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)