UNITED NATIONS, Oct 27: Briefing the Security Council in a meeting with the Syrian Foreign Minister, held in Damascus, Staffan de Mistura said that an impasse had been reached over a proposed new constitution for Syria, with the UN playing a major role, as directed by the Council.
The difficulties of ‘keeping everyone on-board’ an agreed path to peace in Syria highlights that ‘radically different’ approaches are likely doomed to failure, the out-going United Nations Special Envoy for the war-torn country warned on Friday.
The veteran envoy, who recently announced he would be stepping down at the end of next month, said that the sticking point revolved around the Syrian leadership’s view that constitutional reform, was an internal matter.
He said Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem had “strongly underlined” the principle of non-interference in Member States’ affairs, adding that the constitution was ‘a highly sensitive matter of national sovereignty.’
The key sticking point, Mr de Mistura told the Council, was over the so-called ‘Middle Third List’ of 50 names that the UN is backing to serve on a Constitutional Committee, to create a more democratic post-war Syria.
He said the UN was not opposed to ‘constructive and moderate suggestions’ so long as “spirit of credibility, balance and international legitimacy of the Middle Third List is maintained,” he said.
“It is important to ensure the minimum 30 per cent participation of women in the constitutional committee and this requires at least 24 out of the 50 in the Middle Third List to be women,” stressed the UN negotiator.
The Middle Third List refers to a third of the delegates to the constitutional committee, representing Syrian experts, civil society, independents, tribal leaders and women. The other delegates would be drawn from the Government and opposition.
He further said that Minister Moualem proposed that the suggested list, which was drawn up by the UN in consultation and with inputs from all actors, be withdrawn.
Mr de Mistura reiterated that the UN ‘could withdraw’ its proposal, only if there is an agreement on a new credible, balanced and inclusive list, consistent with Security Council resolution 2254 and final peace talks led by Russia, Iran and Turkey.
In response, the Minister indicated that he would get respond after instructions from the Syrian leadership and that the Minister ‘preferred at this stage’ to await the outcome of the UN Special Envoy’s upcoming consultations with the Astana Guarantors, said Mr De Mistura.
The UN Special Envoy further said that given the ‘different understanding’ by the Syrian Government of the role of the UN and other on-going diplomatic efforts, a ‘very serious challenge’ ahead. But he said he would “spare no effort to address these challenge in the forthcoming weeks.”
Addressing the Council in New York via tele-conference from Lebanon, he told members he would also brief the Presidents of France, Germany, Russia and Turkey, in Istanbul, on Saturday, on the latest developments.
While the ‘window of opportunity’ to find lasting peace for the more than seven-year conflict remains open, he said, ‘it needs to be seized urgently.’
Over 330,000 Congolese migrants at risk after mass expulsion from Angola:UN
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 27: The United Nations human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, has warned that the forcible mass expulsion of Congolese migrants from Angola has resulted in ‘serious human rights violations by security forces on both sides of the border’ and left at least 330,000 returnees in an ‘extremely precarious situation’.
This month, some 330,000 people have reportedly crossed from Angola into the Kasai, Kasai Central and Kwango provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), following an expulsion order by the Government of Angola targeting irregular migrants, United Nations news reported.
“International law and the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights forbid the mass expulsion of non-nationals without individual assessment or other due process guarantees,” said the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet. “In expelling such a massive number of people in such a short time, Angola has placed tens of thousands of families at severe risk,” she regretted.
In interviews with people in the border town of Kamako in Kasai, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) received reports indicating that security forces in Angola used ‘excessive force in their operations to deport the Congolese nationals’.
The team has verified information concerning six deaths, reportedly at the hands of security forces, but has also received many other allegations of killings that it has not been able to fully verify. Reports also suggest that at least 100 people have been injured during confrontations.
According to OHCHR, several migrants also alleged that upon their arrival in Kamako, they were subjected to extortion, illegal taxation, and arbitrary detention by the DRC defence and security forces.
Some of the migrants are being hosted by families or in improvised shelters, but many are sleeping in the streets, with inadequate access to health and food, severe water shortages and lack of proper sanitation.
Angola currently hosts some 68,000 refugees and asylum seekers.
“I call on the Government of Angola to halt any ongoing deportations until it can be assured that any returns will be carried out in full respect of the rule of law and the human rights of all affected migrants,” said Ms Bachelet, calling for security forces and others responsible for violations in the course of these expulsions to be held accountable.
Warning of the risk of inter-communal violence ‘if the situation is not handled carefully’, she called for the Congolese authorities to ensure that the returnees are protected from extortion and violence, particularly given the continued lack of accountability for grave human rights violations that occurred in the Kasais between 2016 and 2017.
“I urge the Government of the DRC to ensure that members of security forces that may be responsible for violations, past and present, against people, regardless of their ethnic affiliations are subjected to investigations, with a view to ensuring justice for the victims,” she said.
“Failing this, I fear we could see a repeat of the cycles of terrible violence that erupted in the Kasais in 2016,” she further added.
Ms Bachelet also urged DRC and the international community to redouble efforts to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the returnees in Kasai, Kasai Central and Kwango. (UNI)
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