Russia blocks Security Council censure of Syria
Barney Porter reported this story on Thursday, April 28, 2011 18:38:00
MARK COLVIN: Russia, China and Lebanon have blocked a move for the UN Security Council to condemn Syria's crackdown on dissent.
Hundreds are believed to have died, but a Western push has only underlined the international differences on how to deal with the issue.
France had called for "strong measures" if President Bashar al-Assad rejected appeals to end the violence.
The United States had said Assad must end the use of tanks and guns against unarmed people.
Even without UN support, the anti-government protests are set to continue.
And there are reports that several hundred members of the ruling Ba'ath Party have resigned in their own protest against the use of force against demonstrators.
Barney Porter has the story.
BARNEY PORTER: The Security Council was told between 350 and 400 people have been killed in anti-government protests since the middle of March.
Human rights groups put the figure closer to 450.
This man has told Al Jazeera, the protesters simply want basic freedoms.
PROTESTER: We are all brothers, we are all friends, we are all neighbours, we live in the same street, in the same school, in the same university ... (inaudible). Why they kill us, why they fire at us?
BARNEY PORTER: International criticism of Syria sharpened on the weekend, after an estimated 100 people were killed in various clashes; and an armoured attack by security forces on the southern city of Deraa, where the demonstrations began on March the 18th.
The push for condemnation by the UN Security Council was led by the US Ambassador, Susan Rice.
SUSAN RICE: My government calls on President Assad to change course now and heed the calls of his own people. We also call upon the international community to respond to this brutal crackdown.
BARNEY PORTER: The Europeans also backed a strong statement.
Germany's UN Ambassador is Peter Wittig.
PETER WITTIG: The demonstrators do not have tanks. They do not arrest people arbitrarily. The continued violence against peaceful protesters is completely unacceptable; it has to stop immediately.
BARNEY PORTER: But in the end it came down to opposition from permanent members Russia and China. Russia's UN Ambassador is Alexander Pankin.
ALEXANDER PANKIN (translation): In our view, a real threat to regional security could arise from outside interference in Syria's domestic situation. This is a type of invitation to civil war.
BARNEY PORTER: The Syrian Ambassador to the UN, Bashar Ja'afari, hailed the Council's failure to condemn Syria's actions as a victory.
BASHAR JA'AFARI: Out of this mess they wanted to create on Syria, they didn't get anything, thanks to the understanding expressed by the majority of the wise people in the Council.
BARNEY PORTER: But now, there's the first public sign of serious dissent within the governing ranks.
The autocratic Ba'ath Party has ruled Syria since taking power in a 1963 coup. Today, there are reports that more than 200 lower-ranked members from Deraa province have quit over President Assad's repression.
AMMAR ABDULHAMID: This is indeed the beginning of a trend, and I expect to see more and more resignations from the Ba'ath Party in the coming days.
BARNEY PORTER: Ammar Abdulhamid is a Syrian dissident, human rights activist, and author. He says he's not disappointed by the Security Council's inaction.
He also says the protests will continue.
AMMAR ABDULHAMID: This is not going to disappear regardless of the level of violence that the Assads are willing to deploy against unarmed protesters.
MARK COLVIN: Syrian dissident Ammar Abdulhamid, ending that report by Barney Porter.
Hundreds are believed to have died, but a Western push has only underlined the international differences on how to deal with the issue.
France had called for "strong measures" if President Bashar al-Assad rejected appeals to end the violence.
The United States had said Assad must end the use of tanks and guns against unarmed people.
Even without UN support, the anti-government protests are set to continue.
And there are reports that several hundred members of the ruling Ba'ath Party have resigned in their own protest against the use of force against demonstrators.
Barney Porter has the story.
BARNEY PORTER: The Security Council was told between 350 and 400 people have been killed in anti-government protests since the middle of March.
Human rights groups put the figure closer to 450.
This man has told Al Jazeera, the protesters simply want basic freedoms.
PROTESTER: We are all brothers, we are all friends, we are all neighbours, we live in the same street, in the same school, in the same university ... (inaudible). Why they kill us, why they fire at us?
BARNEY PORTER: International criticism of Syria sharpened on the weekend, after an estimated 100 people were killed in various clashes; and an armoured attack by security forces on the southern city of Deraa, where the demonstrations began on March the 18th.
The push for condemnation by the UN Security Council was led by the US Ambassador, Susan Rice.
SUSAN RICE: My government calls on President Assad to change course now and heed the calls of his own people. We also call upon the international community to respond to this brutal crackdown.
BARNEY PORTER: The Europeans also backed a strong statement.
Germany's UN Ambassador is Peter Wittig.
PETER WITTIG: The demonstrators do not have tanks. They do not arrest people arbitrarily. The continued violence against peaceful protesters is completely unacceptable; it has to stop immediately.
BARNEY PORTER: But in the end it came down to opposition from permanent members Russia and China. Russia's UN Ambassador is Alexander Pankin.
ALEXANDER PANKIN (translation): In our view, a real threat to regional security could arise from outside interference in Syria's domestic situation. This is a type of invitation to civil war.
BARNEY PORTER: The Syrian Ambassador to the UN, Bashar Ja'afari, hailed the Council's failure to condemn Syria's actions as a victory.
BASHAR JA'AFARI: Out of this mess they wanted to create on Syria, they didn't get anything, thanks to the understanding expressed by the majority of the wise people in the Council.
BARNEY PORTER: But now, there's the first public sign of serious dissent within the governing ranks.
The autocratic Ba'ath Party has ruled Syria since taking power in a 1963 coup. Today, there are reports that more than 200 lower-ranked members from Deraa province have quit over President Assad's repression.
AMMAR ABDULHAMID: This is indeed the beginning of a trend, and I expect to see more and more resignations from the Ba'ath Party in the coming days.
BARNEY PORTER: Ammar Abdulhamid is a Syrian dissident, human rights activist, and author. He says he's not disappointed by the Security Council's inaction.
He also says the protests will continue.
AMMAR ABDULHAMID: This is not going to disappear regardless of the level of violence that the Assads are willing to deploy against unarmed protesters.
MARK COLVIN: Syrian dissident Ammar Abdulhamid, ending that report by Barney Porter.
(abc.net.au)
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