Amnesty International urges UN General Assembly to condemn Russia’s veto on Syrian aid

LONDON — In the wake of the severe impact of Russia’s veto in the United Nations Security Council on the lives of millions of Syrians residing in northern Syria’s camps, Amnesty International called on Member States of the UN General Assembly to take a stand against Russia’s misuse of its veto power. The organization also urged the international community to affirm the neutrality of the cross-border aid mechanism, safeguarding it from the influence of the Syrian regime.

Amnesty International reported that Russia has been progressively restricting the scope of the aid mechanism’s decisions through its veto. Initially, the mechanism allowed for aid delivery through four border crossings.

“Since 2019, Russia has abused its veto to reduce the scope of the mechanism’s decision from four border crossings to one border crossing, which is the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, and then to no border crossings at all,” the organization reported.

UN member states should unequivocally condemn Russia’s abuse of its veto power 👇 https://t.co/WFpxxJll2N

— Amnesty International (@amnesty) July 19, 2023

Sherine Tadros, Deputy Director of Advocacy and Representative to the United Nations for Amnesty International, highlighted the dire consequences of Russia’s latest veto. With the UN no longer able to provide aid and essential services through the cross-border mechanism, approximately four million people in northwestern Syria are now at risk of losing access to life-saving assistance.

The Syrian regime granted the UN a limited six-month permit to utilize the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, with the condition that aid operations be fully coordinated with the government and exclude any interaction with terrorist organizations or groups. Additionally, the distribution process would be supervised by the Syrian Red Cross and Crescent.

However, the United Nations vehemently rejected these conditions, stressing the importance of maintaining the impartiality and effectiveness of the aid mechanism. The refusal to comply with the Syrian regime’s terms underscores the significance of ensuring humanitarian assistance reaches those in need without undue political influence.

Amnesty International’s call for condemnation and action from the UN General Assembly emphasizes the urgent need for a swift resolution to this critical humanitarian crisis, where countless lives hang in the balance.