More than 5,000 killed in Syria: U.N

United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay told the Security Council that the death toll in Syrias nine-month crackdown on protesters had now risen to more than 5,000.The figure compares with more than 4,000 that she cited just 10 days ago.Today I have reported that the figure exceeds 5,000, Pillay told reporters after briefing the 15-nation council on the situation in Syria.Pillay also said these acts constituted crimes against humanity and I recommended that there should be a referral to the International Criminal Court.Western envoys called Pillays report horrifying.Mark Lyall Grant, United Kingdoms Ambassador to the United Nations, said as one of our colleagues said it was the most horrifying briefing that weve had in the Security Council over the last two years.Shes catalogued more than 5,000 people killed, a situation that is deteriorating with a military buildup in Homs, tens of thousands of detentions, rapes, torture, violations of abuses right across the system by the Syrian regime.Grant said Pillays information came from hundreds of witnesses.She did make clear that evidence was based on interviews with over 230 witnesses which came from a range of sources including defecting members of the Syrian army. And she made very clear in her statement where she got the 5,000 figure from and that did include some members of the Syrian army who had been shot by their own people for refusing to obey orders to fire on innocent civilian protesters, but it did not include members of the Syrian armed forces who had been killed, said Grant.Paralyzed by opposition from Russia and China, Rosemary DiCarlo, United States Deputy Ambassador, added, We find it unconscionable that the Security Council has not spoken out on this issue in the recent months given everything that is happening. We really need to see the Security Council on the right side of history here and stand with the Syrian people.Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said he too was troubled by Pillays report but said outside intervention could lead to civil war and a far higher death toll.