GENEVA, (SANA)- Syria's Representative to the UN Human Rights Council, Faisal al-Hamwi, on Friday said the way in which al-Houla crime was committed indicates the perpetrators are terrorists linked to sabotage and takfiri groups whose main motive was to ignite sectarian sedition in a region with a multi-community social fabric.
Al-Hamwi, speaking at a Human Rights Council session to vote on a resolution to conduct investigation into al-Houla massacre, said the massacre, in which innocents were brutally killed, was condemned in the strongest terms, explaining how armed terrorist groups of 600 to 800 gunmen attacked al-Houla region and committed the massacre using various types of weapons and mortars and then white weapons when they ran out of ammunition to kill peaceful civilians.
He said the Syrian government announced the formation of a judicial investigation committee to investigate into the massacre since the early hours of its occurrence.
Al-Hamwi referred to the findings of the committee's initial report which revealed that the murderers' main motive behind the crime was "to ignite sectarian sedition in a region made up of a multi-community social fabric living in peace and amity."
He also highlighted that the report indicated that there were no signs of shellfire on the martyrs' bodies, dismissing the claims of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in her speech at the session, wondering how she reached these conclusions while she was in Geneva.
He added that the committee stressed that the victims were killed at point-blank range and that the initial investigation conducted with a number of the arrested, some of them holding non-Syrian nationalities, showed that the intention of the attackers was to turn the place into an area near the Lebanese borders outside the state's control.
"It has become common for the armed terrorist groups to commit their massacres at specific timings as to precede a Security Council session or the visit of international envoy Kofi Annan," said al-Hamwi, adding that the purpose of these massacres is to invoke special sessions on Syria to come out with "futile condemnation resolutions such as the malevolent draft resolution proposed today."
He described such resolutions as "unavailing" that reflect their proposers' despair and which are totally rejected by Syria as they harm the credibility of the Security Council.
"No sane person can believe some of this session's sponsors when they show sorrow and pain for the victims at the time when they participate in killing the Syrians and shedding their blood," said the Syrian Ambassador to the Human Rights Council.
He denounced how some of those sponsoring countries openly uncovered, in the words of their senior officials, their hateful media support to the armed terrorist groups and the millions of dollars and ships loaded with shipments of advanced weapons, most of which were Israeli-made, provided to these groups, in addition to hosting and training thousands of terrorists and sending them to Syria to carry out killings and sabotage acts.
Al-Hamwi said the United States, who was the first to investigate to hold this session, did not conceal its support to the armed opposition since the beginning of the crisis in Syria or its orders not to hand over their arms and or accept to go to dialogue to solve the crisis.
He wondered how these countries anticipate the investigation results in al-Houla and make hasty judgments and accusations against the Syrian government, saying that their aim is to provide cover for the real killers, question the role of the UN observers and foil Annan's plan which they bet on its failure.
He added that these countries ignored that the style of committing the crime indicates its perpetrators "who are the terrorists linked to sabotage and takfiri groups," noting that the investigation will reveal their responsibility and that of their instigators and that the confessions of the arrested among them will be made open to the whole world.
Al-Hamwi said that Syria has repeatedly announced that it is responsible for protecting its people against killing and terrorism and that it will do every necessary thing in line with the Syrian laws and its commitments towards the international agreements and conventions to preserve its people and come out of the crisis.
"Those who really want to help Syria do so should stop the cheap media instigation and supplying weapons and financial support to the murderers and suicide bombers," said the Syrian ambassador, adding that "all should know that the solution in Syria will never be through the dialogue of weapons but through constructive and positive dialogue among those who discard violence, killing and terrorism and put Syria's interest, future and safety above all else."
Al-Hamwi: UNHRC Session Aims to Further Complicate Syrian Crisis
Al-Hamwi said that the aim of the UN Human Rights Council session is to issue vindictive and unjust decisions that further complicate the crisis in Syria, especially that ''they are unpleased with Syria's commitment to the plan of the UN Envoy to Syria.''
