effects on human rights and the humanitarian situation in Syria.

Ambassador Ali Ahmed said in a statement he delivered today before the Human Rights Council regarding the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of coercive unilateral measures on the enjoyment of human rights: “We thank the Special Rapporteur Elena Dohan for her report on her visit to Syria, and we welcome her objective analysis and professional approach that reflected the consultations.” The extensive research conducted during the visit provided an opportunity to examine, in a transparent and independent manner, the negative repercussions left by coercive unilateral measures and the resulting serious violations of a wide range of human rights and major challenges at the humanitarian level. We also welcome its conclusions, especially its assertion that maintaining these measures amounts to a crime against humanity committed against the entire Syrian people.”

Ambassador Ali Ahmed explained that it has become well-established that the coercive unilateral measures imposed illegally on the Syrian people are a violation of the human rights of the Syrian people collectively, as these measures lead to the death of Syrians and deprive them of their basic rights, including the right to life and the right to a decent standard of living and the right to health, medical care, education, work and development.

Ambassador Ali Ahmed added: These measures have severely undermined the ability to respond nationally and internationally to the difficult humanitarian reality left by terrorism, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the recent earthquake that struck Syria, including projects implemented by the United Nations and a number of international governmental and non-governmental organizations for the benefit of the most vulnerable people.

Ambassador Ali Ahmed stressed that the multiple, wide-ranging and long-term systems of coercive unilateral measures  carry a deliberate intention to completely isolate the country, stifle its economy and impede national efforts to effectively respond to basic needs and move forward with the country’s reconstruction, noting that the effects of these measures refute the unrealistic and deceptive justifications that the United States of America and the European Union have always provided and their claims that they are “directed or smart” or that their effects are unintended.

Ambassador Ali Ahmed said: “Mrs. Dohan indicated that targeting the Central Bank of Syria clearly explains this. The financial isolation resulting from targeting the Bank has completely stopped transactions related to the work of the health sector, for example, including the provision of life-saving medicines designated for chronic, rare, and simpler diseases, supplies for surgical operations, which the Special Rapporteur saw during her consultations and field visit to a number of hospitals in Syria.”

Ambassador Ali Ahmed explained that the alleged exceptions regarding unilateral coercive measures for humanitarian purposes, such as those announced during the earthquake disaster, were proven to be just ink on paper, as there was practically no possibility of benefiting from them and they did not succeed in addressing any humanitarian concerns, and therefore its purpose is only to try to justify continuing to impose these immoral and inhumane measures in light of this disaster.

Ambassador Ali Ahmed underlined the importance of implementing the recommendations made by the Rapporteur without delay, foremost of which is the necessity of adhering to the Charter of the United Nations and the principles and rules of international law, including the principles of sovereign equality, political independence, and non-interference in the internal affairs of states, in addition to removing all unilateral measures which was imposed on Syria, its nationals and its entities.

K.Q.