Syria Cessation of Hostilities Welcome: Humanitarian Aid Desperately Needed

 

A statement from 97 Syrian, regional and international humanitarian and human rights organisations on Syria’s Cessation of Hostilities

This week’s cessation of hostilities agreement negotiated by Russia and the US could be an important and welcome step forward for the future of Syria. Countless lives are saved each day this cessation holds.

Now that Russia and the US have brought about a significant reduction in violence and a cessation of airstrikes, they must use their influence over the Syrian government, non-state armed groups and other parties to the conflict to ensure full and unhindered humanitarian access across the country. Besieged areas like eastern Aleppo, where 275,000 people are trapped and desperate for food, fuel and medical supplies, and Madaya, where there has been an outbreak of meningitis, should be prioritized.

Sporadic and temporary cessations of violence cannot become ends in themselves. The success of this agreement should not be measured just by a reduction in fighting. It needs to be accompanied by unfettered and sustained humanitarian access throughout Syria; an end to the forced displacement of communities as seen recently in Darayya; and a political process that addresses the root causes of the crisis.

Russia and the United States have proved for the second time that they have the power to silence the weapons in Syria. The lives of innocent Syrian civilians are in their hands. The brutal conflict and unlawful targeting of civilians and civilian structures such as hospitals, schools and markets cannot be allowed to recommence.

This cessation of hostilities agreement may provide a rare opportunity to move towards a negotiated political solution to Syria’s devastating conflict. We call on Russia and the United States to ensure that this opportunity is not wasted. The US and Russia’s counterparts in the International Syria Support Group must also stand up to their responsibilities to use their influence to encourage all parties to the conflict to respect the cessation, to monitor and report violations of the cessation, and to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.

 

Signed

  1. 11.11.11
  2. Abrar Halap Association for Relief and Development
  3. Action Contre la Faim
  4. Ahl Horan
  5. Al Seeraj For Development And Healthcare
  6. Alkawakibi Human Rights Organization
  7. American Relief Coalition for Syria
  8. Amrha
  9. Andalus Institute for Tolerance & Anti-Violence Studies
  10. Arab Center for the Promotion of Human Rights
  11. Arab Coalition for Sudan
  12. Arab Foundation for Civil Society
  13. Arab Organisation for Human Rights - Mauritania
  14. Arab program for human rights activists (APHRA)
  15. Association de Soutien aux Médias Libres
  16. Attaa for Relief and Development (ARD)
  17. Balad Syria Organization
  18. Bihar Relief Organization
  19. Bonyan
  20. Bridge of Peace
  21. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
  22. CARE International
  23. CCFD - Terre Solidaire
  24. Christian Aid
  25. Concern Worldwide
  26. Council for Arab-British Understanding
  27. Damascene House Foundation for Society Development
  28. Deir Elzzor United Association (FURAT)
  29. Doctors of the World UK
  30. Education Without Borders (MIDAD)
  31. Emaar AL Sham Humanitarian Association
  32. Enjaz Development Foundation
  33. Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor- Geneva
  34. Fraternity Foundation For Human Rights
  35. Ghiath Matar Foundation
  36. Ghiras Al Nahda
  37. Ghiras Foundation
  38. Ghiras Syria
  39. Global Call to Action Against Poverty
  40. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
  41.  Handicap International
  42. Help 4 Syria
  43. Human Appeal
  44. Humanitarian Relief Association (IYD)
  45. Ihsan Relief and Development
  46. Insan for Psychosocial Support
  47. International Humanitarian Relief
  48. International Supporting Woman Association (ISWA)
  49. Irtiqaa Foundation
  50. Just Foreign Policy, US
  51. Karam Foundation, NFP
  52. Maram Foundation for Relief & Development
  53. Middle East and North Africa Partnership for Preventing of Armed Conflict
  54. Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
  55. Mountain Foundation
  56. Najda Now
  57. Nasaem Khair
  58. Nuon Organization for Peacebuilding
  59. Orient for Human Relief
  60. Oxfam
  61. Pax Christi International
  62. Permanent Peace Movement
  63. Qitaf Al Khair Relief Association
  64. Rethink Rebuild Society
  65. Saed Charity Association
  66. Save A Soul
  67. Save the Children
  68. Sedra Association for Charity
  69. Shama Association
  70. Snabel Al Khyr
  71. Society for Threatened Peoples
  72. Student-led Movement to End Mass Atrocities
  73. Syria Charity
  74. Syria Network for Human Rights
  75. Syria Relief
  76. Syria Relief and Development
  77. Syria Relief and Development
  78. Syria Relief Organization
  79. Syrian American Medical Society
  80. Syrian Education Commission (SEC)
  81. Syrian Engineers for Construction and Development Organization (SECD)
  82. Syrian Expatriate Medical Association (SEMA)
  83. Syrian Medical Mission
  84. Syrian Network for Human Rights
  85. Syrian Orphans Organization
  86. Takaful Al Sham Charity Organization
  87. The Centre for Victims of Torture
  88. The Syrian Establishment for Human Care & Enhancement (MASRRAT)
  89. Tuba Dernegi
  90. Unified Revolutionary Medical Bureau in East Gouta
  91. Union of Relief and Medical Care Organizations (UOSSM)
  92. Union of Syrians Abroad
  93. Violations Documentation Center in Syria
  94. Vision GRAM-International
  95. White Hands - Beyazeller
  96. World Vision
  97. Zain Foundation