3 May 2016
In response to the escalating violence in Syria, more than 80 faith groups and NGOs - including Medical Aid for Palestinians - have written an open letter to US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin calling for the cessation of hostilities in the country to be rescued.
As MAP have recently highlighted, Palestinian refugees are among those worst affected by the conflict. Approximately 60% of Syria's 450,000 Palestinian refugees have been internally displaced, and an estimated 110,000 have fled abroad.
Reiterating the coalition's call for a cessation of hostilities in the country, MAP CEO Tony Laurance said: “Five years of brutal conflict and the consistent denial of humanitarian access have devastated the lives of Syrians and the country’s Palestinian refugee population in areas such as Yarmouk. The shocking trend of attacks on hospitals and medics is an indictment of the failure to protect the most fundamental safe spaces in conflict. It is imperative that governments take action.”
The shocking trend of attacks on hospitals and medics is an indictment of the failure to protect the most fundamental safe spaces in conflict. It is imperative that governments take action.
The joint NGO letter to Presidents Obama and Putin is as follows:
"Violence across Syria has escalated alarmingly, reportedly claiming a life on average every 25 minutes in the past 48 hours. We cannot stand by in the face of this catastrophe. Global NGOs and faith groups demand that President Barack Obama and President Vladimir Putin immediately use their personal diplomatic engagement to save what remains of the Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) agreement.
"In recent days, unacceptable violations of Syria's CoH and the rules of international law have threatened to doom the initiative in its entirety. Numerous strikes on civilians, including several targeting medical facilities and rescue workers, have killed dozens. This must stop now. Just weeks ago, the US and Russia helped secure the CoH, providing a glimpse of what a respite from violence means for people in Syria. Fewer people died in the first month of Syria's ceasefire than at almost any other time since the war began. For many, it was the first time in years that they could walk the streets without fear. This was a first glimpse of hope. That hope now hangs in the balance. Syria is yet again on the brink of humanitarian disaster and the need for action is urgent.
"President Obama and President Putin: these atrocities are happening on your watch. Please heed the call of the UN Special Envoy to Syria to take urgent steps to rescue Syria's cessation of hostilities and end attacks on civilians. Please act now to keep hope alive for Syrians."
Signatories:
1. 11.11.11
2. Association for Aid and Relief Japan
3. Action on Armed Violence
4. Action Contre la Faim
5. Andalus Center for tolerance and coexistence
6. Arab Coalition for Sudan (ACS)
7. Arab Program for Human Rights Activists (APHRA)
8. ASML
9. Bangla 2000
10. Baptists Together
11. Broederlijk Delen
12. The Council for British Arab Understanding (CAABU)
13. CAFOD
14. CARE International
15. CCFD-Terre Solidaire
16. Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
17. Center for Victims of Torture
18. ChildrenPlus
19. Christian Aid
20. Church of Scotland
21. Doctors of the World UK
22. Doctors of the World USA
23. Euromed (EMHRN)
24. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
25. Friends Committee on National Legislation
26. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P)
27. Hand in Hand for Syria
28. Helen Bamber Foundation
29. Hivos (Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries)
30. Hope for Syria
31. Human Rights and Democracy Media Center "SHASM" /Palestine
32. iguacu
33. Ihsan
34. Independent Doctors Association (IDA)
35. International Rescue Committee
36. Islamic Relief
37. Karam Foundation
38. Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
39. Lord Bishop of Coventry, on behalf of the Church of England
40. Madani organisation
41. Mayday Rescue
42. Medical Aid for Palestinians
43. Medics Under Fire
44. Middle East and North Africa Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (MENAPPAC)
45. Mercy Corps
46. Methodist Church in Britain
47. Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
48. Non-Violence Network in the Arab Countries
49. Oxfam
50. PAX
51. Pax Christi Flanders
52. Pax Christi International
53. Peace Action
54. People in Need
55. Permanent Peace Movement
56. Physicians for Human Rights
57. Protection Approaches
58. Rahma Relief
59. Relief & Reconciliation for Syria
60. Rethink Rebuild Society
61. Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS)
62. Save the Children
63. Sawa for Development and Aid
64. STAND: The Student-Led Movement to End Mass Atrocities
65. Syria Charity
66. Syria Civil Defence
67. Syria Network for Human Rights
68. Syria Relief
69. Syria Relief and Development
70. Syrian British Medical Society
71. Syrian Civil Coalition
72. Syrian Network for Human Rights
73. Tearfund
74. The David Nott Foundation
75. The Phoenix Foundation
76. The Society for Threatened Peoples (Germany)
77. The Syria Campaign
78. The United Reformed Church
79. Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM)
80. Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) France
81. Vision GRAM-International
82. War Child
83. Win Without War
84. Women Now for Development
85. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)