Qatar Expresses Grave Concern over Conflict in Syria, Condemns Israeli Continued Settlements

Geneva, September 11 (QNA) - The State of Qatar has expressed deep concern at the continued conflict in Syria and the escalation of killings and violence carried out by the Syrian forces against the civilian citizens, which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Qatar stressed that the international condemnation is not enough to respond to the continuation of the Syrian regime's crimes against its people, calling on the International Community to shoulder its responsibilities towards adopting a resolution for an immediate cessation of fire under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. The State of Qatar has also expressed its condemnation of settlement policies practiced by Israel and its attempts to change the geographical features of the Palestinian territories and Judaize Jerusalem as well as the siege imposed on Gaza, calling on to put more pressure on the Israeli government and human rights abuses in the occupied Arab territories must not be tolerated. Qatar also demanded the Government of Myanmar and the International Community to shoulder its responsibility in ensuring the rights of Muslims in Myanmar and to stop the violence in order to prevent more casualties. This came in a speech delivered by HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar at the United Nations Office in Geneva Ambassador Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani during the 21st session of the Human Rights Council which will last until September 28. She noted to the barbaric massacre in Daria committed by the Syrian regime and how it is dealing with its citizens, saying that more than 300 people were killed without distinguishing between a man, a woman or a child. The international condemnation alone is not enough to respond to the continuing crimes of the Syrian regime against its people and their legitimate demands for freedom, democracy and human dignity, she explained, demanding the International Community to take swift and decisive measures to ensure the protection of the Syrian people. Those responsible for human rights violations must be brought to the International justice, she added. On the Palestinian issue, the Permanent Representative of Qatar at the United Nations Office in Geneva called upon the International Community and all international human rights organisations and institutions to move and to intervene to end the suffering of the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails as well as to investigate their situations. HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar at the United Nations Office in Geneva Ambassador Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani stressed in her speech that the world is witnessing growing intolerance and inciting hatred, noting that minorities in some countries are recently facing serious violations and murder as a result of belonging to different religions. She expressed Qatar's condemnation of all acts of violence and human rights violations suffered by the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar which led to a number of deaths of innocent civilians, in addition to the burning of their houses and mosques and forcing them to leave homeland. HE called upon the International Community to take responsibility in ensuring the rights of Muslims in Myanmar and providing the necessary protection and decent living for them. HE Qatar's Permanent Representative at the UN Office in Geneva said that the State of Qatar, thanks to the vision of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has witnessed law enforcement and legislative renaissance towards strengthening the State of institutions and law. She added that one of the most important step recently taken by the State of Qatar in this area was establishing the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre in December 2011, the first of its kind in the region, in cooperation with the United Nations, aiming to promote the rule of law and the fight against corruption in line with the international standards. Another important step is hosting the 1st and 2nd "Qatar Law Forum" in 2009, 2012, respectively, which discussed the topic of the rule of law, she added. She also stressed the need to support the developments in a number of Arab countries in order to strengthen the rule of law, protect public rights and freedoms and to achieve sustainable development, adding that the principle of the rule of law is the guarantee for the prosperity of the Arab Spring and the consolidation of democracy. She explained that the State of Qatar believes that the efforts to promote sustainable development and the green economy policies, taking into account the shared values ??of human rights, are collective and shared responsibilities, and so Qatar has been keen to host the 18th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 18 ) in November. She also expressed Qatar's keenness to strengthen and develop its relations with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and support the efforts of the Doha based UN Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre, as well as to continue supporting the UNHCR programs and activities and deepen the dialogue with all United Nations mechanisms for human rights in order to enhance the advancement of human rights in accordance with the international obligations undertaken in this regard. (QNA)