Pressure Grows For UN Security Council Meeting On Syria Violence

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Pressure Grows For UN Security Council Meeting On Syria Violence

Last updated (GMT/UTC): 01.08.2011 19:51
By RFE/RL

International calls are mounting for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting after Syria's army launched a brutal crackdown in the city of Hama and other opposition strongholds -- killing at least 140 people.

Late on August 1, news agencies also cited "witnesses" as reporting "indiscriminate" shelling of the restive Syrian city of Hama.

Both Germany and Italy requested that the Security Council discuss the worsening violence in Syria after President Bashar al-Assad's regime launched deadly assaults at dawn on July 31.

U.S. President Barack Obama and European leaders have also condemned the raids, which came a day before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Obama said demonstrators in the streets were "courageous," and that he was "appalled by the Syrian government's use of violence and brutality against its own people."

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner characterized Damascus's action as a "slaughter" and said it was important for the UN Security Council to send "a strong and unified message to Assad and his regime."

"We find these violent attempts by the Syrian regime to target civilians on the eve of Ramadan to be despicable and abhorrent," Toner added.

On August 1, the European Union expanded its sanctions against Syria by imposing asset freezes and travel bans against five more military and government officials.

This brings the number of individuals targeted by EU sanctions to 35, including Assad. Four government entities are also on the list.

Britain called for "stronger international pressure all around" on Syria, but ruled out military intervention -- stressing that there was no prospect of achieving a UN mandate for military intervention such as in Libya.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said pressure must not only be from Western nations, but must also come from Arab countries and from Turkey.

In Berlin, the German Foreign Ministry condemned what it called a war by the Syrian government against its own people.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also "strongly condemned" the violence, which coincides with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan:

"We are deeply appalled and dismayed by the operations in Hama and other Syrian cities," Davutoglu said. "The method and timing of these operations is very wrong."

Deep Divisions Over UN Statement

A Security Council meeting could be held as soon as August 1. But such talks could reopen bitter divisions. The Security Council has so far been unable to agree even on a statement about Assad's crackdown against his political opponents.

Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, and the United States have been pressing for weeks for some kind of condemnation of the violence.

But Russia, China, South Africa, India, and Brazil -- who are all angry about the NATO bombing campaign in Libya -- have refused to support even a statement condemning the Syrian regime.

Russia and China, both permanent members, also have threatened to veto any formal proposals for a resolution against Assad's regime.

In reaction to the latest violence, however, Russia's Foreign Ministry said on August 1 that the use of force against Syrian civilians was "unacceptable and must cease."

Army Snipers 'Firing Indiscriminately'

Human rights activists say Syrian troops on July 31 killed more than 100 people in the city of Hama alone -- making the assault one of the most violent crackdowns since protests against Assad's rule began in March.

Syria's army used tanks and heavy weaponry to destroy makeshift barricades erected by demonstrators. But rights activists say many of those killed in Hama were shot by army snipers who were firing indiscriminately from rooftops at civilians.

Syria's government has banned foreign reporters from the country, making it difficult to independently verify what is happening. But some residents of Hama made videos of the chaos during the crackdown on July 31 and were able to send their footage out to foreign media using satellite phone connections.

The footage showed plumes of black smoke wafting over the city as tanks fired shells at buildings and groups of men tried to rescue wounded civilians from the streets of Hama:

For those without satellite telephones, communication with the outside world appears to be completely cut off. Firal Salgatham, a refugee from Hama who is now in Turkey, claimed he had been unable to contact any of his relatives back in Hama since the crackdown began on July 31.

"I heard that one member of my family was killed today [July 31] but I do not know who it is," he said. "It could be my mother, sister or father. We can get no information from there. Internet, electricity, and phones were cut off. All the people are silent now."

Syria's government, meanwhile, has blamed the violence in Hama on "armed gangs." President Assad says those fomenting unrest are conspirators who wish to cause "sedition."

In a speech marking the 66th anniversary of the formation of Syria's army, Assad said the military had "proved its loyalty to its people, country and creed."

with agency reports

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/germany_un_meeting_on_syria/24283290.html

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Pressure Grows For UN Security Council Meeting On Syria Violence