Humanitarian Disaster Unfolding in Eastern and Western Gouta and the Southern Neighborhoods of Damascus

Press Statement

Syrian Coalition

Istanbul, Turkey

September 23, 2013

In compliance with the will of the international community, the Assad regime is not using chemical weapons in committing crimes against the Syrian people across Syria. After using chemical weapons with impunity on August 21, 2013, the Assad regime is finalizing the last chapter of its crime against the people of Gouta. During the past month, Assad’s forces have tightened the siege, which began a year ago, on Eastern and Western Gouta, as well as the Damascus southern neighborhoods. Supported by Hezbollah’s militias and Shabiha, Assad’s forces are starving people to death in those areas.

The specter of famine looms in the horizon as more than 2 million people remain under siege. Winter is approaching, and the situation in Damascus southern neighborhoods and Eastern and Western Gouta is rapidly deteriorating. The international community continues to watch silently the humanitarian disaster developing in those areas while the people suffer from lack of water, electricity, and medical supplies.

The Syrian Coalition has long called on the United Nations and its affiliated organizations to stop the murder of the Syrian people, including besieged civilians in southern Damascus and Gouta. Governments around the world, however, have only expressed concern and condemnation and provided the bare minimum.

The Syrian Coalition holds the international community fully responsible for the continued silence on genocide and crimes against humanity taking place in Syria. The Coalition further calls on the international community, in particular permanent members of the UN Security Council, to intervene immediately to stop the carnage of the Syrian people and to break the siege on southern Damascus and Eastern and Western Gouta.

We ask for Mercy for our martyrs, health for our wounded, and freedom for our detainees.

Long live Syria and its people, free and with honor.