Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Press Conference by Karla Quintana, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic, on the situation in Syria.

—————————————–

The Head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria (IIMP), Karla Quintana, said, “clarifying the fate of the missing is not only a matter of personal closure, it is also a corner store of serious path toward justice, reconciliation and reform.”

Addressing the press, Quintana said, “Everyone has someone or knows someone that is missing in Syria. We search for everyone who is missing in Syria or in the context related to Syria, regardless of their affiliation, their nationality, their ethnicity, or the context in which they went missing. The institution is a product of a collective action led by families – especially women – civil society and Member States. A continued, multilateral support for the independent institution is essential.”

She reported that IIMP is currently investigating “forcible disappearances by the former regime, missing children placed in orphanages by security services, the so ‘called Security Placements’, as well as the disappearances by Daesh, missing migrants and asylum seekers and new disappearances post December 2024 especially in Latakia, Tartus and the As-Suwayda governorates. This does not mean that we are not working on other disappearances.”

She noted, “Thanks to the work of Syrian civil society, before December 8, we had a figure of around 130,000 people missing in Syria. Two months ago, the National Commission for the search of the missing issued a statement where it stated that they thought there were in between 130,000 and 300, 000 persons missing in Syria.”

She concluded, “It is clear from the Syrian voices that there are at least two things that every Syrian has in common: the will, the hope and the love to rebuild their country and the hope to form to find their loved ones. Clarifying the fate of the missing is not only a matter of personal closure, it is also a corner store of serious path toward justice, reconciliation and reform. Looking for the missing everywhere is an ethical and collective endeavor that requires multilateralism, coordination and trust.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pun_u4zMUnM

Source: United Nations (video statements)

UN officials and others welcome the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, with Secretary-General António Guterres saying that for Israelis and Palestinians alike, the deal offers a glimmer of relief “which must become the dawn of peace; the beginning of the end of this devastating war.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwzqJjEul00

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Informal comments to the media by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on Gaza ceasefire deal.

———————————————-

Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the announcement last night (08 Oct) of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, calling it “a desperately needed breakthrough.”

Speaking to reporters today (09 Oct) in New York, Guterres commended the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye in “brokering this desperately needed breakthrough.”

“We have all waited far too long for this moment. Now we must make it truly count,” the UN chief said, urging all parties to “fully abide by the terms of the agreement – and to fully embrace the opportunities it presents.”

He continued, “All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The bloodshed must stop once and for all.”

Guterres reiterated that the United Nations will provide its “full support.”

He said, “We and our partners are prepared to move – now. We have the expertise, the distribution networks, and community relationships in place to act. Supplies are in place, and our teams are on standby. We can scale up food, water, medical and shelter assistance at once.”

“But to turn this ceasefire into real progress, we need more than the silencing of the guns,” the Secretary-General said, emphasizing the need for “full, safe and sustained access for humanitarian workers; the removal of red tape and impediments; and the rebuilding of shattered infrastructure.”

“And we need Member States to ensure that humanitarian operations are properly funded to meet the immense needs,” he added.

Guterres stressed, “We must never forget the unbearable human cost of this conflict,” mourning all of the lives lost, including United Nations personnel and humanitarian workers, he paid tribute to colleagues who continue to “serve with courage and compassion in conditions of extreme risk.”

The UN chief highlighted, “For Israelis and Palestinians alike, this deal offers a glimmer of relief. That glimmer must become the dawn of peace; the beginning of the end of this devastating war.”

Guterres urged all to “seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward. A path towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution. A path to a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians – and to wider peace security in the Middle East.”

“This breakthrough shows us the power and potential of diplomacy,” the Secretary-General reiterated, adding “let it be a reminder that the solutions to conflicts are not found on the battlefield. They must be forged at the negotiating table. And then, crucially, they must be fully implemented. The world is watching.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4-j_eyBqS0