Security Council resolution 2139 (2014) [on humanitarian situation in the Syrian Arab Republic]
Symbol: S/RES/2139 (2014)
Date: 2014-02-22
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/69 [222] SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC SITUATION
Subjects: Action Group for Syria Final Communiqué (2012)|HUMAN RIGHTS|INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW|HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS|HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE|RELIEF CORRIDORS|SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC|TERRORISM|HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMED CONFLICTS|MEDICAL SUPPLIES|MEDICAL EQUIPMENT|STAFF SECURITY
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ARGENTINA
vote: yes
country: AUSTRALIA
vote: yes
country: CHAD
vote: yes
country: CHILE
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: JORDAN
vote: yes
country: LITHUANIA
vote: yes
country: LUXEMBOURG
vote: yes
country: NIGERIA
vote: yes
country: REPUBLIC OF KOREA
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: RWANDA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                    S/RES/2139 (2014)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                22 February 2014




               Resolution 2139 (2014)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 7116th meeting, on
               22 February 2014

                    The Security Council,
                     Recalling its resolutions 2042 (2012), 2043 (2012) and 2118 (2013), and its
               Presidential Statements of 3 August 2011, 21 March 2012, 5 April 2012 and 2 October
               2013,
                     Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and
               territorial integrity of Syria, and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the
               United Nations,
                    Being appalled at the unacceptable and escalating level of violence and the
               death of well over 100,000 people in Syria, including over 10,000 children, as
               reported by the United Nations Secretary-General and the Special Representative of
               the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict,
                     Expressing grave alarm at the significant and rapid deterioration of the
               humanitarian situation in Syria, in particular the dire situation of hundreds of
               thousands of civilians trapped in besieged areas, most of whom are besieged by the
               Syrian armed forces and some by opposition groups, as well as the dire situation of
               over 3 million people in hard-to-reach areas, and deploring the difficulties in
               providing, and the failure to provide, access for the humanitarian assistance to all
               civilians in need inside Syria,
                     Emphasizing the need to respect the United Nations guiding principles of
               humanitarian emergency assistance and stressing the importance of such assistance
               being delivered on the basis of need, devoid of any political prejudices and aims,
               commending the efforts of the United Nations and all humanitarian and medical
               personnel in Syria and in neighbouring countries, and condemning all acts or threats
               of violence against United Nations staff and humanitarian actors, which have
               resulted in the death, injury and detention of many humanitarian personnel,
                     Expressing grave concern at the increasing number of refugees and internally
               displaced persons caused by the conflict in Syria, which has a destabilizing impact
               on the entire region, and underscoring its appreciation for the significant and
               admirable efforts that have been made by the countries of the region, notably
               Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt, to accommodate the more than 2.4 million
               refugees who have fled Syria as a result of the ongoing violence, while


