Join Syria Support Movement and the Sanctions Kill Coalition
in Signing this Statement
In the early morning hours of February 6, 2023, a 7.8 Earthquake struck in the vicinity of the Syrian Border with Turkey. At the end of the day, February 6, there were at least 1,700 dead, more than 20,000 injured, thousands more missing and hundreds of thousands displaced in Syria. Victims and rescue crews are struggling with continuing aftershocks and sub zero temperatures.
Aside from the need for food, medicine, warm clothing and blankets for victims, rescue workers need heavy equipment to excavate the ruins and to bury the bodies of the dead. They need vehicles and gas to transport people and goods to critical locations. They need experts, doctors and builders. Syrians already suffering without food and medicine, without electricity, are now in much more dire circumstances. While aid pours into Turkey, it trickles into Syria. While planes full of relief land in Istanbul, Syria’s airports are still. How can this be?
In large part this is because of US sanctions on Syria. As U.S. leaders have admitted, the purpose of the Caesar sanctions on Syria is to deny that government the capacity to rebuild. Now, we have a devastating natural disaster that requires immediate relief and reconstruction.
Initially, the United States brushed off calls to lift the Sanctions on Syria, but as international pressure grew, they produced General License 23. GL 23 is a brief document that all Sanction be lifted on money and goods going into Syria for earthquake relief, and only that, for the next 6 months.
Still, aid is largely blocked. Transactions must be evaluated on a case by case basis, and there is no safe lane. Banks and corporate institutions do not changes policies overnight, especially when the financial punishment for violating US sanctions is severe. The infrastructure necessary to evaluate transactions is significant and the risk is greater. Banks have been required to pay BILLIONS for violating US sanctions. Therefore, most of these institutions will not work with Syria.
So GL 23 is of limited value. There is virtually no way to send more that $1000 at a time to Syria from the U.S. No planes will land in Syrian airports so goods must be sent to Jordan or Lebanon, then transported into Syria. From what we have seen, it is a little better in Europe and the UK but they are doing transactions of around $5,000 at a time. So what we have is a trickle of aid going to Syria in amounts of a few thousand dollars at a time. This is far from the billions needed for immediate relief, and later for rebuilding.
Another issue with providing aid to Syria is diversion. U.S. Sanctions do not apply to the terrorist governed province of Idlib. The only allowed gateways from Turkey into Syria go directly into Idlib, the last bastion of Al Qaeda control in Syria. Western aid organizations provide aid directly to Idlib, which is not shared with the majority population of Syria who live in areas under the control of the sovereign government of Syria.
SSM is, howevr, sending aid into Syria through cooperation with our international members. It is small, but it is something. Please help us if you can.
We believe equal aid should be provided to Syria and Turkey based on need, with aid to Syria distributed by the recognized government of Syria in Damascus and by the Syrian Relief organizations including Syrian Arab Red Crescent which can distribute throughout Syria (including opposition held areas).
The United States must permanently end all sanctions on Syria. As confirmed by the UN General Assembly, US sanctions violate international law and the UN charter.
We demand an Immediate End to Sanctions on Syria NOW!
We demand Immediate Aid for the Syrian People
We demand the lifting of all barriers to global trade with Syria
End Deadly Sanctions on Syria; Allow Earthquake Relief for Syrians
Share this with your friends:
250
Robert H Stiver
HI
Oct 08, 2024
249
Karen Hoover
Vermont
Jun 15, 2024
248
Muhib Tarakji
WV
Mar 12, 2024
247
Samar Atallah
Jan 30, 2024
246
Polly Milner
United Kingdom
Oct 25, 2023
245
Mike Baldwin
CA.
