FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, ON- It is with great optimism that UOSSM welcomes the prospect of the “Uniting for Peace” resolution on Syria led by 74 UN member states and 223 NGO’s/ civil society organizations initiated yesterday.
The General Assembly resolution 377A(V) of 1950: "‘Uniting for Peace’, otherwise known as the Dean Acheson resolution, “Resolves that if the Security Council, because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members, fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in any case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, the General Assembly shall consider the matter immediately with a view to making appropriate recommendations to Members for collective measures.”
It has been 5 years of failed attempts/ political deadlock by the UN Security Council to stop the humanitarian catastrophe; the bombing of hospitals and schools, the use of chemical weapons against civilians *, the maiming and murder of children, starvation, torture, the killing of nearly 500,000 citizens and forced displacement of 11,000,000 people.
This will be the first attempt to move outside the UN security council framework and have the world at large work towards peace and security in Syria. We applaud Canada’s diplomatic leadership in seeking UN General Assembly action and we urge all UN Member States to join the 74 countries who are supporting this initiative.
We ask UN member states to request an Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly to stop the siege and bombing of civilians in Aleppo, to immediately airdrop humanitarian aid to Eastern Aleppo and create independent humanitarian corridors for the safe evacuation of the wounded/ civilians.
