Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Smoke rises over Saif Al Dawla district, in Aleppo in 2012. AP/Press Association Images

'Enough, we said, enough': UN humanitarian agencies call for end to Syria conflict

The heads of four UN agencies are calling for an end to fighting in Syria.

THE HEADS OF four UN agencies have called on all parties in the Syrian conflict to end the war.

The heads of UNICEF, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organisation and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees have released a joint statement today, calling for an end to the civil war, which has left over 200,000 people dead.

Last year, the four released a similar statement, but say that they have been ignored.

Enough, we said, enough!

“That appeal has gone largely unanswered. The war escalates in many areas. The humanitarian situation deteriorates day after day.

“And for the civilians remaining in the cities of Aleppo and the Old City of Homs, as well as other parts of the country experiencing heavy fighting, the worst days seem yet to come.”

The statement goes on to say that 1.25 million people are in need of food in Aleppo city and rural parts of the governorate, with only 40 doctors left to treat 2.5 million people. Before the war, there were 2,000.

Across Syria, the lives of more than 9.3 million people are now affected in this, the fourth year of conflict.

A third of the nation’s water treatment plants are no longer functioning, 60 per cent of health centres have been destroyed, and some 3.5 million people are living in areas under siege.

The UN groups call for both sides to guarantee humanitarian access to all areas, a lifting of the sieges of Aleppo, Homs, Yarmouk, East Ghouta, Moadhamieh, Nubl and Zahra and the end to indiscriminate bombing.

They pay tribute to the Syrian people, before calling on the world not to give up.

Thus far, diplomatic efforts designed to end years of suffering have failed. What have not failed are the courage and determination of extraordinary Syrian civilians to survive.

“Can those with the responsibility and the power and the influence to stop this terrible, tragic war find the same courage? The same will?”

Watch: Irish troops return home from their six-month tour of duty in Syria

Column: Three years into civil war, families deprived of food are forced to eat stray cats

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
40 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Culligan
    Favourite Jason Culligan
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 8:17 AM

    The concept of the League of Nations failed because it was powerless to stop conflicts like the Chacho War or the Abysinnia Crisis. Now we’re seeing that the UN, it’s successor, is powerless to stop conflicts like the Syrian Civil War and the Ukrainian Crisis.

    Slapping an army onto a toothless organisaiton which relies on powers that are constantly competing with one another to be in agreement to do anything doesn’t make it an effective organisation.

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nicole McCormack
    Favourite Nicole McCormack
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:49 AM

    Your right Jason. The US has constantly ignored the UN and supported aggression by itself and it’s friends. Just look at Israel, just completely ignored UN resolutions and is fully supported by the US. The US constantly involved in undermining states that don’t agree with its imperialism. Not to often we agree Jason but you got this one spot on. Hope for you yet!

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Culligan
    Favourite Jason Culligan
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:52 AM

    The US is not alone in its blatant disregard for the UN though Nicole, nor is it alone in meddling in the affairs of other countries. The US, Russia and China are the main reasons why the UN fails today. Just like the US, USSR and the Axis powers were the reason why the League of Nations failed in the past.

    19
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nicole McCormack
    Favourite Nicole McCormack
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:03 AM

    I agree Jason

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Corleone
    Favourite Joe Corleone
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:06 AM

    Agreed! The UN would be great if all nations had a desire for peace, but look at all these ‘superpowers’ spending trillions upon trillions on war games.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James O Donoghue
    Favourite James O Donoghue
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:06 AM

    Jason let’s not forget Rwanda and how the UN stepped back and allowed the mass slaughter of almost a million people. Actually watched it in some cases.

    Toothless

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nicole McCormack
    Favourite Nicole McCormack
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:19 AM

    True James.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jamie
    Favourite Jamie
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 8:29 AM

    UN are powerless. This will keep rumbling on and on. Now if there was oil in Syria…….

