Hon Speaker, the DA welcomes the recommendation by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, to the United Nations Security Council that the Syrian government be investigated by the International Criminal Court in light of what they believe to be a grave violation of human rights in Syria.
Pro-democracy protests in Syria have been met with contempt by that government, which has violently cracked down on its own people's call for democracy during the last five months. An estimated 2 000 civilians have been killed at the hands of the Syrian government since the protest erupted, and a further 4 000 refugees have fled to Turkey during this period in the wake of brutality. The DA strongly believes that the International Criminal Court will investigate the situation in a serious attempt to put an end to the violence.
We call upon the South African government to use its nonpermanent position in the United Nations Security Council to support this effort. As a country, young in its democracy, it is our duty to support the peaceful democratisation of other countries, especially those that look to the international community for support, as we ourselves have done in the past.