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               acknowledging the enormous political, socioeconomic and financial impact of the
               presence of large-scale populations in these countries, and underscoring the need for
               all parties to respect and maintain the security and civilian character of camps for
               refugees and internally displaced persons,
                     Welcoming the pledges totalling $2.5 billion at the Second International
               Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria, hosted by Kuwait on 15 January 2014,
               and expressing its appreciation to Member States and regional and subregional
               organizations that have pledged to provide humanitarian assistance to people in need
               in all parts of Syria, including internally displaced persons, as well as to refugees in
               neighbouring host countries, and calling on all Member States to ensure the timely
               disbursement of pledges and continued support in line with growing humanitarian
               needs,
                     Calling on all parties to immediately end all violence which has led to human
               suffering in Syria, save Syria’s rich societal mosaic and cultural heritage, and take
               appropriate steps to ensure the protection of Syria’s World Heritage Sites,
                     Strongly condemning the increased terrorist attacks resulting in numerous
               casualties and destruction carried out by organizations and individuals associated
               with Al-Qaeda, its affiliates and other terrorist groups, and reiterating its call on all
               parties to commit to putting an end to terrorist acts perpetrated by such
               organizations and individuals, while reaffirming that terrorism in all its forms and
               manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and
               security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of
               their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed,
                     Expressing its regret that its Presidential Statement of 2 October 2013
               (S/PRST/2013/15) has not delivered as expected and has not yet translated into
               meaningful progress on the ground, and that humanitarian aid delivery continues to
               be impeded throughout Syria, while condemning all cases of denial of humanitarian
               access and recalling that arbitrary denial of humanitarian access and depriving
               civilians of objects indispensable to their survival, including wilfully impeding
               relief supply and access, can constitute a violation of international humanitarian law,
                     Emphasizing that the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate in the
               absence of a political solution to the crisis, reiterating its endorsement of the
               Geneva Communiqué of 30 June 2012 (Annex II of resolution 2118 (2113)) and
               demanding that all parties work towards the immediate and comprehensive
               implementation of the Geneva Communiqué aimed at bringing an immediate end to
               all violence, violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international
               law, and facilitating the Syrian-led political process launched in Monteux on
               22 January 2014, leading to a transition that meets the legitimate aspirations of the
               Syrian people and enables them independently and democratically to determine their
               own future,
                     1.   Strongly condemns the widespread violations of human rights and
               international humanitarian law by the Syrian authorities, as well as the human rights
               abuses and violations of international humanitarian law by armed groups, including
               all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as all grave violations and
               abuses committed against children in contravention of applicable international law,
               such as recruitment and use, killing and maiming, rape, attacks on schools and
               hospitals as well as arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, ill treatment and use as



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           human shields, as described in the United Nations Secretary-General’s report on
           children and armed conflict in Syria (S/2014/31);
                 2.   Demands that all parties immediately put an end to all forms of violence,
           irrespective of where it comes from, cease and desist from all violations of
           international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, and
           reaffirm their obligations under international humanitarian law and international
           human rights law, and stresses that some of these violations may amount to war
           crimes and crimes against humanity;
                 3.    Demands that all parties immediately cease all attacks against civilians,
           as well as the indiscriminate employment of weapons in populated areas, including
           shelling and aerial bombardment, such as the use of barrel bombs, and methods of
           warfare which are of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering,
           and recalls in this regard the obligation to respect and ensure respect for
           international humanitarian law in all circumstances, and further recalls, in particular,
           the obligation to distinguish between civilian populations and combatants, and the
           prohibition against indiscriminate attacks, and attacks against civilians and civilian
           objects as such;
                 4.   Demands that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, fully
           implement the provisions of the 2 October 2013 Statement by the President of the
           Security Council (S/PRST/2013/15) including through facilitating the expansion of
           humanitarian relief operations, in accordance with applicable provisions of
           international humanitarian law and the United Nations guiding principles of
           humanitarian emergency assistance;
                 5.    Calls upon all parties to immediately lift the sieges of populated areas,
           including in the Old City of Homs (Homs), Nubl and Zahra (Aleppo), Madamiyet
           Elsham (Rural Damascus), Yarmouk (Damascus), Eastern Ghouta (Rural Damascus),
           Darayya (Rural Damascus) and other locations, and demands that all parties allow
           the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including medical assistance, cease
           depriving civilians of food and medicine indispensable to their survival, and enable
           the rapid, safe and unhindered evacuation of all civilians who wish to leave, and
           underscores the need for the parties to agree on humanitarian pauses, days of
           tranquillity, localized ceasefires and truces to allow humanitarian agencies safe and
           unhindered access to all affected areas in Syria, recalling that starvation of civilians
           as a method of combat is prohibited by international humanitarian law;
                 6.   Demands that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, promptly
           allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for United Nations
           humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, including across conflict
           lines and across borders, in order to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches
           people in need through the most direct routes;
                7.    Urges all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, to take all
           appropriate steps to facilitate the efforts of the United Nations, its specialized
           agencies, and all humanitarian actors engaged in humanitarian relief activities, to
           provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the affected people in Syria, including
           by promptly facilitating safe and unhindered humanitarian access to populations in
           need of assistance in all areas under their control, and encourages further
           cooperation between the United Nations, its specialized agencies and all parties




