Pax Christi: Stop selling arms to Syria

Pax Christi has called for the world to stop supplying arms to war in Syria. In statement the organisation says:

The tragedy of war and the horrendous suffering of the Syrian people continue without respite. Pax Christi International believes that this armed confrontation – which continues to destabilize the region affecting mostly civilians – can be stopped if the international community focuses on promoting serious political negotiations and discourages violence in all its forms.

The death toll in Syria is over 160,000 people while more than 680,000 people have been injured. Almost half the Syrian population has been displaced, including close to three million people who are registered as refugees in neighbouring countries, where resources are not sufficient to fulfill their needs.

Pax Christi International highlights once again that in 2011 thousands of Syrians went into the streets peacefully calling for freedom and reforms. Our movement has continued to support civilians who are trying to address the conflict through nonviolent means and actions. We want to underline the important efforts being made by peaceful Syrians to sustain the fabric of society. Those courageous women and men are essential to the new Syria that is in the making.

However, international actors – including governments – are fuelling the armed conflict by supplying or financing weapons and ammunitions, training combatants and even sending military contingents to one or more sides. Some think-tanks have made efforts to document arms transfers but, in general, there is a serious lack of accountability in this regard. The European Union imposed an arms embargo on the Syrian government that lasted for only a few months. Arms transfers have continued throughout the war with levels of international involvement that suggest a “proxy war” in Syria. This international involvement has also created frequent deadlocks in UN Security Council debates on issues regarding Syria. Pax Christi International does not believe that there is a military solution to the Syrian conflict – on the contrary, its ramifications are becoming more and more deadly for the region. The international community, especially state actors directly or indirectly providing military support to the parties in conflict, should redirect their efforts and launch immediately a bold diplomatic initiative to facilitate a negotiated solution. The international engagement that led to the removal of Syria’s chemical weapons was a positive effort and shows that effective collaborative action is possible,

Pax Christi calls the international community to take action on issues regarding arms transfers, political negotiations, humanitarian assistance and refugees:

* The international community – the United Nations, the European Union and all national governments – should work towards bringing an end to the conflict. As a first step, a United Nations arms embargo should be mandated, ideally by the
Security Council, but, if not, by the General Assembly or by individual countries, as expressed by the UN Secretary General. Secondly, a new framework for political transition should be developed with the support of the international community.

* The United Nations, supported by other key international actors, should resume a political process and hold inclusive negotiations to create a framework for the future of Syria. Pax Christi salutes the nomination of Mr. Staffan de Mistura as the new UN Special Envoy for the Syria crisis. All parties involved in the conflict should re-engage with Mr de Mistura and with Mr. Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy, Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, in this political process. Pax Christi underlines the
importance of involving nonviolent civil society, including women leaders, in the negotiating process itself, as well as the need to ensure accountability for all war crimes with support of the International Criminal Court.

* Protection of Syrian civilians and delivery of humanitarian assistance remains one of the top priorities. All parties should commit unequivocally to enforce UN Security Council Resolutions 2139 concerning humanitarian assistance, including medical and surgical supplies. As Resolution 2165 states: “the United Nations humanitarian agencies and the implementing partners are authorized to use routes across conflict lines.”

The Resolution also “stresses the need for all border crossings to be used efficiently for United Nations humanitarian operations.” Pax Christi International underlines the importance of respecting human rights and international humanitarian law.

* European countries should continue to review their asylum policies and commit to generously accepting Syrian refugees in their countries. The international community – high-income economies in particular – should meet fully the costs of the humanitarian emergency generated by this war.

Pax Christi International believes that peace is possible and echoes the words of Pope Francis, who has called on Syria and the international community to “boldly negotiate the peace long awaited and long overdue.”

Click here to join Pax Christi's Call for Action now: http://paxchristi.us7.listmanage.com/track/click=d36eca0b97c5e510d0e8e5745&id=5ccca9ef88&e=03c2e31196