Campaigns against Qatari humanitarian action have hit the regional and international humanitarian system

Calling on the UN Secretary-General to record the violations of the blockade in the annual report and to present it to the General Assembly

Al-Marri calls on the United Nations mechanisms to address the parties to the crisis to address violations before any settlement of the solution

New York: March 16, 2018

Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri, president of the National human rights committee of the State of Qatar stressed that the blockade imposed on the Qatari humanitarian organizations and the accusations of the countries of the blockade that they carry out terrorist activities is considered a part of the distortion campaigns that target Qatari organizations in general and the humanitarian developmental work carried out by charitable organizations in Qatar. Al-Marri called on the United Nations to take firmer positions on violations of human rights committed by the blockading states and to refer to the consequences of the blockade in the annual report of the Secretary-General to the United Nations General Assembly.

This came during a series of intensive meetings held in New York with Mrs. Ursula Mueller is the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Khao Pedro Valle, Head of the Permanent Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, and senior officials of Human Rights Watch and representatives of a number of European delegations. Dr. Al-Marri said that listing national humanitarian organizations in the terrorism list by the countries of the blockade is a dangerous precedent in the Gulf region in attempts to impede the development work carried out by the national organizations, thus depriving venerable groups receiving support from Qatari organizations.

Al Marri said: “These criminal charges are a serious violation of the right to development and target not only Qatari humanitarian organizations, but also vulnerable groups that need support. Qatari humanitarian organizations are one of the components of civil society and it is important in promoting and protecting human rights. The development of communities and the performance of various voluntary actions constitute a direct and distinct contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights in general, and economic and social rights in particular, including the right to decent life.

Al-Marri added that the accusations of the countries of the blockade against the Qatari humanitarian organizations are hindering efforts to combat and eradicate poverty, and provide aid and relief to those in need, is a flagrant violation of the right to comprehensive and sustainable development.

Dr. Ali briefed Ms. Mueller on all the reports documented by the National Human Rights Committee against the humanitarian organizations in Qatar, calling for the activation of cooperation between the National Human Rights Committee and the United Nations in the field of giving humanitarian action a human rights dimension in terms of the economic, social and developmental rights of the peoples and based on the important principle adopted by the United Nations (fight against poverty). Al Marri stressed the readiness of the NHRC in Qatar to engage in partnership with the United Nations to develop this dimension. Al-Marri said that the United Nations Millennium Declaration in 2000 included combating poverty as one of the main goals of the United Nations. In the same context, Dr. Al-Marri called on the United Nations to take firmer positions on the violations of the basic principles of human rights and to move urgently to address the parties to the crisis to immediately lift these violations and compensate the victims before any settlement of the political solution. Al Marri called on further moves by the United Nations mechanisms to redress the victims of the blockade. Al-Marri called on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the address countries of the blockade for an immediate lifting of the humanitarian violations caused by its arbitrary unilateral measures and the consequences of the blockade in the annual report to the United Nations General Assembly. Furthermore, Al-Marri gave the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs a background on the movements of the National Human Rights Committee, both at the level of the United Nations and its mechanisms or before specialized international agencies.

In his meeting with Mr. Khao Pedro Valle, the President of the National Human Rights Committee praised the role played by the European Union in this crisis and the great understanding of the violations resulting from the blockade imposed on Qatar, stressing that the countries of the blockade has continued in the violations in violation of all international norms and all calls of the United Nations and international organizations for the need to neutralize the humanitarian file.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ali in a meeting with senior officials of Human Rights Watch, stressed the necessity of exerting human rights pressure to put an immediate end to the arbitrary and unilateral measures imposed by the countries of blockade on citizens and residents of Qatar, compensate those affected by the blockade, refrain from dropping the file of human violations in any political settlements, and addressThe humanitarian issue in the pre-Camp David consultations.

Despite the reports issued by Human Rights Watch and the reports of the International Organization and the National Human Rights Committee, which proved beyond any doubt the serious human rights violations resulting from the blockade of Qatar, the leaders of the blockading countries are occasionally informed of their unwillingness to lift the injustice suffered by the victims. During the meeting, Al-Marri renewed his total rejection of any solutions to the crisis that go beyond the immediate lifting of the suffering of urgent humanitarian cases including mixed families from any procedures and property owners.
In the same context, Al-Marri held separate meetings with representatives of a number of European delegations to the United Nations. During the meetings, Al-Marri gave a detailed explanation of the latest humanitarian violations resulting from the blockade imposed on the State of Qatar, and called on representatives of the delegations to address their countries with the need to place the humanitarian file as a priority in all stages of resolving the crisis.