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Despicable You
    Favourite Despicable You
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 8:49 AM

    There is Oil in Syria.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eddie munster
    Favourite Eddie munster
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:03 AM

    Israel wants to put a pipe line through Syria … Syria said no … That’s why there’s unrest there … Where was the un when the Brits caused war here,

    16
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Horgay H
    Favourite Horgay H
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:23 AM

    Re Eddie

    Look up William F Engdahl on the pipeline issue. It certainly was the real reason for the foreign proxy invasion. The pipeline Iran, Iraq, Syria agreed on.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Fogarty
    Favourite John Fogarty
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 11:50 AM

    Eddie ???
    Israel wants to put a pipeline through Syria??? What bull.
    Firstly Israel has discovered two large gas fields to supply it’s own needs and export abroad to Europe.
    No Arab country would sell oil to a pipeline that was Israeli or going through Syria and Israel. So this is mackey uppy nonsense from you. There isn’t even a need for such a pipeline as most go through Turkey and if new ones were needed that’s where they would go through.
    Any excuse to Israel bash, so typical of the Irish left. A shocking situation in Syria but hell they aren’t Palestinians so why care, let’s just blame the Israeli’s anyway.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ThomasFrancisMeagher
    Favourite ThomasFrancisMeagher
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 8:45 AM

    The UN & those bastions of reason Iran & Saudi Arabia are too busy trying the blame all the world’s problems on the Jews to care about their “brother Arabs” & Syria isn’t a glamours enough cause for our champagne D4 lefties & bar-still republicans to start sending flotillas & picketing cinemas over.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat Mustard
    Favourite Pat Mustard
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:12 AM

    Brother Arabs….since when are Iranians Arabs? What do you want people to do, this is a proxy war with the Iranians and Hezbollah helping Assad while several of the US allies are keeping the war going by supplying weapons and training camps for rebels and global jihadis in their territories. The Americans can stop this war, or at least hasten its ending, if they put pressure on Turkey to stop facilitating global fighters and the rest of their allies to stop supplying funds and weapons. Yet they continue to approve of their actions even though they purposely only supply enough weapons to keep the insurgency going but not enough to actually win the war. Sickening behaviour out of all involved!

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Culligan
    Favourite Jason Culligan
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:20 AM

    Pat, the same argument could be given about Russia and their supply of war materiel to the Syrian regime. A regime which has a long history of killing civilians to maintain their grasp on power. Besides, the US froze weapons shipments for a long time when they discovered that weapons meant for the FSA were finding their way into the hands of religious militant groups and switched to non-lethal equipment.

    4
    See 19 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Horgay H
    Favourite Horgay H
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:25 AM

    Re Jason

    ? WTF?
    The US froze arm shipments. Hmm…. You must have missed the brand new TOW Missiles the terrorists(aka ‘rebels’) are using over the past three weeks.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Corleone
    Favourite Joe Corleone
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:31 AM

    That’s a load of bollox Jason, excuse the language, they sent 200 state of the art wire guided missile launchers and ammunitions to a northern brigade well known for committing atrocities against the minorities in Syria. The CIA use Benghazi as a staging post to transport Jihadists and Ghaddafis arsenals to Turkey and only last week hundreds of well armed foreign fighters were captured on film filing past Turkish border troops into Syria. You just love to peddle lies and propaganda about Syria don’t you..admit it, are you getting paid, latest Snowden revelations says people like you do.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Corleone
    Favourite Joe Corleone
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:39 AM

    This is the fighters in Idlib that received the US’ cargo of TOW missiles…
    **WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES**
    http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=53c_1397789110

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Culligan
    Favourite Jason Culligan
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:41 AM

    “state of the art ”

    I must have missed the memorandum which declared that all weapons introduced since 1970 must be classed as state-of-the-art. They are the by far one of the most widely used guided missile systems and are even mass-produced in a copied version by Iran. They could have come from literally anywhere and there is no proof at all that the US sold them to the rebels. Do come back to me though when you have a copy of the receipt.

    “admit it, are you getting paid, latest Snowden revelations says people like you do.”

    It must eat you up inside, the thought that there are human beings out there who have a different point of view to you. No I do not get paid for the comments that I make nor have I ever been paid for them. Unless you can prove otherwise I would appreciate it if you dropped the libelous comments.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Horgay H
    Favourite Horgay H
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:42 AM

    Re Jason.

    For years you said the foreign Islamic jihadists, aka ‘sickos’, aka ‘rebels’ were not being trained in Turkey with Western support. You got that majorly wrong.

    You have also got your above comment majorly wrong.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Culligan
    Favourite Jason Culligan
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:49 AM

    @ Horgay,

    Saying “you’re wrong” doesn’t constitute a valid argument. Unless of course there’s no evidence that the TOW’s were sold to the rebels by the US.