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               concerned, including Syrian civil society organizations, to facilitate access and the
               delivery of assistance in the entirety of the Syrian territory;
                     8.     Demands that all parties respect the principle of medical neutrality and
               facilitate free passage to all areas for medical personnel, equipment, transport and
               supplies, including surgical items, and recalls that under international humanitarian
               law, the wounded and sick must receive, to the fullest extent practicable, and with
               the least possible delay, medical care and attention required by their condition and
               that medical and humanitarian personnel, facilities and transport must be respected
               and protected, and expresses grave concern in this regard at the removal of medical
               supplies from humanitarian shipments;
                     9. Also demands that all parties take all appropriate steps to protect civilians,
               including members of ethnic, religious and confessional communities, and stresses
               that, in this regard, the primary responsibility to protect its population lies with the
               Syrian authorities;
                     10. Further demands that all parties demilitarize medical facilities, schools
               and other civilian facilities and avoid establishing military positions in populated
               areas and desist from attacks directed against civilian objects;
                     11. Strongly condemns the arbitrary detention and torture of civilians in Syria,
               notably in prisons and detention facilities, as well as the kidnappings, abductions
               and forced disappearances, and demands the immediate end of these practices and
               the release of all arbitrarily detained persons starting with women and children, as
               well as sick, wounded and elderly people and including United Nations personnel
               and journalists;
                     12. Urges all parties to take all appropriate steps to ensure the safety and
               security of United Nations personnel, those of its specialized agencies, and all other
               personnel engaged in humanitarian relief activities, without prejudice to their
               freedom of movement and access, stresses that the primary responsibility in this
               regard lies with the Syrian authorities and further stresses the need not to impede
               these efforts;
                    13. Stresses the need to end impunity for violations of international
               humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, and reaffirms that
               those who have committed or are otherwise responsible for such violations and
               abuses in Syria must be brought to justice;
                      14. Strongly condemns the increased terrorist attacks resulting in numerous
               casualties and destruction carried out by organizations and individuals associated
               with Al-Qaeda, its affiliates and other terrorist groups, urges the opposition groups
               to maintain their rejection of these organizations and individuals which are
               responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law in oppositionheld areas, calls upon the Syrian authorities and opposition groups to commit to
               combating and defeating organizations and individuals associated with Al-Qaeda, its
               affiliates and other terrorist groups, demands that all foreign fighters immediately
               withdraw from Syria, and reaffirms that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations
               constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and
               that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their
               motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed;




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                 15. Emphasizes that the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate in
           the absence of a political solution, welcomes in this regard the Geneva Conference
           on Syria launched in Monteux on 22 January 2014, and demands that all parties
           work towards the comprehensive implementation of the Geneva Communiqué of
           30 June 2012 leading to a genuine political transition that meets the legitimate
           aspirations of the Syrian people and enables them independently and democratically
           to determine their own future, and further stresses that rapid progress on a political
           solution should include full participation by all groups and segments of Syrian
           society, including women, and represents the only sustainable opportunity to resolve
           the situation in Syria peacefully, and that the implementation of this resolution is
           key to meeting the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people;
                16. Urges all Member States to contribute or increase their support to the
           United Nations humanitarian appeals to meet the spiralling needs of people affected
           by the crisis, and to provide this support in coordination with the relevant United
           Nations agencies, and to ensure that all pledges are honoured in full, and further
           urges all Member States, based on burden-sharing principles, to support the
           neighbouring host countries to enable them to respond to the growing humanitarian
           needs, including by providing direct support;
                 17. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council on the
           implementation of this resolution by all parties in Syria, in particular paragraphs 2
           through 12, in 30 days of its adoption and every 30 days thereafter, and upon receipt
           of the Secretary-General’s report, expresses its intent to take further steps in the case
           of non-compliance with this resolution;
                18.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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