OIC advisory body: World ‘failed to act’ over Aleppo

The UN and other parties “failed to act quickly and decisively” over the situation in Aleppo, exacerbating hostilities in the war-torn Syrian city, the OIC’s advisory body on human rights has said.
The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) expressed “shock and dismay” over the latest atrocities in the city, which has seen scores of killings and civilian injuries.
The international community’s “inaction” had “exacerbated hostilities and resulted in scores of civilian casualties and destruction” in Aleppo, the IPHRC, an advisory body of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), said in a statement.
“The United Nations Security Council and other relevant actors failed to act quickly and decisively, which could have enabled a humanitarian truce, safe exit of civilians and passage of humanitarian assistance,” it said.
The IPHRC strongly condemned the “ongoing human rights violations” in Aleppo, emphasizing the need to protect civilians and abide by international humanitarian and human rights law. It directed this to all parties in the conflict, but “in particular the Syrian government and its allies.”
It pointed to the shocking images coming from Aleppo, with accounts of atrocities including summary executions, and residents’ desperate calls for intervention.
“These graphic images are enough to shake the conscience of the world,” the IPHRC said.
The commission echoed the words of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who said earlier that “we have collectively failed the people of Syria.”
It also supported a call made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to take urgent steps to ensure that the tens of thousands of people impacted by the Aleppo situation are “treated in line with international humanitarian and human rights law.”
The IPHRC urged the Security Council to “take immediate and stern actions to bring an end to the hell being let loose in Aleppo as well as to force all parties to the conflict in Syria to agree on an inclusive political solution.”
The IPHRC said that the “time for action” has started. “History will not easily absolve us from this inaction,” it added.

Source: Arab News