    Also I had stated before that the Rebels were not entirely foreign jihadists, a point you still will not accept to this day. You seem to be convinced that the rebels, as a whole, are one singular organisation which is entirely made up of foreign religious fighters and refuse to accept the idea that maybe, just maybe, the Syrian people got annoyed at the fact that their great leader was using tanks and snipers against unarmed protesters.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Corleone
    Favourite Joe Corleone
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:56 AM

    I stated you are a liar, I’ll stand by that, you still repeat to this day that the Syrian authorities launched a chemical attack in Ghouta despite no evidence in the UN report you parroted exactly what Skull and Bones Ambassador John Kerry said about them, lies, despite a very credible report from MIT using weapons experts to debunk those lies saying it was physically and geographically impossible for the Syrian army to launch those attacks.
    As for libelous claims I simply asked are you paid for your Washington rhetoric, nothing libelous there my friend no need to get your knickers in a twist.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nicole McCormack
    Favourite Nicole McCormack
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:00 AM

    Jason you’re at it again. I thought you learned your lesson yesterday about military arms. You need a new hobby. Train spotting might suit you. The US have always armed Muslim extremists especially when the are fighting countries that are not friends with the US. Russia is a good example. The US don’t like Iran, Syria, Cuba, etc.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat Mustard
    Favourite Pat Mustard
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:02 AM

    Jason you might not like it but the Russians have every right to sell weapons to the Syrian Arab Republic, as have the Americans every right to sell to other dictatorships like Saudi Arabia. Don’t you think there is a big difference between these and supplying weapons illegally to foreign jihadis. The Americans helped overthrow an unfriendly dictatorship in Libya already and look at the state of that country now, it’s carved up by these militias that the Americans, Brits and French helped to create and is nothing more than fiefdoms for the warlords now! The same thing would happen in Syria, where western countries and their allies in the Middle East are supplying weapons to a myriad of hundreds of groups who could all control their own little area in a stateless country. At least the areas where Assad controls still have a semblance of normality about them but if the Americans got their way the country would be fractured for decades to come.

    Don’t you think is ironic that the Americans have this war on terror yet they have overthrown two regimes in Iraq and Libya and are helping to overthrow a third in Syria yet these three territories are now the biggest hotbeds for their sword enemies in al Qaeda, yet they were near non existent before American interference. You have to wonder do the Americans intentionally cause havoc in these places to ensure al Qaeda survive because without American help they would be operating in far fewer places than they are presently!

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nicole McCormack
    Favourite Nicole McCormack
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:07 AM

    They are monstrous murdering skum. And supported by the US and of course doing it for the pleasure of Allah.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Culligan
    Favourite Jason Culligan
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:08 AM

    I’m hearing a lot of “you’re wrong” from Nicole, Horgay and Joe yet none of you have actually done anything to justify why your points are right. The UN report did in fact have holes in it, but the MIT report is also full of holes and is merely a reaction to first-hand research. Thanks to the Russians castrating the remit of the chemical weapons experts sent in by the UN we’ll likely never know for 100% certainty who committed the attack. I know who I think did it and ye don’t agree. Fact is we’re just throwing opinions at one another so that’ll never change.

    And Joe, my apologies for sounding ratty but as you can imagine I’m getting quite tired of people insinuating that I am being paid for my comments. I have the respect not to accuse anyone I don’t agree with of the same.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nicole McCormack
    Favourite Nicole McCormack
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:27 AM

    Jason I actually agreed with you earlier. Problem is you just keep trotting out the same pro US rhetoric. Your belief in the CIA, NSA, the State Dept and Fox News is astounding. I’m sure you’re not paid but you are brainwashed

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Corleone
    Favourite Joe Corleone
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:36 AM

    I read both reports in full Jason, doubt I can say the same for you as the MIT report was comprehensive and almost 100% certain that the Chemical warheads could not have been fired by the Syrian army, goes against all the faux intelligence that John Kerry spewed out and what you believe, i must have missed the holes in that report perhaps you’d like to point them out to me?

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Culligan
    Favourite Jason Culligan
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 11:00 AM

    @ Joe,

    The report from MIT was comprehensive to you because it agreed with your viewpoint. To me, the report fails to address the fact that the quality of the Sarin used in the attack would have required an advanced lab to develop which the Syrian regime admitted they had. This is something the rebels simply don’t have access to. The fact that there were regime troops nearby and not a single one of them was affected is also not addressed which is also suspicious and left out.

    @Nicole,
    I am not brainwashed I assure you, I merely call it as I see it. With Syria I see a basket case of a country filled with religious nutjobs, genuine freedom fighters and an army taking orders from a power-hungry dictator who isn’t afraid to order the killing of his people with two major powers adding fuel to the flames.