In a phone call with the Syrian TV on Friday, al-Hamwi said that the majority of the UNHRC members are from Western countries and some Arab and Islamic states which succumb to the dictates of the US delegation.
''The decision expected today holds Syria responsible for this heinous crime even before the investigation ends, knowing that we already informed them that the initial findings implicate armed terrorist groups…The aim is to flood Syria with more decisions and denunciation that harm the reputation of the UNHRC," al-Hamwi added.
Al-Hamwi said that the shameful anti-Syria smear campaign in the aftermath of al-Houla massacre kills the victims anew, adding ''They don't want the crisis to be solved in a way that guarantees security and stability…They want to see this country fragmented to serve Israel's goals…Had they been sincere, they would have convened one session about the Israeli occupation measures and violations.''
Borodavkin: Some Countries Rush to Name Culprits of al-Houla Massacre and Exploit People's Tragedies for Their Own Unilateral Interests
Russia's Permanent Representative at the Human Rights Council Alexei Borodavkin voiced his country's opposition of investigating al-Houla massacre using the council's mechanisms, saying that some countries rush to name culprits of al-Houla massacre and exploit people's tragedies for their own unilateral interests.
Borodavkin said that these countries are seeking to thwart the plan of UN Envoy to Syria Kofi Annan, describing the decision issued by the council as an element for carrying out this strategy.
He said that Russia opposes the use of this Council to orchestrate a military scenario against Syria based on foreign interference, stressing the need to not to anticipate the results of the investigations carried out by the UN observers along with the Syrian authorities, and demanding that the Council refrain from impeding the investigation.
Borodavkin said that inviting Annan to the Council for briefing will have negative results, and that Annan's diplomatic work is difficult, sensitive and exclusive and cannot be expressed in general discussion.
He also voiced his country's high concern over some countries' attempts to avoid waiting the results of the UN observers' investigations into al-Houla massacre, stressing that the only way to end the Syria crisis is by avoiding the militarization of the conflict and by pressuring all sides to end violence and supporting Annan's plan, affirming Russia's adherence to this stance and calling on other countries to do likewise.
China Calls on International Community to Encourage All Sides in Syria to Engage in Dialogue, Reiterates Rejection of Military Intervention
China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva Liu Zhenmin called on the international community to encourage all sides in Syria to engage in dialogue, reiterating his country's rejection of military intervention in Syria.
During the Human Rights Council session, Zhenmin stressed that the international community should encourage sides in Syria to engage in dialogue rather than encourage them to continue fighting, calling on all sides in Syria to cease all forms of violence and begin a political dialogue as soon as possible.
He also called on the international community to support the international observer mission Syria, stressing his country's rejection of military intervention in Syria or imposing a "regime change" in it.
Zhenmin added that China wishes to play a positive role with the international community to reach a quick solution to the Syrian issue, saying that while his country supports discussing Syria at the Council, but this discussion should push the political process forward, which would resolve the Syrian crisis.
He also urged the Syrian government and opposition groups to fully implement Kofi Annan's plan and relevant UN Security Council resolution, stressing that China strongly condemns the murder of civilians, including women in children, in al-Houla, and that it supports a full investigation into the incident.
UNHRC Adopts Resolution on Houla Massacre in Syria, Russia, China, Cuba and the Philippines Voted Against
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Friday adopted a resolution on the massacre in the Houola in Syria.
Agence France-Presse mentioned that Russia, China, Cuba and the Philippines opposed the resolution, which was taken during a special session held by the Council on Syria while Uganda and Ecuador abstained from voting.
ALBA :the resolution reflects " the desires to interfere in Syria's internal affairs, without contributing to dialogue nor to the search for peace"
The ALBA Group released a statement lashing out at the resolution of UNHRC as reflecting " the desires to interfere in Syria's internal affairs, without contributing to dialogue nor to the search for peace,".
"We value the Syrian government's steps in attending to the legitimate demands of those who have protested peacefully ... and the program of reforms carried out, as well as its willingness to implement the peace plan of Kofi Annan," the Group added in its statement published by Reuters.
The ALBA joins Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador and the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and St. Vincente and the Grenadines.
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