UN: #WORLD must protect Syrian civilians - esmond020's blog

UN: World must protect Syrian civilians - esmond020's blog

The United Nations' human rights chief called on the international community Friday to protect Syrian civilians from violence, strongly condemning the Syrian government for "gross and systematic" violations by its forces.

The call came as violence surged across the country, with hours of intense shooting that sent stray bullets whizzing across the border.....nternational intervention, such as the NATO action in Libya that helped topple Moammar Gadhafi, is all but out of the question in Syria. But the European Union, the Arab League, Turkey and others have piled on sanctions aimed at crippling the regime once and for all.

The EU's latest sanctions, which were announced Thursday, target 12 people and 11 companies with travel bans and asset freezes. They add to a long list of regime figures previously sanctioned by the EU, including Assad himself and high-ranking security officials.

The identities of those on the new list were made public Friday in the EU's official journal. They include the ministers of finance and the economy, as well as army officers.

Also on the list are the pro-government Cham Press TV and Al-Watan newspaper, as well as a research center that the EU says provides support to the Syrian military in acquiring equipment for the surveillance of demonstrators.

Three oil companies, which the EU statement said provide financial support to the regime, were also listed. They include the Syria Trading Oil Company, which is responsible for Syria's oil exports.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC also said Friday it will halt its operations in Syria to comply with the penalties.

The economic sanctions will limit the regime's access to cash at a time when Assad is relying more than ever on the support of the business classes.

Assad has spent years shifting the country away from the socialism espoused by his father, which helped boost a new and vibrant merchant class that transformed Syria's economic landscape ? even as the regime's political trappings remained unchanged.

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So far, the monied classes have clung to the sidelines, but if the economic squeeze reaches them, it could be a game-changer for the regime.

Despite Friday's diplomatic squeeze, violence continued..."The evidence we have seen leaves no doubt about the complicity of Syrian authorities and provides a very strong basis for accountability to go forward in other institutions where that is their mandate."

Asked whether this meant the International Criminal Court, she replied: "Absolutely, including the ICC if the Security Council chooses to refer this matter."

"It is clear that the Syrian government is willing to do anything to strangle the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement. "The United States strongly supports the Commission's efforts to expose the abuses by the Assad regime and help bring the human rights violators to account."

The 47-nation rights council passed a resolution backed by 37 African, European, Asian, Arab and American members chiding Syria for "gross and systematic violations of human rights."

Russia and China were among four countries to vote against the motion.

The resolution also established the post of a special human rights investigator to investigate abuses in Syria.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this story.
[read more at link.. I almost didn't post it because it was pissing me off... telling #AssadLies to make sure they are covering both sides of the story I suppose. ]