London: Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee Dr. Ali bin Sumaikh Al Marri has said that a UN mission from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights will visit Doha from November 18 to 23 to investigate the humanitarian impact and violations caused by the blockade as well as the humanitarian situation of citizens and residents of Qatar and the GCC citizens.
He said that the UN mission would meet the people affected by the siege. He added that all information , documents, evidence and names of the victims would submitted to the mission in order to report to the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
This came during a meeting of Dr. Al Marri with deputies of the House of Commons and Lords, during a hearing session hosted by MP from the Scottish National Party Tommy Schipper, who is responsible for the Scottish Committee of the British Parliament, which was devoted to provide a comprehensive report on the effects of the unjust humanitarian blockade that has been imposed on the State of Qatar since the beginning of the Gulf crisis.
Dr. Al Marri also noted other upcoming visits to Doha in the coming days by international parliamentary delegations and human rights organizations to prepare their reports to the world countries and parliaments on the on the tragedies facing the GCC peoples due to the unilateral coercive measures taken by the siege countries in a blatant violation of all international conventions and human rights laws.
Dr. Al Marri also held a series of intensive meetings with MP Lester Michael of the Liberal Democrats, MP Martyn Day of the Scottish National Party, Nicole P, coordinator of the Joint Human Rights Committee of the British Parliament, and Rep. David Winnie, Shadow Minister for Defense and Procurement at the Ministry of Defense, in addition to another meeting with MP Grahame Morris, head of the British parliamentary delegation that visited Doha last September, where he met with a number of people affected by the siege and documented with his delegation members cases of human rights violations, pending the announcement of his final report to the before MPs and the international media.
Dr. Al Marri, gave the parliamentarians copies of four reports, including a report that documents violations of human rights since the beginning of the siege, a report on violations against students, another on violations against Qatari pilgrims and pilgrims residing in Qatar and a fourth report on visits by international organizations to Doha.
At the British Parliament, amidst a remarkable presence of deputies and lords, Dr. Al Marri strongly highlighted the unilateral coercive measures taken by the countries of the blockade against citizens and residents in Qatar and the GCC countries, stressing that it is unacceptable to prolong the humanitarian crisis, If the political crisis persists, the siege and its consequences amount to the crime of aggression which is punishable under international law. “, he added.
Dr. Al Marri further said : “We declare from this distinguished parliamentary forum that we will not accept the prolongation of the humanitarian crisis, even if the political crisis persists, and we strongly intend to intensify the efforts of the United Nations organizations, the specialized international agencies and the world parliaments to push the blockade countries back from their aggressive actions that have affected civilians, families and violated the most basic rights, in violation of all international regulations and conventions and human rights laws. “
He added : “We at the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) are considering with some organizations the possibility of establishing an international coalition of human rights organizations, activists and international figures to combat the siege on citizens and residents of the State of Qatar and the Gulf countries concerned. We will exert strong pressure through all international and regional platforms, and by all peaceful and legal means provided for in international instruments to lift this injustice on the Gulf people and Gulf citizens. “
Dr. Al Marri stressed that “the world must be aware that there is no neutrality when it comes to violations of human rights,” noting that the silence of some influential governments make the siege countries continue violations and prolong the humanitarian crisis.
Dr. Al Marri strongly criticized the inability and procrastination of some countries and parliaments and the inability of regional and international mechanisms to put an end to the escalating tragedy caused by the continuation of one of the worst types of blockade in the history of relations between countries, adding that “there is a moral and legal crisis experienced by regional human rights mechanisms, and we see a real failure of the regional human rights system.”, Dr. Al Marri noted.
He stressed that all international and humanitarian conventions combine the fact that the siege of human beings is a crime of aggression which is punishable by international law, whatever its political justifications, and that the silence and weakness of some countries and international institutions give the green light to the siege countries to prolong the crisis and tragedies that threaten international peace and security.
Al-Marri warned that instead of imposing sanctions on the countries of the blockade, all their efforts are to try to convince the world to justify the violations and portray it as a boycott, ignoring the suffering of the victims in Qatar and within those countries themselves.
Dr. Al Marri praised the great response and sympathy of the members of the British Parliament who met with them. The hearing session witnessed a great deal of interaction among the MPs who inquired about the reality of the situation in Qatar after five months of the siege and expressed their sympathies with the victims.
The British parliamentary delegation, who visited Doha last September, briefed the hearing session on the human rights violations they had noticed during their meeting with those affected by the blockade.
The Parliamentarians confirmed that they would address the British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on the serious consequences of the siege and promised that they would prepare a joint statement at the British Parliament directed to the British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on the humanitarian consequences of the blockade.
