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STORY: GENEVA / COI SYRIA
TRT: 3.10
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS
DATELINE: 18 MARCH 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. External shot, Palais des Nations
2. Tilt down, from ceiling to meeting room
3. SOUNDBITE (English), Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic:
“There are now hundreds of non-State armed groups. Foreign fighters have streamed into Syria, often joining the more extremist battalions. Some, notably ISIS operating in Aleppo and Al-Raqqah governorates, are imposing their radical ideologies on the civilian population.”
4. Cutaway, delegates
5. SOUNDBITE (English), Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic:
“The Government’s campaign of barrel-bombing, notably targeting entire areas in Aleppo city has spread terror amongst the civilian population. Terrorism, in all its forms, is a grave threat to international peace and security. All acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomever committed.”
6. Cutaway, delegates
7. SOUNDBITE (English), Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic:
“The international community has done little but bear witness to the plight of those caught in the maelstrom. Syrians feel abandoned and hopeless. The overwhelming imperative is for the parties, influential states and the international community to work to ensure the protection of civilians.”
8. Cutaway, delegates
9. SOUNDBITE (English), Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic:
“We have an enormous volume of testimony – over 2700 interviews as well as a wealth of documentary material. We do not lack information on crimes or on perpetrators. What we lack is a means by which to achieve justice and accountability.”
10. Pan right, meeting room
11. Wide shot, press room
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Vitit Muntarbhorn, Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic:
“The message in our reports is also, not only to the armed groups, the extremist groups, but also to the sponsors, what we call the constituencies behind, and the call for responsibility is that the constituencies must ensure that the aid they give does not land up in the hand of those who will be committing crimes, war crimes, crimes against humanity, so that is the call particularly to the sponsors otherwise they too might ultimately be accountable in terms of criminal accountability.”
13. Cutaway, journalists
14. SOUNDBITE (English), Carla Del Ponte, Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic:
“I would say at this time in view of the huge amount of crimes committed, I think that a tribunal would be preferable in fact because it can have a seat near to Syria and facilitate the work, the activity.”
15. Med shot, two journalists
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic presented its findings to the Human Rights Council today in Geneva.It said the period of January 20 to March 10 was marked by escalating hostilities between insurgent groups throughout northern and northeastern provinces as Islamist rebel strongholds came under attack.
There are now hundreds of non-State armed groups and foreign fighters that are streaming into Syria are more likely to join the extreme ones. They are also reportedly imposing their radical ideologies on the civilian population.
The Chair of the Commission, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro said in his briefing that the Government forces with their campaign of campaign of barrel-bombing, “notably targeting entire areas in Aleppo city has spread terror amongst the civilian population”.
Pinheiro said that the “International Community has done little but bear witness to the plight of those caught in the maelstrom”, leaving Syrians feeling abandoned and hopeless.
The Commission has assembled more than 2700 testimonies and “a wealth of documentary material” on crime that can be used to bring the perpetrators to justice.
At the press conference following the briefing, Vitit Muntarbhorn the COI human rights expert has sent the message not only to armed groups but its sponsors as well, since they must insure that “aid they give does not land up in the hand of those who will be committing crimes, war crimes, crimes against humanity”.
Otherwise they also will be hold accountable for the crimes committed by armed groups.
The Commission recommended that Security Council establish a tribunal to deal with huge number of crime committed in Syria.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic was established in 2011 by the Human Rights Council with a mandate to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law committed since March 2011 in the Syrian Arab Republic.
