Opinion | Editorials
Safety of the Syrian people is paramount
The Red Cross call to set up a safe corridor that allows in aid must be supported by all
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:02 February 24, 2012
The continuation of the current violence in Syria is alarming and raises a great level of concern. There seems to be no end in sight to the conflict. It is not an all-out war as yet but at the same time, peace and stability seem to be far away. If the situation in Syria is not addressed with urgency, it may well end up being a very long and bloody conflict.
Over the past few days, dozens of people have been killed as government forces intensified their shelling of opposition areas. The most aggressive attacks were against the city of Homs, where artillery barrages killed at least 100 people on Tuesday alone. In addition to the daily toll of civilian victims, a group of foreign reporters operating from a media centre in Homs were also targeted, leading to the deaths of two western journalists.
The images coming out of Syria are shocking and saddening, to say the least. Children, women and the elderly have fallen victim to the military onslaught. The images are bloody — and the crimes bloodier.
As the gathering of the "Friends of Syria" commences today, this saga of civilian suffering can no longer be tolerated. And at the same time, a fact that cannot be ignored is that facing off violence brings with it the risk of bloodshed on a larger scale. The ground reality in Syria is that the conflict has gone beyond the forces of government and that of the opposition — it is now a bigger game that involves regional and international players.
Hence, in all that is taking place, the safety and interests of the Syrian people should not be forgotten. And the first step perhaps should be to support the call of the Red Cross to establish a safe corridor that allows in urgently needed aid for the civilian population.
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