US calls for additional steps to relieve suffering in Syria
Highlighting that turmoil continue to hunt Syria and its people, the United States of America today said despair and suffering continue to grow worse each day especially winter is approaching.
In her remarks at a Security Council Open Debate on the Middle East, U.S. Permanent Representative to UN Samantha Power says innocent people continue to be targeted and the country is disintegrating.
“This has devastating human consequences and its effects are spreading across the region.” – Ms. Power
Human Suffering in Mouadamiya
According to Ms. Power, residents of Moudamiya have been under siege and without access to basic necessities for almost one full year.
Ms. Power reports that residents are eating leaves of trees, and people have died of malnutrition-related causes.
“The regime continues to trap an estimated 12,000 people, of whom 7,000 are women and children.” – Ms. Power
The residents are reportedly begging the US government to save them from death.
Calling for access of humanitarian aids
Ms. Powers calls all parties must allow humanitarian agencies unhindered access to evacuate the remaining civilians and deliver life-saving treatment and supplies in the area.
Both parties have to respect their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian laws to protect civilians and to allow the safe access of neutral, impartial humanitarian organizations to all people in need.
“The situation again, is urgent.” – Ms. Power
Syria’s healthcare system is shattered
Ms. Power highlighted that of the daily assault on medical neutrality in Syria.
US says the Syrian healthcare system is shattered.
According to World Health Organization, as of June, in Raqqa, Deir el-Zour and Homs, more than 70 percent of health centers have been damaged or are out of service.
In addition, nearly 40 percent of the 1,724 primary health care centers across the country are either badly damaged or completely closed.
“Worse, nearly 70 percent of Syria’s health professionals up to 80,000 have fled the country, according to WHO.” – Ms. Power
Statistics show that of the 5000 doctors in Aleppo before the war, 36 remain.
Syrian governorates also now lack qualified medical expertise for trauma, anesthesia and specialized laboratory personnel.
In two northern governorates, Ms. Power reports that there is hardly any female staff available to cope with reproductive health emergencies or to respond to gender-based violence.
US calls on Security Council for steps to relieve the suffering in Syria
With the issues on hindered access to humanitarian aid either in medical and food assistance, the US appeals urgently to Council members to pressure the regime, those who have influence with the regime, to pressure the regime to fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law as it relates to medical neutrality.
Ms. Power underlines that the United States will continue to urge opposition groups to facilitate medical access in areas under their control.
“For the sake of the Syrian people, and the sake of the sanctity of medical neutrality everywhere, we have to do more to address this problem.” – Ms. Power
In addition, Ms. Power urges the Syrian regime to immediately lift any bureaucratic blocks on the delivery of urgently needed medical aid and cease targeting medical workers.
Non-state actors too must respect medical neutrality and facilitate access, she stressed.
US provides aids to Syria
In November 2012, the United States of America provided $30 million in additional humanitarian assistance to respond to the needs of Syrian people affected by the turmoil.
In Syria, the additional funding will allow for provision of food aid to families in need.
In neighboring countries, the additional assistance from the United States will provide food supplies, hot meals, and food vouchers for families who have fled the violence in Syria.
In addition, the additional assistance will be provided through the World Food Program (WFP), which is providing food aid to 1.5 million people in Syria and the refugees who have fled to neighboring countries.
The United States is the largest donor of food aid for those affected by the conflict in Syria through WFP.
In August 2012, with the violence engulfing Syria, the United States of America has announced an additional $12 million in humanitarian assistance, bringing the total amount of U.S. emergency aid to more than $76 million.
The U.S. government continues to place on ending the escalating violence which has uprooted hundreds of thousands of Syrians.
The humanitarian needs continue to grow whre the number of Syrians displaced to neighboring countries now exceeds 130,000, with nearly 1.5 million in need inside Syria, including UN-estimated one million internally displaced persons.
The Syrian violence has led a crisis on a humanitarian scale that is of the highest priority within the U.S. government, and for which the US pledges to continue to provide support.
In April 2012, with the deteriorating situation in Syria due to turmoil, the United States of America has bolstered efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by the conflict in the country.
The UN estimates that there are over 2 million Syrians inside Syria in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Of that number, it’s an estimated 300,000 internally displaced.
United States has dedicated some $33 million to support the important work to assist and protect those in need in Syria and neighboring countries, and much more is on the way.
The violence in Syria, which began in March 2011 as a protest movement similar to those witnessed across the Middle East and North Africa, has claimed over 120, 000 lives, mostly civilians, and displaced tens of thousands.
The violence in Syria, which began in March 2011 as a protest movement similar to those witnessed across the Middle East and North Africa, has claimed over 120, 000 lives, mostly civilians, and displaced tens of thousands.
