Joint NGO Statement: Obama & Putin: Hope is crumbling on your watch, save Syria’s ceasefire

29 April 2016

NGOs and faith groups to Obama & Putin: Hope is crumbling on your watch, save Syria’s ceasefire

“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. Broederlijk Delen
  12. The Council for British Arab Understanding (CAABU)
  13. CAFOD
  14. CARE International
  15. CCFD-Terre Solidaire
  16. Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
  17. Center for Victims of Torture
  18. ChildrenPlus
  19. Christian Aid
  20. Church of Scotland
  21. Doctors of the World UK
  22. Doctors of the World USA
  23. Euromed (EMHRN)
  24. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
  25. Friends Committee on National Legislation
  26. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P)
  27. Hand in Hand for Syria
  28. Helen Bamber Foundation
  29. Hivos (Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries)
  30. Hope for Syria
  31. Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHASM” /Palestine
  32. iguacu
  33. Ihsan
  34. Independent Doctors Association (IDA)
  35. International Rescue Committee
  36. Islamic Relief
  37. Karam Foundation
  38. Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
  39. Lord Bishop of Coventry, on behalf of the Church of England
  40. Madani organisation
  41. Mayday Rescue
  42. Medical Aid for Palestinians
  43. Medics Under Fire
  44. Middle East and North Africa Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (MENAPPAC)
  45. Mercy Corps
  46. Methodist Church in Britain
  47. Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
  48. Non-Violence Network in the Arab Countries
  49. Oxfam
  50. PAX
  51. Pax Christi Flanders
  52. Pax Christi International
  53. Peace Action
  54. People in Need
  55. Permanent Peace Movement
  56. Physicians for Human Rights
  57. Protection Approaches
  58. Rahma Relief
  59. Relief International
  60. Relief & Reconciliation for Syria
  61. Rethink Rebuild Society
  62. Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS)
  63. Save the Children
  64. Sawa for Development and Aid
  65. STAND: The Student-Led Movement to End Mass Atrocities
  66. Syria Charity
  67. Syria Civil Defence
  68. Syria Network for Human Rights
  69. Syria Relief
  70. Syria Relief and Development
  71. Syrian British Medical Society
  72. Syrian Civil Coalition
  73. Syrian Network for Human Rights
  74. Tearfund
  75. The Center for Victims of Torture
  76. The David Nott Foundation
  77. The Phoenix Foundation
  78. The Society for Threatened Peoples (Germany)
  79. The Syria Campaign
  80. The United Reformed Church
  81. Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM)
  82. Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) France
  83. Vision GRAM-International
  84. War Child
  85. Win Without War
  86. Women Now for Development
  87. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
Source
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect and other NGOs

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