Mr. Han Seung-Soo
President of the 56th session of the UN General Assembly
United Nations, New York, NY 10017

Honorable Ambassador Han Seung-Soo

On behalf of the US Committee for a Free Lebanon, Inc. , the largest grass-roots Lebanese American organization in the US, we would like to express our serious concerns for the potential inclusion of Syria in the Security Council. These concerns are based on the following critical matters:

1) Syria has invaded Lebanon since June 1976 as was admitted by its past leader Hafez Assad. It has been occupying Lebanon for over 25 years and has frequently engaged in military confrontations with its civilian populations and its Armed forces, causing thousands of casualties and extensive damages. Despite UN SC Res 436 of 1978 calling on the Syrian forces to restrain from shelling civilian areas, the latter further bombarded large populated areas in 1981, 1986 and in 1989 causing severe human lives losses. And despite UN SC Res 520 of 1982, calling on all foreign forces to evacuate the country, the Syrian Army refused to withdraw. Thus, Syria was and still is in flagrant violation of UN resolutions and international law.

2) According to all main international and Lebanese Human Rights organizations, Syrian forces and security agencies have been involved in large-scale abuse of Human Rights in Lebanon. Since 1978, and particularly despite the end of the War in Lebanon in 1990, Syrian forces have committed abuses ranging from assassinations, kidnapping, arrests, abductions, detention, torture and transfer to Syrian prisons. Moreover, Syrian services have assisted Lebanese Government abuse of Human Rights, including jailing of political opposition figures (Dr. Samir Geagea) the exile of opposition leaders (General Michel Aoun) and mass arrests and beating of peaceful demonstrators. Hence, Syria has been in clear and flagrant violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Lebanon, let alone in Syria itself, according to the same international bodies, and Syrian exiled associations.

3) Since 1977, Syria has been directly or indirectly involved in Terrorism in Lebanon under different forms. From backing Terrorist organizations such as Hizbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, SSNP to conducting direct Terror attacks against civilian and Government targets in Lebanon, the Syrian Government has violated international law and has threatened peace and security in our mother country. Two President-elect along with a number of spiritual leaders, politicians, prominent journalists, political activists, Human rights cadres, and diplomats were assassinated at the instigation of the Syrian intelligence in Lebanon. Dozens of car bombs and other devices have been set by their operatives, killing and injuring thousands of civilians.   

In view of those serious, systematic and permanent violations of the three main areas of international law and in view of the legal and political consequences of such violations, the inclusion of Syria in the Security Council will be an abuse of the very basic foundations of international law and an affront to the relatives of the hundred thousands victims in Lebanon and Syria as well. It is to note, that millions of citizens around the world, who have suffered from Syrian occupation, human rights abuse and terrorism -including Lebanese and Syrian citizens- will oppose such inclusion and will reserve their rights to attack such decision in courts of law.

We urge you to draw the attention of the members of the Security Council to this grave matter, and call on you to demand from the Syrian Government to address the issues above mentioned as a pre-condition for any process of inclusion in the Council or any other international body.

Sincerely



Ziad K. Abdelnour
President
U.S Committee for a Free Lebanon, Inc.

© Copyright 1997-2004 United States Committee For A Free Lebanon. All rights reserved.

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