QNA/New York
The Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations in New York organised a symposium entitled “Slow Death: Life Under Siege in Syria,” with the participation of France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Britain and the United States, and in co-ordination with the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS).
The symposium was held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, and moderated by the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations in Geneva, HE Sheikha Alia bint Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani.
The President of the Syrian American Medical Society, Dr Zaher Sahloul reviewed the health situation in Syria during the past four years, and presented vivid images of life in the areas under siege and in areas that are subject to a partial blockade.
He also provided samples for people being killed in the besieged areas due to lack of potable water, and the scarcity of food and medical supplies.
He stressed that the infant and children aged 1 to 15 are most vulnerable to death and deadly diseases, as well as the elderly and women.
The United Nations is responsible for the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, Dr Zaher said, considering the authorities, which impose a total blockade as committing crimes against humanity and war crimes.
“We have to break the siege and to break the silence,” he went on saying.
For his part, former UK Foreign Secretary and President of International Rescue Committee, David Miliband, urged the five permanent members of the Security Council and the countries concerned with the Syrian crisis to appoint permanent co-ordinators for humanitarian relief to deal with the humanitarian crisis on a daily basis.
The fourth anniversary of the Syrian crisis reflects not only the suffering of the Syrians, but also the international community’s failure to resolve it, he said.
