India has always condemned acts of violence in Syria as well as violations of human rights law, irrespective of who their perpetrators are, said Pratik Mathur, Counsellor in India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at a special meeting by the UN Security Council on Tuesday (IST).

The UNSC Arria-formula meeting on accountability in Syria was organised to highlight the prevailing impunity in Syria with regard to the past and continued commission of serious crimes of concern to the international community, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The UNSC members Estonia, France, the United Kingdom and the United States, with additional co-sponsors Belgium, Canada, Germany, Georgia, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Qatar, Sweden and Turkey held the meeting.

Participating in the meeting, Pratik Mathur said the persisting and repeated calls for regime change and external support to the armed groups in Syria complicated the situation and resulted in the growth of terrorism.

“India firmly believes that long-term security and stability of the region can only be achieved by preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria,” ANI quoted him as saying.

The meeting highlighted the need to reinvigorate discussions in the Security Council on accountability in Syria, and for the Council to assume its responsibilities in this regard.

Sven Jürgenson, Estonia’s Permanent Representative to the UN who headed the meeting, said, “The armed conflict in Syria has entered its second decade. What began as demonstrations and demands for democratic reforms was met with brutal force by the Syrian regime. Since then, Syrian people have gone through unimaginable suffering, and experienced violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Hopes for the respect of human rights and the rule of law, and an end to corruption were shattered by violence and extremism. The killings, torture, sexual violence and forced disappearances continue to this day.”

Sven Jürgenson said while considerable efforts to gather and maintain evidence into these atrocities are made, “inaction by the UNSC continues to fuel the horrific actions in Syria”. “To regain credibility in the eyes of the international community, this and the upcoming membership of the Security Council needs to hear the victims, stop the ongoing atrocities and ensure the prosecution of perpetrators,” he said.