The below is attributable to U.S. Mission to the United Nations Spokesperson Nate Evans:
With over 150,000 unjustly detained and forcibly disappeared persons in Syria, nearly every Syrian family has been impacted by this issue – whether those missing were the result of acts of the Assad regime, ISIS, or other parties to the conflict.
The United States supports the call for the establishment of a stand-alone entity focused entirely on clarifying the fate and whereabouts of Syria’s missing persons, in parallel with bolstering existing measures.
We welcome the Secretary-General’s report calling for the strengthening of existing measures and establishing a new UN mechanism focused on missing persons in Syria.
The status quo is unacceptable. The United States will continue to work with our partners to advance progress in the General Assembly.
The United States stands with the victims of these egregious crimes, and we stand with their families who are forced to endure the agony of their disappearance and the uncertainty as to fate of their loved ones.
We support the tireless efforts of Syrian human rights defenders, survivors, and families who despite immense suffering lead the charge on the search for the missing, and look forward to working with them, the UN, NGOs, and partners to make this stand-alone entity a reality.
Original source can be found here.
