Justin+Hachey

Name: Justin Hachey Country: Mexico

Since 1971 Syria has been ruled by a questionably biased and unstable system of authoritarian government. Current Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, is said to be following in his father’s footsteps by causing the deaths of over 5,000 protestors and holding an estimated 14,000 political prisoners in Syria. The massive attacks on formerly nonviolent protestors have caused them to bear arms against their nation’s authority and strike up a civil war. Mexico, being a democratic country, supports and feels as though there is a necessary obligation to protect and ensure that international humanitarian law remains in effect at all times during the conflict, and strictly condemns the use of weapons of mass destruction against a country’s own people. Mexican officials as well as Yanerit Morgan, the Mexican Representative in the UN, still believe a diplomatic ending is best, but strongly believe that the UN Security Council must take action to stop the trade of arms in Syria and crimes committed by Assad against the Syrian people.

The revolutions in other nearby countries such as Tunisia and Egypt inspired protests to occur in Syria. Peaceful protests had occurred in 2011 until Syrian forces opened fire on protestors in April. Syrian military forces began to freely fire upon protestors, leading protestors to fire back; a civil war had begun. The military forces in Syria have been accused by the UN of committing serious human rights violations. These acts have led to Syrian anti-government activists to hope that democratic countries would come to the aid of their cause as they have gone to the aid of other conflicts in the past. Previous attempts at influencing the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, to step down have been conducted but have not succeeded. The Arab League deployed several monitors to observe the state of Syrian conflict in late 2011 through early 2012. In the last few days of January the Arab League removed all monitors due to severe deteriorating conditions, and asked the UN Security Council to create a plan to call for the resignation of Assad. The plan was later vetoed by China and Russia, leading to the plan’s demise. An estimated 4.25 million Syrians have been displaced within the country, and 1.6 million in neighboring countries. Many of these refugees do not have safe access to clean life essentials such as water, or a stable shelter.

The current use of force against the Syrian people, and use of chemical weapons must be brought to an end. Although it is likely that a diplomatic resolution will not be met, one should still be sought after. The UN should provide assistance to the Free Syrian Army to try to unite all opposition groups and appease the desires of the Assad regime in exchange for the transfer of the current system of government to a fully democratic government. Syrian citizens of different religions and political beliefs along with an outside negotiator should begin to work with President Assad in order to draft a constitution for a new democracy to abide by. In order to appease current President Assad, he should be kept in power until the natural fall of his ability to rule be reached, then a new leader shall be elected. Military forces from current democratic countries should be stationed in Syria to aid in the prevention of another insurgence, protecting President Assad’s rule. Offenses pinned the Free Syrian Army should be looked over and pardoned. Offenses by the International Criminal Court against President Assad should be carried out, but he shall remain in power under a new democratic system of government.