8/14/2019 Syria-UN Should Ensure Unimpeded Humanitarian Access

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Syria: UN Should Ensure Unimpeded Humanitarian Access

By International Crisis Group| IDN-InDepth Nes!iepoint

B"USSE#S - $he U%S%-"ussian a&reement to remo'e Syria(s chemical eapons arsenal hasled many o)ser'ers to hope *or a political )rea+throu&h% A more immediate and realistic

o),ecti'e as ell as a more relia)le yardstic+ )y hich to measure 'arious parties( &ood-illshould )e on the humanitarian *ront here the situation is deterioratin& rapidly andrelentlessly%

As the con*lict(s third inter *ast approaches it is past time *or this to )ecome a priority and*or all in'ol'ed . the Syrian authorities )ut also the re)els and the to sides( respecti'esponsors . to ta+e steps to relie'e the ci'ilian population(s intolera)le and entirely man-madesu**erin&%

$here is more than one parado/% E'en as chemical eapons inspectors en,oy unhinderedaccess to some o* the country(s most sensiti'e locations UN humanitarian aid cannot reachci'ilians in )esie&ed areas% $his is true e'en only a *e miles *rom the internationalor&anisation(s o**ices in Damascus here the re&ime deli)erately and systematically star'espeople in a ne tactic o* modern ar% "e&ime troops that are holdin& on to poc+ets o*territory in remote parts o* the country su**er a similar *ate at re)el hands%

#i+eise e'en as )orders remain ide open to *orei&n *i&hters eapons deli'eries and cashtrans*ers . hether in support o* the opposition or the re&ime . the *lo o* humanitarian aidroutinely is inhi)ited or )loc+ed%

"easons a)ound: UN unillin&ness to circum'ent the re&ime hich in turn prohi)its cross-)order assistance to re)el-held areas0 the re&ime(s cynical use o* aid incompetence andred-tape in handlin& *orei&n assistance0 1estern am)i'alence at or+in& ith the re&ime0

opposition radicalisation and *ra&mentation0 the reluctance o* nei&h)ourin& states to ha'etheir territory ser'e as a lo&istical )ase *or international NG2s0 the &lo)al economicslodon hich reduces a'aila)le *unds0 and the )eha'iour o* countries most deeplyin'ol'ed in the con*lict . nota)ly Iran "ussia and Gul* Ara) states . hose enthusiasm in)ac+in& the ar e**ort is not matched on the humanitarian *ront%

Unimaginative

Europe hich has e'ery reason to *ear that Syrians *leein& 'iolence and po'erty illultimately ash up on its shores has )een unima&inati'e in *indin& ays o* helpin& them)e*ore they depart the re&ion%

$he need *or outside assistance is all the &reater inso*ar as the parties in con*lict ha'e doneso little on their on to care *or the ci'ilians they at one point purported to )e protectin&% $hisis particularly true o* the re&ime hich despite emphasisin& the state(s so'erei&nty andinte&rity has a)dicated most state responsi)ilities% It *ocuses e/clusi'ely on a stru&&le *orsur'i'al and treats lar&e se&ments o* its population as i* they no lon&er ere ci'ilians andciti3ens )ut rather enemies to )e destroyed at any cost and )y all means%

4or its part the e/iled opposition . althou&h it claims the ri&ht to replace the re&ime .essentially has i&nored the ur&ent tas+ o* pro'idin& humanitarian aid and )asic ser'ices toso-called li)erated 3ones% $his in turn has contri)uted to the disruption o* their social *a)ricea+enin& o* acti'ist netor+s and empoerment o* radical armed &roups more *ocused onaccruin& resources *or themsel'es than pro'idin& *or ci'ilians around them%

All this must end% I* as some claim the diplomatic and political climate has chan&edsu**iciently to ma+e compromise e'en remotely possi)le the *irst &au&e o* such a shi*t must)e si*t and tan&i)le pro&ress on the humanitarian *ront%

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8/14/2019 Syria-UN Should Ensure Unimpeded Humanitarian Access

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Humanitarian Assistance

A *irst priority must )e adoption )y the UN Security Council o* a resolution callin& on allparties to &uarantee sa*e *ull and unhindered access *or the deli'ery o* humanitarianassistance includin& throu&h cross-)order operations i* and hen pro'ision o* ur&enthumanitarian aid pro'es impossi)le *rom ithin Syria% $he resolution should includeesta)lishment o* a monitorin& mechanism to name and . optimally . sanction any party thatresorts to star'ation as a ar tactic or hinders steals or di'erts humanitarian assistance%

$here is much else that can and should )e done% But this action is lon& o'erdue% All itre5uires is *or the Security Council to demonstrate the same unity o* purpose ith hich itaddressed Syria(s chemical arsenal and *or "ussia in particular to implement in practice thecommitment it repeatedly 'oices to the ell-)ein& o* Syria(s citi3ens%

Note: $his is the te/t o* a statement )y the Crisis Group issued on No'em)er 6 7869 and isreproduced in 'ie o* its critical importance% IDN-InDepthNes . No'em)er 7 7869;