Syria
We are extremely concerned over the ongoing tragic situation and grave violat...
We are extremely concerned over the ongoing tragic situation and grave violations against Syrian children in the camps of neighbouring countries. Despite the fact that all actors in the international, regional and non-governmental organizations, as well as the Special Representatives of the Secretary-General, are aware of the blatant violations that our children face in these camps, as documented in their reports, we find it extremely bizarre that there is not a single reference to any such violations, including sexual violence, forced marriage, lack of access to education, the separation of family members in several camps, the violation of the rights to work and freedom of movement even from camp to camp, let alone the militarization of many of those camps and the recruitment of a large number of Syrian children by armed terrorist groups, whether under supervision or by the host Governments turning a blind eye to some of these cases. We are eseriously concerned that the United Nations has yet to take any tangible measure with the Governments of neighbouring countries to address this dangerous phenomenon.
Syria has always been a pioneer in providing for all the needs of children an...
Syria has always been a pioneer in providing for all the needs of children and in promoting their rights and protection, in particular quality free education and medical services. This fact has been recognized in the reports of specialized United Nations agencies over decades. However, it is regrettable that the current crisis in Syria has led to inhumane extremist manifestations that are contrary to the Syrian values of moderation. Syrian children were the first to suffer under the practices of mercenaries and takfiris openly imported from all parts of the world to impose obscurantist Wahhabi ideas on our children and young people and commit the most horrific crimes against Syrian children. They recruit these children and youngsters and train them to commit the most horrific crimes of terror — slaughter, kidnapping. maiming, dismemberment, beheading with axes and swords, disemboweling pregnant women, hanging their foetuses on trees by the umbilical cord, and human and organ trafficking. Those are just some examples.
During scores of meetings of the Security Council, directly or indirectly rel...
During scores of meetings of the Security Council, directly or indirectly related to Syria, I have never heard that one or more States with influence over the armed groups in Syria — some of which are members of the Council — has exercised any pressure on these terrorist armed groups to lift the blockade of a certain area in Syria or to stop the militarization of a hospital or a school in Syria, or to free religious leaders, priests, nuns and orphans who have been kidnapped for months or even years. I have not once heard that any of any States that exercises pressure on terrorist armed groups had pressed for the release of Syrian women and children who had been taken hostage, kidnapped and used as human shields, from Latakia to Deir ez-Zor, Al-Raqqa and Deraa. I have never heard of anybody who had pressured those terrorist armed groups to release women and children who were kidnapped after dozens and hundreds of them were slaughtered.
While terrorist armed groups continue to recruit Syrian children, boys and gi...
While terrorist armed groups continue to recruit Syrian children, boys and girls for their military operations, the relevant authorities in the Syrian Government are taking legal action with regard to these recruited children, in accordance with the law on the recruitment of children adopted on 6 May 2013, which criminalizes those who recruit children to take part in any form of combat. That is punishable by a term of 10 to 20 years of hard labour, reaching a life sentence if the child dies while in combat. It is very important to underscore that this law deals with the recruited children as victims by virtue of the juvenile code under Syrian law. They are placed in social protection centres, rather than in detention centres, where they reside until they face a fair trial and are immediately referred to rehabilitation institutions in cooperation with civil society and under the supervision of expert mentors.