Obama Calls for New U.N. Sanctions against Syria

Published in El Espectador
(Colombia) on 21 September 2011
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Menaka Dhingra. Edited by Amy Wong.
The United States president said that it is the duty of the United Nations to protect the Syrian people from the regime.

U.S. President Barack Obama, in his speech before the U.N. General Assembly, asked for new sanctions against Syria from the Security Council.

In his speech, Obama asserted that, “There’s no excuse for inaction” and insisted that, “Now is the time for the United Nations Security Council to sanction the Syrian regime, and to stand with the Syrian people.” The U.S. president, who recapped the changes in the world over the past few years and noted, in particular, citizen-based movements in favor of democratic change in the Arab world in his speech, said that, “for the sake of Syria — and the peace and security of the world — we must speak with one voice.”

Keep in mind that the United States has already implemented strong sanctions against Syrian leaders and supports the transfer of power in Damascus. “The Syrian people have shown dignity and courage in their pursuit of justice — protesting peacefully, standing silently in the streets, dying for the same values that this institution is supposed to stand for,” said Obama. “And the question for us is clear: Will we stand with the Syrian people, or with their oppressors?” insisted the president, who publicly called for the resignation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the first time this August. Since the protests in Syria calling for democracy and reforms to the regime began, there have been nearly 2,700 deaths, according to data from the U.N. The institution has repeatedly called on al-Assad to end the violence and repression against the demonstrators and to fulfill his duty to protect civilians.


El presidente de EE.UU., Barack Obama, pidió en su discurso ante la Asamblea General de la ONU nuevas sanciones contra Siria en el Consejo de Seguridad.

En su discurso, Obama aseguró que "no hay excusa para la falta de acción" e insistió en que "ha llegado el momento para que el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU sancione al régimen sirio, y de apoyar al pueblo sirio".

El presidente estadounidense, que repasó los cambios habidos en el mundo a lo largo del último años en su discurso y destacó en particular los movimientos ciudadanos en favor del cambio democrático en el mundo árabe, aseguró que "por el bien de Siria, y la paz y la seguridad en el mundo" hay que "hablar con una sola voz".

Estados Unidos, recordó, ya ha impuesto fuertes sanciones contra los líderes sirios y apoya el relevo en el poder en Damasco.

"El pueblo sirio ha demostrado dignidad y valentía en su búsqueda de la justicia, protestando de modo pacífico, de pie silenciosamente en las calles, muriendo por los mismos valores que esta institución -la ONU- se supone que defiende", apuntó.

"La pregunta está clara, ¿apoyaremos al pueblo sirio o a sus opresores?", insistió el presidente estadounidense, que el pasado agosto reclamó por primera vez públicamente la marcha del presidente sirio, Bachar al Asad.

Desde que comenzaron las protestas en Siria para reclamar democracia y reformas al régimen, se han contabilizado casi 2.700 muertos, según datos de Naciones Unidas.

Esta institución repetidamente ha pedido a Al Asad que ponga fin a la violencia y a la represión contra los manifestantes y cumpla con el deber de proteger a los civiles.
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