Colloquy with Richard Falk - Syria: The United Nations’ Responsibility to Protect Civilians under Question

The current global powers have been unable to prevent the worst humanitarian crisis since WWII, leaving a gigantic humanitarian gap in Syria. Sadly, in the lack of a global people’s movement, this gap remains. Questions need to be asked as to why did those in power failed Syria; why individuals have also failed; and why there seems to be no collective human conscience that is tantamount to the scale of the suffering. Richard Falk – Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton University and distinguished professor in Global and international Studies at University of California and the Former UN Special Rapporteur – provides Caucasus International with vital insights into how the internal functioning of the UN resulted in its flawed response to Syria, as well as the factors that prevented the UN from applying the R2P charter. The R2P charter was created to prevent exactly the kind of atrocities unfolding in Syria. Most importantly, Falk provides us with important advice on what must be done, both within the UN as well as on the part of the international community in order to prevent further atrocities in future.

Authors: Salwa Amor
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