The petition of residents of Newcastle, County Down,
Declares that the humanitarian crisis in Syria has already resulted in thousands of deaths and shows no sign of a resolution; further that men, women and children are targeted by air strikes and, if lucky to survive, are being forced to leave their homes, tearing families apart and often resulting in further deaths; further that these people do not ask and do not deserve to be in this situation; and further that a peaceful means to end the war should be sought, rather than the continuation of air strikes.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to help protect the rights and lives of those affected by the war in Syria through the administration of aid, food and medical care to those who remain in the country as well as those who have been displaced; and further that the Government is encouraged to find a peaceful means to end the war rather than the continuation of air strikes.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Ms Margaret Ritchie , Official Report, 29 November 2016; Vol. 617, c. 1490.]
[P001985]
Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Tobias Ellwood):
The UK Government are deeply concerned about the appalling humanitarian situation in Syria. That is why the Government are committed to doing all they can to bring an end to this conflict and the suffering it is causing to millions of Syrians.
The Syrian regime’s prosecution of a military campaign against political opposition has brought suffering to millions and killed hundreds of thousands. The regime, with Russia and Iran’s support, has repeatedly carried out airstrikes which hit civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and schools. They have used indiscriminate weapons including barrel bombs, incendiary bombs and cluster munitions which may amount to violations of International Humanitarian Law. We are clear that, where there are allegations of war crimes, these should be investigated and those responsible held to account. We support the independent UN Commission of Inquiry’s investigations into human rights violations and abuses in Syria. We continue to call for all parties to comply fully with International Humanitarian Law and to ensure the protection of civilians.
The UK has undertaken airstrikes in Syria as part of Global Coalition action against Daesh. All missions are meticulously planned and every care is taken to ensure we minimise civilian casualties. The evidence from detailed assessments of each strike is that the UK has avoided any civilian casualties so far in this conflict.
The UK is at the forefront of the humanitarian response to this crisis, providing life-saving support to millions of people inside Syria and in neighbouring countries. We have allocated over £1.8 billion of our £2.3 billion pledge, and are working with our aid delivery partners to ensure we continue to respond as quickly and effectively as possible to needs as they evolve. Despite the denial of humanitarian access to many areas in Syria, UK aid is making a real difference. Since the beginning of 2012, we have provided across Syria over 16.4 million food rations and medical support to over 3.7 million people. In 2015-2016, UK aid helped almost 3 million people gain access to clean water.
Securing unfettered humanitarian access across Syria is paramount. The best way of delivering the large amount of humanitarian assistance that is required is by road, by trusted and neutral humanitarian partners who can ensure it gets to those who need it most. We continue doing all we can, through diplomatic means, to exert pressure on the regime, Russia and Iran to secure proper access and bring an end to their deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid.
We also continue to use all diplomatic tools at our disposal, working alongside our partners, to achieve a peaceful and negotiated solution to the crisis. As members of the International Syria Support Group and the UN Security Council, we have repeatedly called for a ceasefire in the hostilities between the Assad regime and the Syrian opposition to create the necessary conditions for political negotiations.
On 30 November and 13 December, emergency sessions of the Security Council were held at the UK and France’s request to discuss the situation in Aleppo. In those we called for the regime’s pitiless assault to stop and for the UN to be allowed access to help civilians on the ground. Russia has repeatedly blocked meaningful action in the UN Security Council, vetoing six UN Security Council Resolutions, including one on 6 December calling for a seven day ceasefire to allow the UN to get desperately needed aid to the civilians of besieged eastern Aleppo.
On 19 December, the UN Security Council adopted a Resolution which demanded full access for the UN across Syria and in particular requested the UN to monitor evacuations from eastern Aleppo. The UK strongly supported this action in view of our profound concerns at reports of atrocities by pro-regime forces as eastern Aleppo was being evacuated.
The UN Security Council welcomed Russian-Turkish-Iranian efforts to secure a reduction in violence through the ceasefire they announced on 29 December. We are concerned, however, about ongoing military action by the Syrian regime and Shia militia. It is vital that Russia, Turkey and Iran use their influence to ensure that the ceasefire is implemented fully to help end the suffering of the Syrian people.
Ultimately, the only real solution for peace and stability in Syria is an enduring political solution based on transition away from the Assad regime to a Government representative of all Syrians. We support fully the efforts of the UN Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, to resume the political process through negotiations. Russia and Iran must use their influence and bring pressure to bear on the regime to return to the negotiating table and engage seriously.