UN Vote is a Clear Message: Assad Must End Brutal Suppression of Syria’s Democratic Uprising

Media Statement

Syrian Coalition Office to the United Nations

New York, USA

May 15, 2013

The Syrian Coalition welcomes today’s resolution, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, condemning the Syrian regime’s illegitimate and brutal use of force against its own citizens in its continued refusal to acknowledge the legitimate democratic aspirations of the Syrian people.

Two years ago thousands of Syrians took to the streets calling for political change and democracy. Their peaceful demonstrations were brutally suppressed. Since then, the regime has employed a deliberate policy of violence, relying on long-range artillery, air force, and ballistic missiles against a civilian population unable to defend itself.

The latest reported massacres in Baniyas and Jdeideh — where the regime’s has tried to cleanse the inhabitants of entire villages, including killing innocent women and children — serves to highlight the atrocities that are being committed by a regime that has lost all human decency and legitimacy.

Today’s resolution, adopted by a majority of the members of the United Nations, makes it clear that the international society will no longer accept that such violence and grave human rights abuses continue unabated.

But this resolution alone will not and cannot end the suffering of the Syrian people. Much more needs to be done with much greater urgency.

International supporters of the Syrian people must intensify their efforts to advance the prospects of achieving a democratic transition in Syria. More pressure is needed to force the regime to allow humanitarian access to the millions of Syrians in need of immediate assistance. And the groundwork needs to be laid now to ensure that perpetrators of war crimes will one day be held accountable for their criminal acts.

The Coalition is prepared to support all political measures to end this conflict and to stop the suffering of our people. We reaffirm our commitment to any international effort that aims at steering our country towards a more peaceful and democratic future.