Will Syria be President Obama’s Kosovo or Srebrenica? Time is Running Out
WHO: Lori Handrahan, School of International Service Professor, American University. Handrahan currently serves on UN’s Interagency Standing Committees’ working groups on humanitarian responses.
WHAT: Discussion of Responsibility to Protect (R2P), United Nations’ Response, Humanitarian Intervention, Human Rights
WHEN: July 11 – ongoing
WHERE: In-studio, via telephone, from American University
Washington, D.C. (July 11, 2012) — Events in Syria grow more grave by the day while the United States and other NATO member countries stand idly by. Experts have characterized Syria as a slaughter on par with Srebrenica, Bosnia, or even now Rwanda. Meanwhile, Syrian refugees are pouring over the border into Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon in an effort to escape with their lives.
American University’s School of International Service Professor Lori Handrahan has been among the more vocal critics calling attention to the situation having published op-eds in the New York Post and Foxnews.com on July 2 and July 6 respectively. Specifically, Handrahan is questioning why the principal of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) has fallen by the wayside after its stunning success in Libya where no-fly zones and providing material support to rebels toppled a dictator. Handrahan is also questioning why the Obama administration seems paralyzed to act and why GOP presumptive nominee Mitt Romney has not taken a stand on events in Syria.
Handrahan points out, “The haunting anniversary of Srebrenica is on July 11, the day in 1995, where the lives of 20,000 innocent children, women, and men were massacred over a short period of time throughout the area. It’s an event being recognized around the world and in cities throughout the United States.” The 100 plus page report, The Fall of Srebrenica, issued by the UN Secretary General detailed the horrific failures by the international community;however, these same failures are being repeated in Syria asserts Handrahan.
To date, it is estimated upwards of 15,000 civilians have fallen victim to the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Handrahan says, “Brutal tactics are meant to demoralize and discourage the fighting opposition in the hopes that they will relent.” She also states the true scope won’t be known until Assad is held accountable and the international community can conduct independent assessments forensically documenting the scope of the crimes against humanity including the reported targeting of children in massive numbers for torture and murder.
Professor Lori Handrahan is available to discuss the events in Syria and how they resemble humanitarian atrocities in Darfur, Rwanda, and Bosnia. Previously Handrahan worked for UNHCR in Chad and the Balkans, on-the-ground, helping refugees escape brutality.
American University is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the United States and nearly 140 countries. Located in Washington, D.C., the university provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service, and internships in the nation’s capital and around the world.
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