On behalf of the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), the father of Palestinian refugee Waseem Seyam, who was identified in a recent footage of the victims of a Damascus massacre, delivered a statement as part of Agenda Item 4 of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

“My name is Omar Seyam, from Yarmouk Camp for Palestinian refugees”, said the father. “My dearest son Waseem, I miss you so much and it hurts. From the moment you left the house, and never returned, our life has turned upside down.”

“Every time your daughters ask me about your absence, I just go tight-lipped”, he said addressing his deceased son. “The footage of the Tadamun massacre published by The Guardian in April 2022 was just shocking and dreadful for us all. I can’t believe that you were mercilessly shot dead along with other victims while being blindfolded and zip-tied after you were forced to run towards an execution pit. Your bodies were then set on fire. This horrendous crime is just scandalous.”

“Dear Members of the UN Human Rights Council, this is an opportunity to draw your attention to the mass-execution pit of AlTadamun, a neighborhood adjacent to Yarmouk Camp. There is undeniable proof that dozens of persons who have been forcibly-disappeared since 2012 have faced a similar fate”, said the father.

“I am wondering whether you will be speaking up for my son and the other victims or you will be turning your backs on such atrocities committed by the Syrian regime forces”, he added. “I hope that you would take serious and urgent steps to bring war criminals to justice and push for the release of the forcibly-disappeared in Syria before it is too late”.

The Palestinian Return Centre has submitted to the United Nations an extensive written report on the Al-Tadamon neighborhood massacre, which was officially filed under No. A/HRC/50/NGO/116. It can be found here.

Watch the statement here

https://youtu.be/n400ScFRZbU