(April 29, 2016) — Nearly 100 NGOs and faith groups have come together to call for renewed efforts to bring peace to the Syria conflict and relief for the millions of innocent civilians impacted. The Syria conflict entered its 5th year in March. The statement follows below:
“Violence across Syria has escalated alarmingly, reportedly claiming a life on average every 25 minutes in the past 48 hours. We cannot stand by in the face of this catastrophe. Global NGOs and faith groups demand that President Barack Obama and President Vladimir Putin immediately use their personal diplomatic engagement to save what remains of the Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) agreement.
In recent days, unacceptable violations of Syria’s CoH and the rules of international law have threatened to doom the initiative in its entirety. Numerous strikes on civilians, including several targeting medical facilities and rescue workers, have killed dozens. This must stop now. Just weeks ago, the US and Russia helped secure the CoH, providing a glimpse of what a respite from violence means for people in Syria. Fewer people died in the first month of Syria’s ceasefire than at almost any other time since the war began. For many, it was the first time in years that they could walk the streets without fear. This was a first glimpse of hope. That hope that now hangs in the balance. Syria is yet again on the brink of humanitarian disaster and the need for action is urgent.
President Obama and President Putin: these atrocities are happening on your watch. Please heed the call of the UN Special Envoy to Syria to take urgent steps to rescue Syria’s cessation of hostilities and end attacks on civilians. Please act now to keep hope alive for Syrians.”
Signed,
1. 11.11.11
2. Association for Aid and Relief Japan
3. Action on Armed Violence
4. Action Contre la Faim
5. Andalus Center for tolerance and coexistence
6. Arab Coalition for Sudan (ACS)
7. Arab Program for Human Rights Activists (APHRA)
8. ASML
9. Bangla 2000
10. Baptists Together
11. Big Heart
12. Broederlijk Delen
13. The Council for British Arab Understanding (CAABU)
14. CAFOD
15. CARE International
16. CCFD-Terre Solidaire
17. Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
18. Center for Victims of Torture
19. ChildrenPlus
20. Christian Aid
21. Church of Scotland
22. CREDO Action
23. Doctors of the World UK
24. Doctors of the World USA
25. Euromed (EMHRN)
26. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
27. Friends Committee on National Legislation
28. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P)
29. Hand in Hand for Syria
30. Helen Bamber Foundation
31. Hivos (Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries)
32. Hope for Syria
33. Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHASM” /Palestine
34. iguacu
35. Ihsan
36. Independent Doctors Association (IDA)
37. Institute for Policy Studies
38. International Rescue Committee
39. Islamic Relief
40. Just Foreign Policy, US
41. Karam Foundation
42. Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
43. Lord Bishop of Coventry, on behalf of the Church of England
44. Madani organisation
45. Mayday Rescue
46. Medical Aid for Palestinians
47. Medics Under Fire
48. Middle East and North Africa Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (MENAPPAC)
49. Mercy Corps
50. Methodist Church in Britain
51. Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
52. Non-Violence Network in the Arab Countries
53. Oxfam
54. PAX
55. Pax Christi Flanders
56. Pax Christi International
57. Peace Action
58. Peace, Justice Sustainability Florida
59. People in Need
60. Permanent Peace Movement
61. Physicians Across Continents (PAC)
62. Physicians for Human Rights
63. Protection Approaches
64. Rahma Relief
65. Relief International
66. Relief & Reconciliation for Syria
67. Rethink Rebuild Society
68. Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS)
69. Save the Children
70. Sawa for Development and Aid
71. STAND: The Student-Led Movement to End Mass Atrocities
72. Syria Charity
73. Syria Civil Defence
74. Syria Network for Human Rights
75. Syria Relief
76. Syria Relief and Development
77. Syrian British Medical Society
78. Syrian Civil Coalition
79. Syrian Network for Human Rights
80. Tearfund
81. The Center for Victims of Torture
82. The David Nott Foundation
83. The Phoenix Foundation
84. The Society for Threatened Peoples (Germany)
85. The Syria Campaign
86. The United Reformed Church
87. Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM)
88. Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) France
89. United Muslim Relief
90. Vision GRAM-International
91. War Child
92. Win Without War
93. Women Now for Development
94. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
95. World Vision
96. Zaad
97. Zaytoon
About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization conducting relief, development, and advocacy activities in its work with children, families, and their communities in nearly 100 countries to help them reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, please visit www.WorldVision.org/media-center/ or on Twitter @WorldVisionUSA.
Highlights
- Nearly 100 NGO and faith groups calling for renewed peace efforts in Syria
- Recent sting of bombings has put cessation of hostilities in jeopardy
- Syrian conflict entered its 5th year in March