    I merely challenge the narrative here in the comments section which boils down to US = Bad and Anti-US = Good.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Corleone
    Favourite Joe Corleone
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 11:20 AM

    Quality of Sarin used, see Saudi imported sarin gas, Prince Bandar.
    Syrian soldiers in the immediate vicinity of the attack? Care to link a report to that?

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Horgay H
    Favourite Horgay H
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 11:59 AM

    Re Jason.

    The thing is, you are wrong multiple times on multiple topics yet you have difficulty admitting that.

    I get things wrong too. I have no problem admitting it. You do.

    Only a fool doesn’t change his opinion when presented with the evidence.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Culligan
    Favourite Jason Culligan
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:23 PM

    Horgay,

    If you have no problem admitting you’re wrong, why is it you continue to use the Estonian Foreign Minister and her phonecall in arguments when it was pointed out to you long ago that the evidence used by her in that call was strawman at best? I’ll believe it when I see it.

    I also did admit that the UN report which I at first believed was a slam dunk is now questionable. From what I’m seeing it isn’t me here who has the problem with admitting I have incorrect or outdated information.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Culligan
    Favourite Jason Culligan
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:39 PM

    Just to add, I will remind you that you were among those who tried to claim that troops on the ground in Crimea were Russian yet when Putin admitted it you suddenly back-tracked on your statements.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nicole McCormack
    Favourite Nicole McCormack
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 5:49 PM

    And the freedom fighters are? ??

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Horgay H
    Favourite Horgay H
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 9:39 AM

    The US/UK/France/Saudi Arabia/Turkey have a lot to answer for. They have destroyed a once prosperous multi cultural secular country.
    Syria was invaded by foreign organic jihadists trained and armed in Turkey by Western Intelligence Agencies and funded by Saudi Arabia. And all for petty geopolitical needs which can change from year to year. All those poor innocents murdered, tortured, rated, abducted all for a pipeline as William F Engdahl has noted.

    Here is how the ‘uprising’ really began:
    http://www.trans-int.com/wordpress/index.php/2014/04/14/father-frans-on-the-syrian-rebellion-the-protestors-shot-first/

    Anyone who supports the Syrian ‘rebels’ are sectarian bigots or wish to see the majority of Syrians excluded from a future Syria. The ‘rebels’, who have little to no support from Syrians, have said Syria will be an Islamic state with Sharia Law as the law of the land.

    Go, ask your local representatives a vital question, do they support the Syrian ‘rebels’. If they do and your a human being with any shred of humanity then you know what you should do.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Corleone
    Favourite Joe Corleone
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:02 AM

    Interesting piece here, about what went down in the G8 meeting last Summer in N.I., might go a long way to explain why the crisis in Ukraine has escalated to the point it has today, I strongly believe if Putin went along with Washingtons plan of destabilizing the entire Middle East/ Northern Africa region we would not be having this almost direct confrontation between the two sides.
    http://www.opednews.com/populum/pagem.php?f=Putin-Dresses-Down-The-Gro-by-Paul-Craig-Roberts-130710-270.html

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Horgay H
    Favourite Horgay H
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 10:06 AM

    Re Joe

    Thanks for the link. I didn’t see that. Will read in full later.

    Here’s one for you on Ukrainian crisis you mentioned:
    http://www.blacklistednews.com/Ukraine%3A_Poland_trained_putchists_two_months_in_advance/34666/0/38/38/Y/M.html

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Fogarty
    Favourite John Fogarty
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 11:46 AM

    What has happened in Syria is shocking but let’s be honest. The reason no one wants to get involved is because we don’t know who exactly is the good guy.
    We in Ireland like it black and white, our attitude to war is the Western nations involved are automatically wrong. Yes we know deep down if America had gone in to enforce a ceasefire we would have thousands of “anti war” protestors on the streets. These protestors are only against War if it is America or Britain or Israel. If it’s Arabs killing blacks in Sudan, it is fine. If it’s Arabs killing Arabs in Syria they turn the other way.

    For Syria there will be no flotilla’s, no protests, no vigils. And pittance raised for aid. There best hope is to drag the Israeli’s in , then we will see flotilla’s, protests, radio and tv shows, Facebook campaigns, masses of aid.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Culligan
    Favourite Jason Culligan
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 12:24 PM

    A spot-on and commendable comment.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute robert ludden
    Favourite robert ludden
    Report
    Apr 23rd 2014, 8:53 PM

    Man the amount of experts commenting on this article astound me

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds