“Some of you may be wondering what lessons can be learned from the Syrian crisis – in particular the role of Russia – when we look at what is happening in Ukraine today”, questioned the President of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro.

“We are seeing similar practices in the conflict that we are currently seeing in another country” than Syria, the UN investigator told the press, while noting that Russia is only assisting the authorities in Syria, unlike its offensive in Ukraine.

According to the Commission of Inquiry, the lack of respect for human rights and international humanitarian law in Syria has eroded respect for fundamental standards. This served to highlight “the deadly cynicism of armed actors, where might makes right and where denial and obfuscation are used to deflect blame or criticism and undermine accountability”.

Commenting on the news from the Syrian angle, Mr. Pinheiro recalled the attempts of the warring parties to resolve the Syrian conflict militarily over the past decade. A deal that has allowed “the violation of almost all fundamental human rights, the commission of almost all crimes against humanity listed in the Rome Statute and almost all war crimes”.

We need “compassion for all Syrians”

“We can only hope that world leaders do everything in their power to prevent Ukraine from experiencing a similar fate,” said the Brazilian jurist. “We have not seen any change in the Russian presence” in Syria for the moment, affirmed for his part another member of the Commission, Hanny Megally. The latter says he is “very worried” to find in Ukraine the same violations observed in Syria.

In the meantime, the war in Ukraine should not make us forget the daily life of Syrian civilians, with a conflict having killed “hundreds of thousands of people”. For UN investigators, ten years of “devastating” conflict have also resulted in the displacement of half of the pre-war population. More than 100,000 people are also missing.

More broadly, the “distress of the Syrian people” is not just a warning for other conflicts, as is often presented in the media. “But it is a situation that still requires concerted diplomatic attention, humanitarian action and compassion for all Syrians, whether they are in Syria, refugees or asylum seekers abroad,” insisted Paulo Sergio. Pinheiro.

Ongoing violence even if some parts are spared from active fighting

Additionally, while parts of Syria are no longer actively fighting, violence against civilians continues across the country. These include “bombings in the northwest, north and northeast, targeted killings, illegal detentions and torture,” said the chairman of the Commission.

On the ground, the reporting period (July 1-December 31, 2021) was marked above all by an intensification of the bombardments in the north-west of the country and by skirmishes between the Syrian National Army (ANS) supported by Turkey and the Syrian Democratic Forces in the northeast.

The Commission has documented serious violations of fundamental human rights and international humanitarian law by parties to the conflict, including war crimes and continuing patterns of crimes against humanity.

In Idlib and western Aleppo in the northwest, residential areas were shelled indiscriminately from the ground by pro-government forces. “Among the many incidents we investigated, a bride was killed at her wedding to four younger sisters and children were bombed on their way to school,” said Hanny Megally.

UN investigators call for review of international sanctions

Generally speaking, civilians are attacked using sophisticated weapon systems, high precision and airstrikes – including in strikes where Russian aircraft have been identified flying over targeted areas.

More generally, in the face of a “devastating humanitarian crisis”, and a war economy in freefall aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic, UN investigators have called for a review of international sanctions which affect some of the most vulnerable in a Syrian civilian population having endured more than ten years of conflict.

In view of the deterioration of living conditions, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria has called for a “re-examination of the implementation and effects of the sanctions currently imposed on Syria”. Despite the humanitarian exemptions, the UN investigators believe that “more must be done to mitigate the unintended consequences” on the daily life of the civilian population resulting from “excessive respect for sanctions”.

“When sanctions are not adequately reviewed, they can lead to further shortages and hamper humanitarian assistance, for the most vulnerable populations, with a devastating impact on everyone except the political elite. and economic”, warned the president of the Commission of Inquiry, Paulo Pinheiro.

Between inflation and fears about the “negative consequences” of the Ukrainian crisis

With more than half of the pre-war population displaced and over 90% of the population living in poverty, Syrians face a new chasm as violence escalates, both in military skirmishes and bombings than kidnappings and killings outside conflict zones. Beyond the active frontlines, the daily lives of Syrian women, men and children are increasingly difficult and dangerous.

Twelve million people are food insecure, and an unprecedented 14.6 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Moreover, Syria is now facing the worst drought it has seen in decades.

Moreover, the Commission of Inquiry expressed concern about the “negative consequences” of the Ukrainian crisis, which would only contribute to greater pressure on the prices of foodstuffs such as wheat. Inflation is already skyrocketing and already close to 140% at the start of the year.

Under these conditions, the Syrian government began rationing basic necessities, including fuel.

“Import prices have skyrocketed and we have to remember that most of Syria’s wheat imports come from Ukraine or Russia,” Pinheiro said, noting that this risks pushing more Syrians in poverty. “These are the chasms facing the Syrian people, caught between warring parties and everywhere repressed and exploited by armed actors.”