A crime against humanity

From the very beginning of the crisis in Syria, the armed terrorist groups have been committing atrocious crimes against Syrian people and their public and private properties. ISIS, al-Nosra Front and their affiliates have been killing innocent people and destroying the infrastructure of the country capitalizing on the financial and military support offered by Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Cutting off water supply in Damascus is a war crime and a crime against humanity which comes in a series of violations of the international law and a series of criminal acts perpetrated by armed terrorist groups in the main Syrian cities, particularly in Damascus and Aleppo.

 Jabhat al-Nusra and its affiliated criminal gangs cut off water supply in WadiBarada and al-Fijah spring in Damascus countryside through detonating the main water supply pump which feeds Damascus, yet, they also polluted the water with diesel , depriving Damascus city from nearly 80% of water resources and causing a big suffering for millions of residents in Damascus city and its countryside.

The international silence, particularly the silence and hypocrisy of countries that pretend keenness on the Syrian citizens’ rights is regrettable. The silence of international organizations which don’t condemn this heinous crime is also regrettable as it shows the double standards followed by the UN bodies towards the Syrian crisis.The Security Council and UN member states should condemn the crimes of terrorists that target the civilians and  take necessary procedures to support the Syrian government’s procedures to restore water to Damascus city.

The UN should also take deterrent and punitive measures against countries that support terrorism in Syria and the terrorist entities which use the water as a collective punishment against millions of Syrians. In this concern,the UN should implement Security Council resolutions concerning counter-terrorism, particularly resolutions No. 2170, 2178 and 2199.

The water cutoff in WadiBarada area, which has been going on for more than a month, has caused suffering to over six millions of the residents of Damascus and its countryside, depriving them of drinking water.

The UN should exert pressure on the international community and the countries funding and supporting terrorism to stop this crime committed by the terrorist groups and force them into supplying water back to Damascus residents.The water cutoff is a “cowardly act of terror” that has been unprecedented in history. The countries supporting terrorism should realize the gravity of this crime.

All world parliaments, human rights organizations and the UN should work to pressure the countries and governments supporting the terrorists so that they stop emboldening them and encouraging them to commit more appalling crimes against Syrian people and their public and private properties.

The General Establishment of Drinking Water and Sewerage of Damascus and Its Countryside has been working around the clock for more than a month  to supply Damascus city with water from alternative sources. Emergency solutions to return water to Damascus city are being carried out, and full repairs will be carried out gradually afterwards until the spring is fully restored to working order. 

The Syrian Arab Army units are working on dismantling explosive devices and landmines inside al-Fijah spring after  reestablishing control over it.Thanks to the great heroic  deeds of the Syrian Arab army, the maintenance teams have entered the spring to repair damage to the facility of al-Fijah spring .

K. Q.