Congresswoman Lee spoke to the House of Representatives in Washington about the humanitarian crisis in Syria and about Syria’s obligation under international law to allow access to international humanitarian aid organizations to besieged civilian populations. Last September the United Nations Security Council urged Syria to take immediate steps to grant organizations full access - full access - to conduct relief operations. Yet today there are reports that the government continues to block aid to victims desperately in need of relief causing needless hunger and suffering among Syria’s civilian population. These acts are not just an offense against our conscience. They are also offenses against international law and United Nations’ obligations. As world leaders gather next week in search of a political solution, we must hold all parties to the Syrian conflict accountable and find a negotiated settlement to ending this conflict once and for all through the hard work of diplomacy. I am proud that the United States is the leading donor of aid and I am pleased that the omnibus bill we passed yesterday included increased funding for our ongoing humanitarian response. Contact your political representatives about ending the military sieges in Syria that are starving hundreds of thousands of Syrians.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 05:28:17 +0000