Terrorbevægelsen Islamisk Stat står ved Damaskus porte og kontrollerer 90 procent af en stor flygtningelejr i millionbyens udkant – det rammer forsyninger til tusinder af civile, blandt dem 3.500 børn og FN kalder forholdene “mere desperate end nogrensinde”.
NEW YORK, 6 April 2015 (UN News Service): The current escalation is “more desperate than ever” for civilians in Yarmouk displaced persons camp which is currently housing thousands of Palestinians on the outskirts of Damascus, the head of the United Nations agency concerned with the well-being of Palestinian refugees warned Monday.
“The situation has been turned upside down. Currently, it’s simply too dangerous to access Yarmouk,” said Pierre Krähenbühl, Commissioner-General at the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
“Right now, what is on the mind of people at Yarmouk is bare survival,” he added, recalling his visit to the camp several weeks ago. “I just saw people waking up with so much despair in their eyes, waiting for their meagre assistance.”
He spoke of “unbearable suffering” that he saw and civilians queuing up in line to get aid, scenes of elderly people saying that they’re hungry, and a pregnant woman in the queue fainting.
He called on international bodies to remain seized of the urgent situation and also called on parties to cease all activities that put civilians in danger and allow humanitarian access. Member States must also uphold the UN Charter.
Failure to do so could lead to the gravest and most appalling of consequences for the more than 18,000 civilians who have been trapped in Yarmouk for over two years.
Næsten umuligt at komme ud – eller ind
Since 1 April, Yarmouk has been the scene of intense fighting and it is virtually impossible for civilians to leave, as any attempt to move in the open brings high risk.
Among the besieged residents of Yarmouk are 3,500 children, who have been reliant on UNRWA’s irregular distributions of food and other assistance for over a year. In some areas interruptions of humanitarian operations has left thousands of people without aid for months.
And with the situation deteriorating even further, the unbearable environment must be addressed through human and political terms, he said. What is happening in Yarmouk is an opportunity for the international community to work together and use concerted action to influence behaviour.
“Many refugees have been displaced to other areas in Damascus – temporary shelters, schools, and our compounds,” he added.
“Vi må og skal kunne hjælpe dem”
But people must be protected and assisted wherever they are, and for those who do wish to leave Yarmouk, organizing the evacuation is important but incredibly challenging as violence and fighting between armed groups increases.
“This is highly complicated especially in an environment that is increasingly dangerous,” Mr. Krähenbühl said, adding that it is very difficult for civilians to move around freely. Moving a large group of people out of the camp is very challenging.
“However challenging that may look at the present, it may be the only way to save lives in Yarmouk,” he said, reminding that it is the responsibility of all parties to the conflict to protect civilians.
The international community must influence political and religious leaders to promote and uphold fundamental messages.
“Respect for life is not just an element of international law but also a fundamental principle. Leaders must exert their power to influence all parties to cease hostilities and reach a humanitarian truce,” he emphasized.
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http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=50507#.VSMmv2Vqr4s
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