“I am extremely worried by reports that more than half a million people remain trapped in Rural Damascus,” Valerie Amos said in a statement, noting, for example that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is receiving “very disturbing reports” from the town of Moadamyieh, which is just a few kilometres from the capital
“It is reported that the town has been besieged for the last 10 months, suffering daily shelling and armed clashes between Government and opposition groups,” says Ms. Amos, adding that UN humanitarian agencies have been unable to deliver supplies for nearly a year, despite repeated attempts, due to security constraints.
Most of the 70,000 population of the area has fled but some 12,000 people remain trapped, unable to get enough food for their families. There are cases of severe malnutrition among children, as well as the spread of skin and respiratory diseases, she said.
As the “horrendous” crisis has continued to deepen with civilians being targeted or denied access to food and emergency medical treatment in many places across Syria, Ms. Amos urged all parties to agree a pause in hostilities to allow humanitarian agencies immediate and unhindered access to evacuate the wounded and provide life-saving treatment and supplies in areas where fighting is ongoing. “Civilians must be allowed to move to safer areas,” she said.
- “I would remind the Government and other parties to this conflict once again that they have an obligation under international human rights and international humanitarian law to protect civilians and allow neutral, impartial humanitarian organizations safe access to all people in need,” she said.
13/9/13
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| UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos |
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SYRIE. "Les enfants avaient l'air de statues d'argile délabrées"...
ReplyDeleteEXCLUSIF. Réfugiée en France, la romancière Samar Yazbek est retournée clandestinement dans son pays et raconte, pour "l'Obs", son voyage au milieu des morts et des bombes.
A la frontière nord de la Syrie, à l'entrée du camp d'Atma, j'ai dû contourner le grand jeune homme blond à la jambe amputée qui se tenait en face de moi. Il dissimulait son orgueil et son amertume pendant qu'en marchant sa moitié de jambe battait l'air. Je me suis glissée dans la longue file de gens qui attendaient. La vue des gosses estropiés et des femmes qui portaient des bébés braillant et sanglotant rendait moins bouleversante la silhouette de ce jeune homme qui s'est fondu au milieu de tous ces corps mutilés.
Le soleil ardent donnait l'impression que cette foule fuyant la mort vers la Turquie était aux portes de l'enfer : des enfants au visage brûlé, des êtres humains à qui manquait un bras ou une jambe. Et, partout, des relents de pourriture, des plaies purulentes, mal soignées par manque de médicaments.....http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/guerre-en-syrie/20130913.OBS6871/syrie-les-enfants-avaient-l-air-de-statues-d-argile-delabrees.html?xtor=RSS-17
15/9/13
King says Syria refugees overwhelming Jordan...
ReplyDeleteAFP - Jordan's King Abdullah II on Tuesday pleaded for more support for the swelling number of Syrian refugees, warning that his country was overwhelmed.
Abdullah said that Jordanians -- also major hosts of Palestinian and Iraqi refugees -- "have opened their arms to those in need, as we have always done."
"But I say here and now that my people cannot be asked to shoulder the burden of what is a regional and global challenge," Abdullah told the annual UN General Assembly.
More than two million Syrians have fled their country -- primarily to Jordan, Turkey or Lebanon -- since the eruption of the bloody two-year civil war that has claimed more than 100,000 lives.
"We can all see the reality on the ground: the need is out-racing the response," Abdullah said.
"More support is urgently needed to send a strong signal that the world community stands shoulder-to-shoulder with those who have borne so much," he said.
Abdullah said that Syrian refugees already were the equivalent of one-10th of the Jordanian population and could reach 20 percent -- or one million people -- by next year.
"These are not just numbers. They are people who need food, water, shelter, sanitation, electricity, health care and more.
"Not even the strongest global economies could absorb this demand on infrastructure and resources, let alone a small economy and the fourth water-poorest country in the world," he said.
His remarks came shortly after President Barack Obama told the UN General Assembly that the United States, the largest donor on Syria, would provide another $340 million in humanitarian aid, much of it for refugees.
The State Department said that the aid brings the US contribution to nearly $1.4 billion and includes support for food, clean water and shelter.
http://www.france24.com/en/20130924-king-says-syria-refugees-overwhelming-jordan
24/9/13