27 Jul 2012

GENEVA / SYRIA

The spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville today said the increasing use of heavy weapons, tanks, attack helicopters and, reportedly, even jet fighters in urban areas of Syria, as well as the reported build-up of forces in and around Aleppo, “bodes very ill for the people of that city”. CH UNTV

Posted at: July 27, 2012 1:12 pm

Duration: 02:19

Available in: SD

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STORY:  GENEVA / SYRIA
TRT: 2.19
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 27 JULY 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, aerial view of the Palais des Nations

27 JULY 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. Med shot, dais
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: 
"The government, of course, has the prime responsibility to protect civilians from all forms of violence and while government forces have on some occasions, including recently in parts of Damascus, in accordance with international humanitarian law, given civilians a clear opportunity to leave areas it is attacking, on other occasions it has not done so. Effective warning, as this is known, is required by international humanitarian law. So we'd like to see them do that always in these attacks."
4. Med shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: 
"We've been receiving as yet unconfirmed reports of atrocities, including extra-judicial killings and shooting of civilians by snipers that took place during the recent fighting in Damascus. And obviously in urban areas it goes without saying the increasing use of heavy weapons, tanks, attack helicopters and, reportedly, even jet fighters in urban areas has already caused many civilian casualties and is putting many more at grave risk. All this, taken along with the reported build-up of forces in and around Aleppo, we believe this bodes very ill for the people of that city."
6. Close up, journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: 
"The High Commissioner believes, on the basis of evidence gathered from various credible sources that crimes against humanity and war crimes have been, and continue to be, committed in Syria."
8. Med shot, journalists 
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Patrick McCormick, Spokesperson, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): 
"According to our representative in Syria the needs among children and families displaced by the violence are enormous, whether in food, water and sanitation or other basic supplies."
10. Close up, journalist
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Patrick McCormick, Spokesperson, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): 
"Some of the refugee children have been out of school for a year because of the violence and are in need of medical care and counselling. They are arriving on foot in bad shape and they have not eaten for some time, reports our staff in Jordan for example. They've also been exposed to atrocious things that no child should ever have to see."
12. Close up, photographer

STORYLINE

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay expressed alarm today (27 July) at the increased threat to civilians in Syria as the conflict and violence escalates across many towns and villages, as well as the country's two biggest cities, Damascus and Aleppo.

The High Commissioner's spokesperson, Rupert Colville, said "it goes without saying that the increasing use of heavy weapons, tanks, attack helicopters and, reportedly, even jet fighters in urban areas has already caused many civilian casualties and is putting many more at grave risk." He added that "all this, taken along with the reported build-up of forces in and around Aleppo, we believe this bodes very ill for the people of that city."

Colville also called for civilians to be given advance warning before areas where they live are attacked, to give them a chance to escape. He said the government "has the prime responsibility to protect civilians from all forms of violence" and must provide "effective warning" as required by international humanitarian law.

Meanwhile the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said the needs of children and families in Syria are enormous. UNICEF spokesman Patrick McCormick said "some of the refugee children have been out of school for a year because of the violence and are in need of medical care and counselling."

McCormick said these children have been "exposed to atrocious things that no child should ever have to see."