"Life in a tent is very hard...When I sleep, I put my infant between my legs
to keep him warm." – Displaced father of four, Idlib, Syria
 

Dear John,

Today, millions of people in north-west Syria urgently need food, medicine, clean water and adequate shelter. Cornered in a crowded and ever-shrinking area that was already struggling to accommodate the needs of its population, the displaced continue to suffer intolerable living conditions.  

Humanitarian assistance is urgently needed in north-west Syria.  

The UN Security Council is preparing to vote on whether to renew a resolution that authorizes vital aid across the Turkish border. This resolution, which expires July 10, is a lifeline for desperate civilians — but Russia may be planning to use their veto to block it.

Please use your voice now. Demand that the Russian government vote to renew the UN cross-border aid to north-west Syria.

Even by the standards of Syria’s catastrophic nine-year crisis, this displacement and humanitarian emergency has been unprecedented.

Between December 2019 and March 2020, the Syrian government, backed by Russia, subjected civilians in north-west Syria to a new wave of horrors – repeated air and ground attacks on homes, hospitals and schools.  

Around one million people – many of whom had been displaced repeatedly – were forced to flee to overcrowded towns, villages and displacement camps close to the Turkish border. They currently live in dire conditions, suffering shortages in food, clean water and medical aid, and now face heightened transmission risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

More than 80% of those displaced are women and children; many of the remaining men are older persons, persons with disabilities and members of other at-risk groups. 

We must all act now to ensure that civilians in north-west Syria continue to receive vital humanitarian aid – and we need your support to put pressure on Russia to make this happen.

Our world is going through times of great uncertainty. This is the time to show solidarity with those who have been suffering for years. Thank you for taking action now.  

Yours sincerely,  
 
Hilary 

Hilary Homes 
Crisis & Tactical Campaigner 
Amnesty International Canada 

 

P.S. People in north-west Syria who have had to repeatedly flee their homes from violence are now living in dire conditions. Please join our urgent call for Russia to allow cross-border aid to continue for civilians who have already endured unimaginable horrors.