UN resolution on missing persons in Syria: Lebanon's abstention sparks criticism

The presidential stalemate continues to dominate the political scene, even before the Eid al-Adha holiday, especially after the visit of French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian to Lebanon and his meetings with political leaders. No breach has been recorded in the presidential file following the visit.

During the voting session, the caretaker Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, who abstained from voting, to reveal the fate of missing persons in Syria, disregarding Lebanon's foreign policy and the suffering of the families and their concerns about the fate of their loved ones.

This article was originally published in and translated from Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan.

Bou Habib tried to justify his position by stating that he is ready to cooperate with the mechanism to be adopted by the UN statement, considering that matters require calm. He emphasized that the presence of two million Syrian refugees poses a threat to Lebanon, and the issue of the missing will be discussed with Syria in the future.

During the voting session, Jeanne Mrad, the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations, delivered a speech stating that Lebanon abstained from voting on the mechanism because the resolution did not clarify its nature and reference framework.

Mrad stated that there is no UN mechanism for searching for the missing people that can succeed without transforming into a national body in cooperation, dialogue, consultation, and close coordination with the Syrian government under the supervision of the United Nations. She also emphasized that the issue of the missing people in Syria, due to the conflicts that began in 2011, cannot be approached separately from the Syrian refugees' file and their inevitable return.

The leader of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, considered it very shameful for the Lebanese government to abstain from voting on the UN General Assembly resolution. He questioned the motive that prevented the Lebanese authorities from supporting such a resolution, which includes working to reveal the fate of the two abducted bishops, Yohanna Ibrahim and Paul Yazigi, and Lebanese journalist Samir Kassab.

Geagea added, "the government's step constitutes a disgrace as it contradicts the principles of human rights, to which Lebanon is one of the leading contributors. This is a shameful government and a condemnation of such diplomacy."

However, Geagea was not the only one who criticized Bou Habib. Several other stances preceded him, confirming the mistake committed by Bou Habib against Lebanon, the missing, and their families.

MP Elias Hankach asked, "does the government remember the detained and missing Lebanese in Syrian prisons? Does it know that their families are waiting for any news about them? Does the minister remember that his former comrade, Boutros Khawand, is also detained? From Lebanon, Charles Malek and his role in establishing the principles of human rights to this refusal to protect the minimum rights of any human being by revealing their fate. It is ironic!"