Because there has been no international consensus yet on action, those perpetrating violence and destruction in Syria are comfortable that they can continue to behave as though they are above the law, fueling resentment among a population that feels abandoned, Donatella Rovera writes Wednesday, May 30, in The Washington Post. Amnesty International has counted more than 9,400 people killed in Syria since government forces first shot protesters in March 2011. More than 1,300 people have been killed just since a United Nations observer mission started April 14. The world must send a clear message to Syria that these atrocities can’t go on. A monitoring mandate for the U.N. observer mission in Syria is a crucial first step to holding accountable those responsible for crimes against humanity.