Syria Cessation of Hostilities Welcome: Humanitarian Aid Desperately Needed

In Arab Countries, International Advocacy Program by CIHRS

A statement from 101 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.2982

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. Binna for Development
  20. Bonyan
  21. Bridge of Peace
  22. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
  23. CAFOD
  24. CARE International
  25. CCFD – Terre Solidaire
  26. Center for Civilians in Conflict
  27. Children Plus
  28. Christian Aid
  29. Concern Worldwide
  30. Council for Arab-British Understanding
  31. Damascene House Foundation for Society Development
  32. Deir Elzzor United Association (FURAT)
  33. Doctors of the World UK
  34. Education Without Borders (MIDAD)
  35. Emaar AL Sham Humanitarian Association
  36. Enjaz Development Foundation
  37. Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor- Geneva
  38. Fraternity Foundation For Human Rights
  39. Ghiath Matar Foundation
  40. Ghiras Al Nahda
  41. Ghiras Foundation
  42. Ghiras Syria
  43. Global Call to Action Against Poverty
  44. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
  45. Handicap International
  46. Help 4 Syria
  47. Human Appeal
  48. Humanitarian Relief Association (IYD)
  49. Ihsan Relief and Development
  50. Insan for Psychosocial Support
  51. International Humanitarian Relief
  52. International Supporting Woman Association (ISWA)
  53. International Rescue Committee
  54. Irtiqaa Foundation
  55. Islamic Relief
  56. Just Foreign Policy, US
  57. Karam Foundation, NFP
  58. Local Development and Small-Projects Support (LDSPS)
  59. Maram Foundation for Relief & Development
  60. Middle East and North Africa Partnership for Preventing of Armed Conflict
  61. Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
  62. Mountain Foundation
  63. Najda Now
  64. Nasaem Khair
  65. Nuon Organization for Peacebuilding
  66. Orient for Human Relief
  67. Oxfam
  68. Pax Christi International
  69. Permanent Peace Movement
  70. Qitaf Al Khair Relief Association
  71. Rethink Rebuild Society
  72. Saed Charity Association
  73. Save A Soul
  74. Save the Children
  75. Sedra Association for Charity
  76. Shama Association
  77. Snabel Al Khyr
  78. Society for Threatened Peoples
  79. Student-led Movement to End Mass Atrocities
  80. Syria Charity
  81. Syria Relief
  82. Syria Relief and Development
  83. Syria Relief Organization
  84. Syrian American Medical Society
  85. Syrian Education Commission (SEC)
  86. Syrian Network for Human Rights
  87. Syrian Engineers for Construction and Development Organization (SECD)
  88. Syrian Expatriate Medical Association (SEMA)
  89. Syrian Medical Mission
  90. Syrian Orphans Organization
  91. Takaful Al Sham Charity Organization
  92. The Center for Victims of Torture
  93. The Syrian Establishment for Human Care & Enhancement (MASRRAT)
  94. Tuba Dernegi
  95. Unified Revolutionary Medical Bureau in East Gouta
  96. Union of Relief and Medical Care Organizations (UOSSM)
  97. Union of Syrians Abroad
  98. Violations Documentation Center in Syria
  99. Vision GRAM-International
  100. WATAN
  101. White Hands – Beyazeller
  102. World Vision
  103. Zain Foundation

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