Sabbagh: Coercive measures are no less destructive than the effects of an earthquake

New York, (ST) – Syria has renewed its call on all countries to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the earthquake and avoid politicization, as time is passing and the number of victims is increasing.

Syria has also stressed that the international delay in extending a helping hand was noticeable as a result of the illegal Western coercive economic measures imposed on it, and which are no less destructive than the effects of the earthquake or other natural disasters.

Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations Bassam Sabbagh said during a special meeting of the Security Council yesterday on the repercussions of the earthquake and on the situation in Syria: The international delay was noticeable in extending a helping hand as a result of the illegal Western coercive economic measures imposed on Syria , which are no less destructive than the effects of the earthquake or other natural disasters.

Sabbagh added that the Syrian state immediately developed 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.

Sabbagh pointed out that Syria was not able alone to deal with such an unprecedented catastrophe, as a result of the repercussions of the terrorist war waged on it 12 years and the hard siege imposed on its people as a result of unilateral coercive Western economic measures. He added that the health sector is weak as result of the coercive economic measures imposed on Syria, and there is a great shortage in medical equipment and medicine,“therefore it could not meet the needs of emergency and relief cases such as earthquakes or pandemics”.

The permanent representative of Syria to the United Nations indicated that given that any country, big 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. He added that for this reason we appealed to the member states of 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.

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.

Sabbagh said that Syria had approved 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 “11”, however, the aid convoy waited for several days due to the deliberate delay several times for unjustified reasons and excuses.

Sabbagh pointed out that Syria has repeatedly expressed its commitment to deliver humanitarian aid to its citizens wherever they are on its territory. 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.

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. He said that despite the repeated international calls not to politicize the earthquake disaster, and not to delay the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Syrians.

Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations said: “Time is passing, 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.”

Sabbagh indicated that the United Nations Coordinator in Syria confirmed 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. He added that 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.

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 long-term negative effects of the 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.

Sabbagh said that there are more than 250,000 Syrian citizens who left their homes as a result of the earthquake, and we must take care of them and not let them down. “The horrific images that the world witnessed in the aftermath of the earthquake must move the hearts and minds of all those who are still clinging to their political greed to abandon the selfishness of their interests and give priority to the innocent people in Syria to get what they need quickly and without discrimination”, he concluded.

Raghda Sawas