Crime must Pay

GENEVA -- Alia Helal Al Shehhi, First Secretary at the UAE Mission in Geneva, delivered the country's statement before a session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), held today as part of an interactive dialogue on the Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Syria.

The statement expressed UAE's denunciation of the widespread violence and attacks by the government forces and government-backed militias on the civilian areas and called for appropriate punishment to and accountability of the perpetrators.

The statement also voiced UAE's concern over the government forces ignoring international regulations pertaining to protection of hospitals and medical staff, and called for intervention by the international community to guarantee access to humanitarian aid and to save the injured and internally displaced people.

The statement also indicated the increasing number of Syrian refugees fleeing their country due to the deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions.

In this regard, it also noted that since the onset of the crisis in 2011, the UAE has welcomed more than 250,000 Syrian nationals who enjoy full rights to free healthcare, education and work in accordance with the residency system in the country.

The statement pointed out that the humanitarian and development aid provided by the UAE to support the Syrian people from the beginning of the conflict stood at around US$ 530 million, as well as the allocation of US$ 100 million for 2015 as an additional support for Syrian refugees, out of which US$ 40 million have been spent.

The country has provided financial and other assistance to the Syrian refugees living in camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey, which amounted to about US$ 70 million, as well as established a reconstruction fund in partnership with Germany in areas which are under the control of the interim government.

The UAE statement before the Human Rights Council noted that the Syrian refugees' dilemma requires a fundamental solution to the Syrian crisis in accordance with the Geneva 1 statement issued in June 2012, and without any foreign intervention as well as the importance of all foreign fighters leaving Syria.

The statement also stressed that the UAE will not hesitate to exert tireless diplomatic efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis in accordance with the international community, based on the will of the Syrian people in order to preserve its lands, integrity and the cohesion of its national fabric and its various components under the umbrella of the civil state for all Syrians.

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