In response to today’s UN Security Council vote on cross-border aid to Syria, the following statement is attributable to Susannah Sirkin, director of policy at Physicians for Human Rights:
“The United Nations Security Council has reached a shameful compromise to allow just one international border crossing for lifesaving aid to the besieged people of Syria.
The Security Council could not even guarantee the continuation of the Bab al-Hawa crossing for a meager 12 months, instead agreeing to only six months before being subjected to a renewal review. While thankfully some aid will flow through the Bab al-Hawa crossing, women, men, and children in other areas of the country have been abandoned.
Today’s vote reflects politics at its worst, as the Russian Federation scores points instead of saving lives during a humanitarian crisis and pandemic. After a decade of atrocities by the Assad regime and inaction by the global community, Syrian civilians deserve better.”
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here.