This resolution condemns the Assad regime, Russia, and associated forces for violating ceasefire agreements and for attacking medical personnel and institutions, targeting civilians, or committing other war crimes and gross violations of human rights. Further, it expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) the United States and the international community should support the ceasefire and work to ensure humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees and vulnerable populations in Syria, and (2) Syria should seek a political solution that promotes a road map for peace in the country.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1061 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1061
Condemning war crimes committed in Idlib, Syria, by the regime of
Bashar Al-Assad and its backers and calling for a political solution to
the Syrian civil war.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 22, 2020
Mr. Chabot submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Condemning war crimes committed in Idlib, Syria, by the regime of
Bashar Al-Assad and its backers and calling for a political solution to
the Syrian civil war.
Whereas the Syrian civil war erupted in 2011 when Syrians peacefully protested
against the regime of Bashar Al-Assad to request basic freedoms;
Whereas the regime of Bashar Al-Assad responded to these protests with violence,
imprisonment, torture, barrel bombs, and forced displacement;
Whereas the civil war and the brutality of the Assad regime has caused nearly
600,000 Syrians to die, 5,000,000 Syrians to flee the country, and
6,000,000 to be internally displaced;
Whereas Turkey and Russia concluded the September 2018 Sochi agreement, which
included the continuation of a previously negotiated Idlib de-escalation
area, which would ensure a ceasefire in Idlib;
Whereas Syrian forces, with the assistance of Russia and Iran, launched an
offensive in early 2019 to retake the city of Idlib and surrounding
areas, violating the Sochi agreement and causing the worst humanitarian
conditions since the beginning of the conflict;
Whereas civilians, hospitals, and schools have been targeted by the Syrian
regime, Russia, and Iran;
Whereas the situation has escalated, resulting in an additional 1,000,000
internally displaced persons seeking shelter along the Turkish border
during the December 2019 to March 2020 period;
Whereas more than 80 percent of the newly displaced are women and children;
Whereas Turkey intervened in Idlib to prevent the Assad regime from forcing
these displaced persons into Turkey and destroyed many military assets
of the Assad regime including aircraft, ground vehicles, and artillery
pieces, as well as air defense systems;
Whereas, on March 3, 2020, in remarks to media while visiting Turkey, Ambassador
James F. Jeffrey, Special Representative for Syria Engagement and
Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, said, ``We will
make sure that the equipment is ready. As a NATO partner we share
information intelligence . . . and we are going to ensure that they have
what they need there.'';
Whereas, on March 5, 2020, Turkey and Russia signed a protocol introducing a
ceasefire which includes a security corridor and joint Russian-Turkish
patrols along the M4 Highway starting on March 15, 2020;
Whereas that protocol also emphasized that the targeting of civilians and
civilian infrastructure cannot be justified, and stressed the importance
of protecting civilians, preventing the displacement of the Syrian
people, facilitating the safe and voluntary return of refugees and
internally displaced persons, and ensuring humanitarian assistance to
all Syrians in need;
Whereas, on June 5, 2020, Ambassador Jeffery stated in a public briefing, ``So
the Turks are much more involved. The ceasefire is holding. Even the
Russians that I've talked to basically agree that they're seeing fewer
attacks from the terrorist groups--there are several of them: Hurras al-
Din, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham--and the Turks are working pretty
aggressively against them. They're taking losses and they're inflicting
losses to try to keep these people under control, which has been part of
this last ceasefire and the early one from September 2018. So that's a
good sign. It deprives the regime of an excuse to launch another
offensive.'';
Whereas, on July 7, 2020, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian
Arab Republic released a report documenting war crimes by the Russian
Federation, the Assad regime, and Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, between
November 2019 and June 2020;
Whereas the Commission Chair, Paulo Pinheiro, said upon release of the report,
``It is completely abhorrent that, after more than 9 years, civilians
continue to be indiscriminately attacked, or even targeted, while going
about their daily lives'', continuing, ``Children were shelled at
school, parents were shelled at the market, patients were shelled at the
hospital . . . and entire families were bombarded even while fleeing'',
and going on to say, ``What is clear from the military campaign is that
pro-government forces and UN-designated terrorists flagrantly violated
the laws of war and the rights of Syrian civilians'';
Whereas the United States and Europe stand in strong opposition to the targeting
of civilians and civilian infrastructure as well as medical
institutions;
Whereas, in July 2020, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China
vetoed a resolution supported by the United States and all other members
of the United Nations Security Council to renew the authorization of
humanitarian access at two border crossings between Turkey and Syria,
and forced the Security Council to diminish access to only one such
crossing;
Whereas the Syrian refugee crisis has placed tremendous strain on Syria's
neighbors, as well as on many countries in Europe;
Whereas it is in the interests of the United States and Europe to support
unfettered humanitarian access to Idlib and to support humanitarian
efforts within Syria; and
Whereas it is in the United States interest that the ceasefire hold, and the
United States continue its efforts to work with NATO allies to ensure
that it is extended: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives
that--
(1) it condemns the Assad regime, the Russian Federation,
and associated forces for repeatedly violating ceasefire
agreements and for attacking medical personnel and
institutions, targeting civilians, or committing other war
crimes and gross violations of human rights;
(2) the United States and the international community
should seek ways to support the ceasefire;
(3) members of the United Nations Security Council should
ensure unfettered cross-border humanitarian access to
vulnerable populations in Syria;
(4) the United States should seek international support,
especially among its NATO allies, for Turkey's efforts to
ensure civilian security and to combat the operations of
extremist groups in northwest Syria to ensure the
sustainability of the ceasefire;
(5) the United States should continue to provide leadership
in ensuring effective humanitarian assistance to Syrian
refugees and internally displaced people as well as in
facilitating the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of
refugees; and
(6) Syria should seek a political solution in accord with
United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, which promotes
a road map for the peace process in Syria.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Middle East, North Africa and International Terrorism.
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