Non-Aligned Movement expresses concern over Syrian Crisis

Syria has been a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) since 1964, a time where Syria’s economic, social and political situation was like any other country in the world, which means the opposite of the humanitarian crisis that Syria is currently in the middle of. The world is not oblivious to the mounting regional tensions, economic stagnation, and war that the country is presently facing, the city of Aleppo has been destroyed, because of the ongoing war, along with the capital city of Damascus, which has managed to stunt the growth of administrative strategies in the country.

In a country that has been ravaged by the evils of war and is in the clutches of poverty and underdevelopment, the international support for Syria has been unwavering, especially from NAM nations that have stood in solidarity with the Syrian people and shown unhinged support for their hardships. The economic sanctions put on Syria have been condemned by NAM in the Ministerial Meeting on July 22, 2019, in Caracas, Venezuela. NAM has called to lift these unilateral economic sanctions from Syria so that economic stability can be restored. There has been mounting international pressure on organizations like the United Nations, to create conditions that foster negotiations on the political context of Syria and resolve the conflict that is leading violation of human rights, loss of life and rampant destruction of property.

Leaders and governments of NAM nations have shown unhinged support when it comes to its Member-State of Syria and the situation that it is in, right now. It has stood up for Syria in the face of economic sanctions from developed countries, and proven that proper support can play an important role in restoring the confidence of a territory that is suffering from conflict since the turn of the decade.

The reason behind taking a more condemning stance in the Syrian war, by NAM, is primarily because of the human rights violations and abuses that are being suffered by the people of Syria. Another worrying aspect of the Syrian crisis is the common and recurring instances of enforced disappearances. Owing to the lack of proper law and order system in Syria, nothing is being done about these disappearances, which was also deplored by the NAM nations.

NAM has expressed concern at the increasing number of refugees caused by the crisis in Syria and underscored their appreciation for the significant efforts that have been made by the host countries of the region, notably Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt, to accommodate Syrian refugees, while acknowledging the enormous political, socioeconomic and financial impact of the presence of large-scale populations in these countries.

India holds the firm opinion that it gives Syria full support to chart out its future, policy structure, political outlook, and leadership. India understands the interests in the field of trade and investment as well as the deep historical and civilizational bonds that both the countries share is pivotal to ensure that Syrians restore peace in their region, without negatively impacting the larger interests of either of the countries.

Another important aspect of NAM nations in deciding upon the future of Syria is the fact that societies and other countries sit at a far more privileged position as compared to the country concerned, which is why they may not always be in a proper capacity to dictate terms on how the administration or the restoration or the peace process should go about in the country.

At this moment, it becomes imperative to realize that the mere support of NAM countries towards its Member-State of Syria is enough to instil confidence and encourage capacity-building mechanisms, so as to signify the effort being made when it comes to normalizing the situation of Syria.