Patriarchs and heads of Churches and Ecclesial Communities living in Syria have called on the UN and Western countries to lift sanctions and the economic embargo against the Syrian Arab Republic following the earthquake that shook large parts of the country on Monday, February 6.
In a statement signed by the Patriarch of Antioch of the Syriac Orthodox, Mar Ignatius Aphrem II, the Patriarch of Antioch of the Greek Orthodox, Yohanna X and the Patriarch of Antioch of the Melkite Greek Catholics, Youssef I Absi, among others, have called for the immediate withdrawal of these measures defined as «iniquitous» and to instead implement «exceptional and timely humanitarian initiatives to help Syrian populations overwhelmed by unsustainable catastrophes.»
The earthquake has claimed thousands of victims in Syria, sowing destruction and multiplying the suffering of the Syrian people, already bent under the weight of war, pandemic, inflation and lack of natural resources, medicines and basic necessities.
This Thursday, the first United Nations convoy with humanitarian aid crossed the border between Turkey and Syria to deliver aid to the northwest of the Arab country to those affected by the earthquakes registered on Monday, which have left more than 17,000 dead, including more than 3,000 in Syrian territory. This area of Syria has been experiencing a civil war for almost 12 years.
«We also appeal to people of living conscience around the world to raise their voices calling for an end to the suffering of the Syrian people and to allow Syrian citizens to live in dignity, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,» the statement said.
«The earthquake has destroyed places of worship, health clinics and social assistance centers, fueling a further increase in the number of homeless and internally displaced people, just when winter is at its harshest,» they said.
In their interventions, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches assured prayers for the victims of the earthquake and their families, prayed for the healing of the wounded and for all those involved in the relief machine, and called on governments, international institutions and humanitarian organizations to intervene to help the Syrian people regardless of any political considerations or calculations.
The Pope also expressed himself along these lines, calling for «solidarity» for Syria and Turkey in the aftermath of the earthquakes. «It is time for compassion, it is time for solidarity. Enough of hatred, enough of divisions that lead to the self-destruction of humanity,» Francis said on his Twitter account in nine languages and followed by millions of people.
«In pain, let us unite, let us help those who suffer in #Turkey and #Syria, let us build peace and fraternity in the world,» the Pope said.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
