UN Humanitarian Chief Calls For More Assistance An Financial Support In Syria

With winter fast approaching and the conflict in Syria showing no signs of abating, the United Nations humanitarian chief on Tuesday (30 Sept) called for sustained pressure on the parties to ensure access to those in need of assistance as well as financial support to maintain vital aid operations.

Valerie Amos, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, in her briefing to the Security Council said that over the past two weeks, ISIL forces have advanced in northern Aleppo and more than 160,000 people fled into Turkey just in a few days.

She said "their fear was so great that many people crossed heavily mined fields to seek refuge" and added that "there is a possibility that tens of thousands more people could be forced out of Syria, if ISIL forces continue to gain ground."

Amos said "all parties continue to fire indiscriminately on populated areas, and on markets and bakeries. Murder, execution, torture, hostage-taking and other violations of international law continue with total impunity."

The Government, she said, "has continued its aerial attacks, including the use of barrel bombs" and noted that "dozens of civilians were killed in Aleppo from such attacks, including women and children."

Government forces, she pointed out, "also continued their heavy shelling of the Joubar neighbourhood of Damascus, reportedly killing civilians."

Amos said that, despite the dangers they have faced, the United Nations and its partners continue to reach millions of people in need.

Last month, the World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners delivered aid to 4.1 million people. UNICEF and its partners, meanwhile, also provided access to clean water to 16.5 million people.

Financial support is also vital, she said, noting that without additional funds, WFP will be forced to end its operations completely within two months. Rations have already been cut in order to continue to reach as many people as possible.
Winter is fast approaching, she said, "and vital supplies are needed to protect people from the cold."

Neighbouring countries, she added, "also need urgent support so that they can continue to shelter millions of refugees."

Most critical of all, Amos said, "the violence that has already killed over 190,000 people must stop."

Some 11 million people urgently need assistance in Syria, and more than 4.7 million of them are in areas which aid agencies can only reach by bringing relief supplies across borders, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Outside the Council, Syrian Ambassador Bashar al Ja'afari spoke of the measles vaccine that has reportedly killed as many as 50 children in north western Syria

Ja'afari said "these poisonous vaccines were smuggled inside Syria by the terrorist groups through Turkish mediators outside resolution 2165. OCHA was not aware of that. The vaccines did not cross the border through the four official gates, and Mrs. Amos did condone to mention anything with this regard, with this scandal that led to the death of dozens of Syrian children, innocent Syrian children and the suffocation of hundreds of them."

In July of this year, the Council, the 15-member body adopted resolution 2165, authorizing cross-border and cross-line access for the UN and its partners to deliver humanitarian aid in Syria without the consent of the State.

SHOTLIST:
30 SEPTEMBER 2014, NEW YORK CITY

Exterior United Nations headquarters
Security Council
Med shot, delegates
Delegates
Security Council
Syrian Ambassador Bashar al Ja'afari walks up to the stakeout microphone
Ja'afari walks away

SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator:
"Over the past two weeks ISIL forces have advanced in northern Aleppo and over 160,000 people, mostly women and children, fled into Turkey in just a few days. Their fear was so great that many people crossed heavily mined fields to seek refuge. There is a possibility that tens of thousands more people could be forced out of Syria, if ISIL forces continue to gain ground."

SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator:
"All parties continue to fire indiscriminately on populated areas, and on markets and bakeries. Murder, execution, torture, hostage-taking and other violations of international law continue with total impunity. The Government has continued its aerial attacks, including the use of barrel bombs. OHCHR has received information that dozens of civilians were killed in Aleppo from such attacks, including women and children. Government forces also continued their heavy shelling of the Joubar neighbourhood of Damascus, reportedly killing civilians."

SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator:
"Without additional funds, the World Food Programme will be forced to end its operations completely within two months. Rations have already been cut in order to continue to reach as many people as possible. Winter is fast approaching and vital supplies are needed to protect people from the cold. Neighbouring countries also need urgent support so that they can continue to shelter millions of refugees. But most critical of all, the violence that has already killed over 190,000 people must stop."

SOUNDBITE (English) Bashar al Ja'afari, Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations:
"These poisonous vaccines were smuggled inside Syria by the terrorist groups through Turkish mediators outside resolution 2165. OCHA was not aware of that. The vaccines did not cross the border through the four official gates, and Mrs. Amos did condone to mention anything with this regard, with this scandal that led to the death of dozens of Syrian children, innocent Syrian children and the suffocation of hundreds of them."

DURATION: 02:50