UN Updates Syrian Protests Death Toll to 2900

Stop Fundamentalism – A day after a United Nations Security Council draft resolution, strongly worded to condemn Syrian government’s violence against its own people, is vetoed by Russian and China, the United Nations’ human rights office raises the official death toll in Syrian protests to 2900 today.  The outbreak of protests and demonstrations happened back in March and many more people have been arrested and tortured since then.

“The total number has passed 2900 according to the list of individual names we have been compiling,” said Rupert Colville from the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights to the UN News reporter.  He added that the previews tally stood at 2700 according to UN official records.

The OHCHR has ordered an inquiry in to the violence after a fact-finding mission by the commission showed a range of government abuses including murders, arrests and tortures.

After the strong draft resolution condemning the actions of the Syrian government was voted down in a rare joint action by Russia and China, the two countries’ representatives expressed concern that the draft may have aggravated tensions and violence in the country.

Recent fallouts of the Syrian army have been forming armed groups to resist against military forces of Bashar Assad as a development that could raise the protests into a nationwide armed conflict for freedom.

In another development, Syrian opposition groups have joined hands to form a united front called the Syrian National Council (SNC).  The Unity brings the chance of a replacement for the Assad government one step closer and may help the Syrian protests to follow the Arab Spring revolutions.

Amnesty International in a statement released yesterday, called the vote-down in the Security Council to be a “shocking betrayal’ failing the Syrian people.  It said the vetoing countries have failed their responsibilities to protect the people of Syria.

In a message released to the media, Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations expressed regret over the fact that Council members have not been able to agree and hoped they would overcome their divisions and find a collective way to address the situation.

Sources:

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39955&Cr=syria&Cr1=