Petition an: Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz und Bundeskanzler Karl Nehammer
Suspend Syria sanctions now and enable humanitarian aid for the earthquake victims!
Suspend Syria sanctions now and enable humanitarian aid for the earthquake victims!
Update: the UK government has announced measures to ease some of the bureaucracy allowing for humanitarian aid to flow more freely into Syria.
On Monday 20th February an earthquake of 6.4 magnitatue hit the area that already struck by two massive earthquakes, causing further devastation.
There are currently 4 million Syrians living in north-west Syria in areas not controlled by the Assad regime. Ask the government to make an assessment of the level of humanitarian aid that has been able to reach these Syrians and also to lay a UN Security Council Resolution codifying the use of crossings from Turkey to aid in the humanitarian relief.
A humanitarian catastrophe is looming in Syria after the devastating earthquake of February 6, 2023 that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria.
While international aid measures are beginning to take effect in Turkey, Syria remains isolated due to international sanctions, making disaster relief extremely difficult.
Syria's most recent reported death toll was 3,500, a much lower number than Turkey's, but the number is likely to rise sharply as the clean-up efforts in Syria's affected areas are proceeding at a much slower pace than in the neighbouring country.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR assumes that up to 5.3 million people have become homeless in Syria due to the earthquake. Sivanka Dhanapala, the representative of the UN organization in Syria, speaks of a "crisis in the crisis"
The people who have become homeless are struggling to survive in wintry conditions, and it is to be feared that the thousands of direct victims of the earthquake will be joined by thousands more to die from cold and hunger if help is not provided very quickly.
After the terrible earthquake, the three church patriarchs resident in Damascus, Aphrem II, John X Yazigi and Youssef I Absi, issued a joint statement calling for the economic sanctions against Syria to be lifted immediately.
The earthquake claimed thousands of lives across the country, causing destruction and multiplying the suffering of the Syrian people who are already suffering under the burden of war, pandemic, inflation and lack of natural resources, medicines and basic necessities, they said in a joint statement by the Patriarchs.
In view of the dramatic devastation in the country, the church representatives are appealing to the United Nations, but also directly to the countries of the world, to end the sanctions. The patriarchs describe the measures as "unjust" and, at the same time, call for rapid humanitarian initiatives to help the Syrian population overwhelmed by the disasters.
On Friday, February 10, 2023, Vienna's Cardinal Christoph Schönborn joined the Syrian patriarchs' appeal to the international community to lift the economic sanctions against Syria in order to help the earthquake victims.
Pope Francis has also expressed himself in this sense and called for "solidarity" with Syria and Turkey after the earthquake. "It is time for compassion, it is time for solidarity. Enough hatred, enough divisions leading to the self-destruction of humanity, " Pope Francis wrote in nine languages on his Twitter account, which is followed by millions of people. "Let's be united in pain, let's help those who are suffering in #Turkey and #Syria, let's build peace and brotherhood in the world, " the Pope tweeted.
Please sign our petition now and call on the Prime Minister and the Minister for Development to show humanity by promptly complying with the request of the Patriarchs, the Cardinal and the Pope to suspend sanctions immediately and provide immediate emergency aid, and by suspending sanctions, to enable aid organizations to take the widest possible action.
Syrian bishops urge to end Western sanctions following earthquake:
https://anglican.ink/2023/02/09/26681
Christian leaders in Syria call for an end to 'unjust' sanctions that they say hamper aid to the needy
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253590/christian-leaders-in-syria-call-for-an-end-to-unjust-sanctions-that-they-say-hamper-aid-to-the-needy
US announces 180 day exemption to Syria sanctions for disaster aid
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/10/us-syria-sanctions-exemption-earthquake-relief
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Petition to: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Minister of State for development, Andrew Mitchell
Urgent appeal: suspend Syria sanctions now and enable humanitarian aid for the earthquake victims!
Dear Messrs Sunak and Mitchell,
You know the catastrophic humanitarian situation following the devastating earthquake of February 6, 2023, especially in Syria, since aid and support continue to be massively restricted and impaired by the existing sanctions.
After the terrible earthquake, the three church patriarchs resident in Damascus, Aphrem II, John X Yazigi and Youssef I Absi, issued a joint statement calling for the economic sanctions against Syria to be lifted immediately.
The statement read as follows: "the earthquake claimed thousands of lives across the country, causing destruction and multiplying the suffering of the Syrian people who are already suffering under the burden of war, pandemic, inflation and lack of natural resources, medicines and basic necessities."
In view of the dramatic devastation in the country, the church representatives are appealing to the United Nations, as well as to the other heads of government in the West, to end or at least suspend the sanctions. The patriarchs describe the measures as "unjust" and, at the same time, call for rapid humanitarian initiatives to help the Syrian population overwhelmed by the disasters.
On Friday, February 10, 2023, Vienna's Cardinal Christoph Schönborn joined the Syrian patriarchs' appeal to the international community to lift the economic sanctions against Syria in order to be able to help the earthquake victims.
You have now lifted some of the bureaucratic measures in order to make it easier for relief efforts to reach Syria. Please now undertake an assessment of the level of humanitarian aid that has been able to reach the 4 million Syrians in areas not controlled by the Assad regime; and also lay a UN Security Council Resolution codying the use of crossings from Turkey to ensure humanitarian access.
Many many thanks!
Petition to: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Minister of State for development, Andrew Mitchell
Urgent appeal: suspend Syria sanctions now and enable humanitarian aid for the earthquake victims!
Dear Messrs Sunak and Mitchell,
You know the catastrophic humanitarian situation following the devastating earthquake of February 6, 2023, especially in Syria, since aid and support continue to be massively restricted and impaired by the existing sanctions.
After the terrible earthquake, the three church patriarchs resident in Damascus, Aphrem II, John X Yazigi and Youssef I Absi, issued a joint statement calling for the economic sanctions against Syria to be lifted immediately.
The statement read as follows: "the earthquake claimed thousands of lives across the country, causing destruction and multiplying the suffering of the Syrian people who are already suffering under the burden of war, pandemic, inflation and lack of natural resources, medicines and basic necessities."
In view of the dramatic devastation in the country, the church representatives are appealing to the United Nations, as well as to the other heads of government in the West, to end or at least suspend the sanctions. The patriarchs describe the measures as "unjust" and, at the same time, call for rapid humanitarian initiatives to help the Syrian population overwhelmed by the disasters.
On Friday, February 10, 2023, Vienna's Cardinal Christoph Schönborn joined the Syrian patriarchs' appeal to the international community to lift the economic sanctions against Syria in order to be able to help the earthquake victims.
You have now lifted some of the bureaucratic measures in order to make it easier for relief efforts to reach Syria. Please now undertake an assessment of the level of humanitarian aid that has been able to reach the 4 million Syrians in areas not controlled by the Assad regime; and also lay a UN Security Council Resolution codying the use of crossings from Turkey to ensure humanitarian access.
Many many thanks!
