The Syrian Opposition Coalition’s (SOC) political committee held its regular meeting on Wednesday and Thursday, focusing on the situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and the latest briefing of the UN envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, before the UN Security Council, in addition to completing the formation of the SOC’s departments, offices and committees.
The political committee stressed that the insistence of the Lebanese authorities to forcibly deport the Syrian refugees to the regime’s areas will make them accountable for their safety. It stressed that the international community’s silence about this move, which violates UN resolutions on Syria, is unacceptable. It also stressed that the move requires clear condemnation and serious work to stop these operations.
Member of the committee Farouk Tayfour stressed the need for the United Nations to ascertain the fate of the returnees in order to ensure their safety. Meanwhile, Secretary of the Committee Abdel Majid Barakat stressed that the conditions for the voluntary, safe return of refugees will not be met as long as the Assad regime is still there. He also stressed that this forced return represents a blatant violation of all international norms and conventions on refugees rights.
The committee discussed the latest briefing of the UN envoy, Geir Pedersen, to the UN Security Council, while the SOC’s Office of Strategic Consultation provided a review of the briefing. The political committee stressed that the UN envoy continues to deviate from the essence of his mandate, which is to achieve political transition in accordance with UN resolutions on Syria. It indicated that the UN envoy is now dealing with humanitarian issues without any seriousness, especially the issues of detainees and those forcibly disappeared in Assad’s prisons.
The committee also completed the formation and restoration of the SOC’s departments, offices and committees. It also issued a decision to form and restore some committees, with the remaining committees to be completed later.
SOC’s Vice-President Ruba Habboush gave an overview on the preparations being made by the Syrian Women’s Commission to hold two workshops for Syrian women in Gaziantep and Istanbul in the coming two weeks. (Source: SOC’s media department)
