Pax Christi International statement on Syria

Today, Pax Christi International released a statement regarding the ongoing conflict in Syria. The statement, entitled, 'Endless war crimes and enormous human suffering: the people of Syria are in need of justice and peaceful support,' begins:

Syria's war has created the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Six years have passed since violent repression by the Assad regime turned what began as a peaceful uprising for freedom and dignity into a brutal war. The consequences are unspeakable: half the country's pre-war population - more than 11 million people - have been killed or forced to flee. See www.mercycorps.org/articles/iraq-jordan-lebanon-syria-turkey/quick-facts-what-you-need-know-about-syria-crisis

Pax Christi International is appalled by the continuation of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Our movement unequivocally condemns the chemical gas attack that killed 72 people, including 20 children, See: www.syriahr.com/en/?p=64136 in Khan Sheikhoun. Many of our member organisations have also expressed their concerns. Despite Syria's ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the supposed destruction of Syria's chemical stockpile by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and UN Security Council resolutions, these despicable weapons obviously remain available in Syria - possibly to different sides - and have once again caused enormous suffering.

We fully support the ongoing investigation of the OPCW into the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The OPCW is investigating the incident www.opcw.org/news/article/media-brief-reported-use-of-chemical-weapons-southern-idlib-syria-4-april-2017/ under the continued mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) and has initiated contact with the Syrian authorities. The OPCW should have full access to attack sites and report to the UN Security Council as soon as possible. The international community should collect evidence and build criminal cases for perpetrators, including individuals, to be held criminally accountable so that justice be brought to victims. In this regard individual countries should step up their concrete support for the recently established international, impartial and independent UN mechanism for accountability in Syria....

Read the full statement here: www.paxchristi.net/news/pax-christi-international-statement-situation-syria/6626#sthash.t16ZHfXo.fvA9sh1M.dpbs