Syria renews its appeal to the international community to provide aid: Coercive measures are no less destructive than the effects of an earthquake

New York-SANA

Syria renewed its appeal to all countries to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the earthquake that it was subjected to, and to avoid politicization, as time is passing and the number of victims is increasing, noting that the international slowdown in extending a helping hand was noticeable as a result of the illegal Western coercive economic measures imposed on it, which are no less destructive. on the effects of an earthquake or other natural disaster.

Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh, said during a special meeting of the Security Council today on the repercussions of the earthquake on the situation in Syria: A week has passed since the devastating earthquake that Syria was exposed to, which led, in an initial outcome, to thousands of deaths and injuries, and the collapse of hundreds of residential buildings, cracking others, and causing damage. The infrastructure, service and vital facilities are severe, and human and material losses are still increasing until now, and the state hastened immediately to develop an emergency action plan at the national level, in which all ministries, institutions and concerned authorities were mobilized to face the repercussions of this earthquake.

And Sabbagh indicated that the Council of Ministers approved, in an emergency extraordinary session, considering the affected areas in the governorates of Aleppo, Lattakia, Hama, and Idlib as disaster areas as a result of the earthquake that hit them and the consequences of that. The four affected governorates, in a way that contributes to its delivery to those in need, as quickly as possible.

Sabbagh pointed out that Syria was not alone able to deal with such an unprecedented catastrophe, as a result of the repercussions of the terrorist war that was waged on it 12 years ago and the suffocating siege imposed on its people as a result of unilateral coercive Western economic measures. For a comprehensive restoration of the great shortage of its equipment, medical equipment, and medicines, and therefore it could not meet the needs of emergency and relief cases such as earthquakes or pandemics. terrorists or destroying it and using it for their known purposes, and the very cold weather exacerbated the human suffering and negatively affected the ongoing relief operations.

The permanent representative of Syria to the United Nations indicated that given that any country, large or small, including Syria, cannot bear the burden alone in dealing with the repercussions of this humanitarian catastrophe, it was necessary to request international support to provide urgent assistance, and for this we appealed to the member states of the The United Nations Organization, the General Secretariat of the Organization, its specialized agencies and funds, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian action partners extend a helping hand and support the efforts of the state in facing this humanitarian catastrophe, whether in searching for survivors, rescuing those trapped under the rubble, recovering bodies, or providing food and health assistance, shelter and feeding supplies to those affected .

And Sabbagh indicated that Syria has affirmed, since the first day of the earthquake, its readiness and cooperation to deliver humanitarian aid from the inside to all regions, including via lines to the northwestern regions, under the supervision of the International Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, to ensure that aid reaches those in need. Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General, confirmed The United Nations Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator for Emergency Relief, who is currently in Damascus, Syria's willingness to cooperate with the ideas put forward by the United Nations, whether across borders or lines.

Sabbagh explained that Syria had agreed to the operational plan drawn up by the Office of the Resident Coordinator for United Nations Development and Humanitarian Activities in Syria to run aid convoys across the lines to the northwestern regions of Syria for a period of six months, and it had also granted approval to run an aid convoy from Aleppo Governorate to the city of Sarmada in the Governorate. Idlib “Sarmada 11”, however, the aid convoy waited for several days due to the deliberate delay several times for unjustified reasons and pretexts, which are “the logistical and operational capacity of the other side”, but the reality of the matter is to prevent the terrorist organization (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) and its operators who are holding our people in northwestern Syria Hostages to enter the humanitarian aid convoy to make gains for the terrorists despite the horror of the disaster and the magnitude of the suffering.

Sabbagh pointed out that Syria has repeatedly expressed its commitment to deliver humanitarian aid to its citizens wherever they are on its territory, and it reaffirms that its northwest is part of its lands, and our people there are part of the Syrian people and will not accept that it be divided according to the lines drawn by terrorist groups, and for this reason it supported Syria Bringing aid to that area through all possible border crossings and inside Syria for a period of three months to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the people in northwestern Syria.

Sabbagh expressed Syria's thanks and appreciation to the countries that showed solidarity with it and hastened to respond to the needs of its people in these difficult circumstances, explaining that despite the repeated international calls not to politicize the earthquake disaster, and not to delay the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Syrians, the international delay was noticeable in extending a helping hand, so Syria renews Today, she appeals to all other countries to provide their humanitarian aid to the Syrians affected by the earthquake and to avoid politicization, and calls for non-discrimination between those affected by the earthquake.

Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations said: Time is passing and the number of victims is increasing and the chances of those trapped under the rubble to survive are diminishing. Therefore, the priority today is to remove the rubble, save the lives that can be saved, provide full health care to those who were rescued in hospitals, and secure shelters for those whose homes were damaged as a result. In addition, there is a need to assess the extent of the damage in the buildings affected by the earthquake and to ensure their structural integrity so that their residents can return to them safely. Also, the restoration of damaged infrastructure such as water and sewage networks, hospitals, schools and all necessary service facilities to ensure that there are no health risks and cause the spread of Diseases have become very important.

And Sabbagh indicated that the United Nations Coordinator in Syria stressed in statements after the earthquake that the unilateral measures imposed on Syria harm humanitarian efforts and prevent millions of dollars in financial aid from reaching those affected, and a group of independent United Nations human rights experts urged the international community in a press statement to lift All the economic and financial constraints resulting from the unilateral measures imposed on Syria and to allow the provision of humanitarian aid to the victims of the earthquake, and they demanded that urgent measures be taken to allow for an effective emergency response and recovery efforts and to ensure the effectiveness of this response by creating an environment that allows international cooperation and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance, including food, medicine and equipment Medical and building materials, in addition to the financial flow to support this aid.

Sabbagh pointed out that the independent experts confirmed that during natural disasters, when the lives of hundreds of thousands of people are at stake, it is extremely worrying that humanitarian workers face constant challenges due to sanctions, and that the partial and temporary freeze of some coercive measures taken by the US administration two days ago may not be sufficient. To address the negative long-term effects of sanctions.

Sabbagh stressed that the slowdown in sending aid to Syria was a result of the unilateral measures imposed on it, whose impact is no less destructive than the effects of an earthquake or other natural disasters. Letting them down, the horrific images the world saw in the aftermath of the earthquake should move the hearts and minds of all those who still cling to their political greed to abandon the selfishness of their interests and the interests of the innocent people of Syria to get what they need quickly and without discrimination, and everyone must not allow those who survived to die Due to cold, hunger, lack of treatment, medicine or safe shelter.

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