UN rights forum to hold urgent Syria session-envoys

Source: Reuters

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The United Nations Human Rights Council is set to hold an emergency session next week to denounce Syria's military assault on protesters seeking to topple the president after enough states backed the initiative, diplomats said on Tuesday.

European countries, the United States and Kuwait are among 18 members to have endorsed holding the session on Monday, they said. A formal request, which requires the backing of at least 16 members or one-third of the forum's membership, will be submitted on Wednesday.

"The situation is serious," a Western diplomat told Reuters. "A special session will allow us to put pressure on Syria on human rights issues and send them a clear message."

Syrian tanks fired on poor Sunni Muslim districts in the port city of Latakia on Tuesday, the fourth day of an assault which has killed dozens and forced thousands of Palestinian refugees to flee, activists said.

A senior Palestinian official described the military offensive in the city as "a crime against humanity", adding to Arab condemnation of President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on popular demonstrations calling for his overthrow.

"What is happening is unacceptable. Using the navy to fire on a refugee camp doesn't look good," said another Geneva-based diplomat who declined to be identified. "The knife has touched the bone."

Rights groups say at least 1,700 civilians have been killed by security forces since protests erupted in March. Syrian authorities blame others for the violence, saying anti-government forces have killed 500 soldiers and police.

The United States and European Union are lobbying the three other Arab members of the Council -- Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia -- to take a strong stand, according to Western and Arab diplomats.

The Geneva forum, in a special session requested by the United States on April 29, condemned Syria for using deadly force against peaceful protesters and launched an investigation into killings and other alleged crimes.

U.N. rights investigators, who were not allowed into Syria, have drawn up a report based on interviews with victims and witnesses of the violence. It is due to be issued on Thursday, coinciding with a debate in the U.N. Security Council.

Wounded and sick people in the most affected Syrian towns have shrinking access to health care and hospitals, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Tuesday, citing "direct allegations" received by the independent aid agency.

"They are afraid of being arrested on the way or being caught up in the fighting," ICRC spokesman Christian Cardon told Reuters.

ICRC officials are trying to deliver more assistance to towns hit by the violence but have not yet been allowed to visit any people detained in connection with the unrest, he said. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay)


(2011-8-16/AlertNet)