Ban Looks Back at Arab Spring in 2011

The United Nations lent its support to the aspirations of Arab Spring protesters in 2011, speaking forcefully against government repression through out the region and playing an essential role in the liberation of Libya, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said during an end of year press conference today. 

“This has been a remarkable year, in terms of our commitment to help those people who have been oppressed.” he said “Of course more needs to be done. It is quite sad and tragic that so many people have lost their lives and have been wounded in the course of these demonstrations and expressing their freedom of speech and aspirations.”

Ban, who will begin his second term as UN Secretary General in the new year, compared the Arab Spring uprisings to the independence movements of the 1950’s and the unification of Germany in the 1980’s. He said the UN needed to continue engaging with countries affected by important political and social change and urged greater cooperation to address the situation in Syria. 

 “ I hope the United Nations and international community will be able to take constructive and coherent action.” he said, adding that he also welcomed recent steps by the Arab League to condemn the violence. 

 Ban said he was increasingly concerned by humanitarian conditions and recent developments in Syria.

On Monday, after the Security Council was briefed by Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pilay, European and American diplomats blasted other Council members for failing to support a strong resolution against the Assad government.

Pilay reportedly provided Council members with updates on casualty figures, which she says has now reached over 5000, and gave an overview of some of crimes Syrian security forces have carried out against civilians, including the alleged killing of at least 300 children. 

The UN rights chief said she was alarmed by reports of a military build up around the city of Homs, although her office was unable to independently verify that information.

US Deputy Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo said the Security Council’s failure to speak out against the Syrian government crackdown, after both the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly agreed to resolutions, was “unconscionable”,and urged Council members to stand “on the right side of history”.

Russia and China have both already used their veto at the Security Council to block a resolution on Syria. They say the UN has so far placed too much blame on the Assad government while ignoring attacks by armed protesters against security force personnel, and argue some governments are calling for regime change rather than a ceasefire. 

Moscow and Beijing have also said they are concerned a Security Council resolution could open the door to foreign military intervention as was the case in Libya.

Other Security Council members like India and South Africa have also repeatedly criticized the US and Europe for using the the cover of civilian protection in Libya to justify overthrowing the Gaddafi regime.

Ban defended NATO’s implementation of the Libyan resolution in his press conference today. The Secretary General said the UN worked closely with NATO to prevent rights abuses and civilian casualties and that ultimately, the Libyan people had led efforts to oust Gaddafi.