Checked Against Delivery
Good afternoon, everyone, colleagues,
And thank you for joining us this afternoon for this important Arria-formula meeting on transitional justice and missing persons in the Syrian Arab Republic.
I would also like to welcome our cosponsors, Colombia, Luxembourg and the Syrian Arab Republic as well as our four distinguished briefers. Your collective commitment to this issue both here at the United Nations and on the ground in Syria is highly commendable. We particularly wish to acknowledge the recent historical steps taken by Syria in this regard as well as the important work of Syrian survivors and civil society. We look forward to hearing your insights.
Colleagues, throughout nearly 14 years of civil war, more than half a million Syrians were killed and hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians are estimated to have disappeared.
For millions of Syrians, it seemed as though the fate of their loved ones would remain unknown, and that justice would forever remain out of reach.
However, since the fall of the Assad regime and thanks to the commitment of Syria to the transitional justice process, there is now a real possibility to make progress. To support justice and accountability for the Syrian people in line with international standards and to restore dignity for survivors who have suffered for too long.
Addressing the legacy of these violations through a comprehensive, transparent, and inclusive transitional justice process is essential. Such a process can help rebuild trust in national institutions, end the culture of impunity and help to ensure that Syria does not slide back into conflict.
But Syria is not alone in these efforts. In resolution 2282, the Security Council recognised transitional justice as integral to sustaining peace, making this track a matter of continuing importance for us here and for the international community.
The Security Council and the broader UN membership can support a range of technical efforts: enabling international transitional justice mechanisms to share more information with relevant Syrian bodies, support relevant Syrian institutions in their efforts to lead the transitional justice process, and backing a holistic, coordinated approach that improves the chances of uncovering the truth and bringing perpetrators to justice.
But we can also ensure sustained political support. Support for the efforts of Syria with the full involvement of civil society, including women and youth, and grounded in human rights.
We hope that today’s meeting can address these important discussions.
Colleagues;
15 years ago, in 2011, I was Denmark’s ambassador to Syria and met frequently with peaceful opposition figures and human rights defenders during the Syrian uprising.
One person made a particular impression on me: A young woman human rights lawyer and civil society activist, Razan Zaitouneh.
We met at her secret location, where she had gone into hiding from the regime. And she was one of the most fearless and impressive people I ever met.
In December 2013 she was kidnapped together with her husband and two other activists. And she has been missing ever since.
So, for me, this meeting is for her, her family and friends and all the other Syrians who have suffered so much not knowing the whereabouts of their loved ones.
And with that, I now pass the floor to my colleague, Ambassador Zalabata Torres of Colombia.
