Mr Chairman,
President Radi,
Members of the Assembly.
As the death toll grows in Syria, so do the desperate and anguished cries for help by the people of Syria. Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict two years ago, South Africa and the international community have condemned the grave political, security and humanitarian situation in Syria.
We condemn in the strongest terms the continued and violent loss of life in Syria, and call for maximum restraint from all parties in the conflict. Recent reports of the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria are of serious concern. Such weapons result in indiscriminate death and destruction.
The International community must send a strong message to both sides of this internecine conflict that no cause could ever justify the use of such weapons of mass destruction. South Africa holds the view that any solution to the Syrian crisis should be Syrian- led, based on genuine dialogue, devoid of any form of intimidation and free from outside interference.
The South African government and people remain ready to assist the people of Syria to implement the Geneva Declaration on Syria, as it is a valid basis for implementation to stop the bloodshed in Syria. We therefore urge all sides to move toward a political transition and work closely with the Joint Representative of the UN and the League of Arab States, Lakhdar Brahimi.
We call on the Syrian Government and the opposition to declare an immediate and binding ceasefire, in a renewed bid to prevent the makings of a regional catastrophe with global ramifications.
Drawing from our own experience and painful past, we, as South Africans, urge the people of Syria to find a comprehensive political solution. A solution based on respect for democratic principles, rule of law, justice, and human rights - which should include the socio-economic development needs of the people of Syria, to achieve long-term peace and stability.
We join the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs in calling for the scaling up of humanitarian assistance to all areas affected by the fighting. In this regard, it is important that humanitarian efforts remain completely separate from any political agenda.
Now is the time for the international community to set aside its own interests and differences and to stand together in support and solidarity with the people of Syria. We, therefore, call on the international community to continue to contribute unselfishly to provide protection, food, medical assistance, for the long-suffering people of Syria.
As Parliamentarians, we must continue to stand in support of national dialogue, mediation and rapid responses to human rights violations and conflicts. The men, women and children of Syria, as indeed all of humanity, are deserving of peace, justice, democracy and human rights.
It is our hope and prayer that this situation will be speedily resolved in a peaceful manner in accordance with the will of the people of Syria and in the interests of the people of the region.
I wish to close with the wisdom of Nelson Mandela and I quote: “Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.”
