News

Syria: Commissioner Georgieva calls for humanitarian pauses and respect of International Humanitarian Law

31-07-2012

European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, has said the humanitarian situation in Syria is sliding into “a large scale humanitarian tragedy” and called for civilians to be given the possibility to leave the areas where there is fighting.
 
“For the sake of people subjected to daily violence and horrors, we must not let this happen”, she urged in a statement issued today. “Civilians in Syria must be given the possibility to leave the areas of fighting in an organised and safe manner without having to fear for their life.”
 
Similarly, she adds, “humanitarian organisations must be granted safe access to combat zones to proceed with the evacuation of the wounded and civilians”, calling for “full and unimpeded access for all impartial and neutral humanitarian organisations”. The Commissioner also called for “all sides of the conflict to respect the humanitarian symbols and to cease and desist from prosecution of medical personnel, the use of hospitals as places of detention and interrogation, and any impediment to the provision of medical care under international humanitarian law.”
 
Georgieva commended the courage and professionalism of humanitarian workers on the ground, recalling that six of them have already been killed in the service of their people. “The protection of civilians, including humanitarian workers, is an obligation for all parties involved in the fighting. Violations of humanitarian law, such as, for instance, the targeting of medical facilities and staff clearly protected by humanitarian symbols constitute war crimes”, she said.
 
“Humanitarian aid is no solution to the conflict; but should neither be taken hostage by the conflict”, she concluded, appealing to the international community and in particular the United Nations Security Council to “focus on the humanitarian crisis in Syria and support my call for humanitarian pauses and respect for International Humanitarian Law". (EU Neighbourhood Info)
 
Read more
 
Press release
 
EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – Europe doubles emergency aid to face acute humanitarian needs in Syria (23-07-2012)
 
EU Neighbourhood Info Centre - Syria: Attacks against civilians must stop, says EU Commissioner Georgieva (18-07-2012)
 
European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection – Syrian crisis factsheet (June 2012)
 
European Commission – Syria country memo (2011 ENP package (May 2012)
 
European Commission – Factsheet - The European Union and Syria (June 2012)
 
European External Action Service – Frequently Asked Questions on EU restrictive measures against the Syrian regime (September 2011)
 
EU Neighbourhood Info Centre webpage – Syria
 


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