Sep 07, 2023
244
Peggy Howells
Victoria
Sep 03, 2023
243
Teyanu Putorti
new york
Jul 23, 2023
242
Ronald Jones
DE
May 15, 2023
241
Sasha Lagano
FL
May 15, 2023
240
ulrich scheller
NRW
May 15, 2023
239
Timothea Papas
Illinois
May 15, 2023
238
John Fry
Michigan
May 10, 2023
237
William Crain
MT
May 05, 2023
236
Michael S Goodman
Wi
May 01, 2023
235
Drew Spencer
MI
Apr 25, 2023
234
Brent Riley
VA
Apr 12, 2023
233
Leo Kucewicz
PA
Apr 11, 2023
232
Michael Barrett
London
Mar 28, 2023
231
Karen Bernal
CA
Mar 12, 2023
230
richard sterling
CA
Mar 06, 2023
229
Robert Richard
Washington
Mar 06, 2023
228
Jonathan Wholohan
NSW
Mar 05, 2023
227
Marla Rice-Evans
NC
Mar 04, 2023
226
Don Bryant
Ohio
Mar 03, 2023
225
Charles Britz
WV
Mar 02, 2023
224
Marcus Heizmann
Switzerland
Mar 02, 2023
223
Sarah Passman
Mar 01, 2023
222
James Long
HI
Mar 01, 2023
221
Tamara Lorincz
ON
Feb 28, 2023
220
Andrew Williams
West cork
Feb 28, 2023
219
Danyelle LeBlanc
Quebec
Feb 28, 2023
218
Michael Motta
MI
Feb 27, 2023
217
Mark Taliano
ON
Feb 27, 2023
216
Paul Ahn
Seoul
Feb 27, 2023
215
Alex Awada
ON
Feb 27, 2023
214
Mona Zak
Ontario
Feb 27, 2023
213
John Maxted
West sussex
Feb 27, 2023
212
Veronika Valenteje
Slovakia
Feb 26, 2023
211
David Gibson
Texas
Feb 26, 2023
210
Julie Harrington
Staffordshire
Feb 26, 2023
209
Michael Kostich
Wisconsin
Feb 26, 2023
208
Sajid Mustafa
Feb 26, 2023
207
Andrzej Kamiński
Feb 26, 2023
206
John Chapdelaine
TN
Feb 25, 2023
205
martin adair
Antrim
Feb 25, 2023
204
Anna Von Frances
Oaxaca
Feb 25, 2023
203
Karren Sanvido
Ontario
Feb 25, 2023
202
Giuseppe Criscuoli
Italia
Feb 25, 2023
201
Valerie Buschow
CA
Feb 25, 2023
200
Daniella Modos - Cutter
England
Feb 25, 2023
199
Myrl Eddy
AB
Feb 25, 2023
198
CHRISTOPHER GOATCHER
Oxfordshire
Feb 25, 2023
197
Guowei Cui
Shaanxi
Feb 25, 2023
196
Annette Lengyel
Alberta
Feb 25, 2023
195
Chuck Scurich
CA
Feb 24, 2023
194
Robert Roth
Oregon
Feb 24, 2023
193
Mary Girard
MI
Feb 24, 2023
192
Rose Ghazal
Ontario
Feb 24, 2023
191
elizabeth lee
newfoundland
Feb 24, 2023
190
Claudia Chaufan
Ontario
Feb 24, 2023
189
Vivian Zelaya
CA
Feb 24, 2023
188
Muriel McConaghy
Derry
Feb 24, 2023
187
Victoria Hoffmann
MD
Feb 24, 2023
186
James Hunt
CA
Feb 24, 2023
185
Eileen Gibson
Feb 24, 2023
184
Ghania Naffouj
Damascus
Feb 23, 2023
183
Darcy Noonkester
MD
Feb 23, 2023
182
Lorin Peters
CA
Feb 23, 2023
181
James Prendergast
Ontario
Feb 23, 2023
180
June Martin
Yorkshire
Feb 23, 2023
179
Marion Heacock
PA
Feb 23, 2023
178
Pamela Cote
NH
Feb 23, 2023
177
Mairead Maguire
Co down
Feb 23, 2023
176
Linda Longoria
OR
Feb 23, 2023
175
roberto zanconi
Milano
Feb 23, 2023
174
Margaret Norris
Surrey
Feb 23, 2023
173
Susan Mullan
TX
Feb 23, 2023
172
Rehab Saad
On
Feb 23, 2023
171
Miriam Sundqvist
Feb 23, 2023
170
Rebecca Martin
Ca
Feb 23, 2023
169
Christopher Kirk
Dorset
Feb 23, 2023
168
Yvonne Larsson
Feb 23, 2023
167
Rebecka Eddebo
Norrland
Feb 23, 2023
166
Christine Sundqvist
Norrbotten
Feb 23, 2023
165
Nat Walden
Feb 23, 2023
164
Christopher Brown
VA
Feb 23, 2023
163
Rianne Lampers
Feb 22, 2023
162
Ian Brown
Devon
Feb 22, 2023
161
Jorid Sandmel
Feb 22, 2023
160
Joyce Frohn
WI
Feb 22, 2023
159
Peter Ford
Cheshire
Feb 22, 2023
158
Vikki Burns
CT
Feb 22, 2023
157
Michael Carder
WA
Feb 22, 2023
156
Tony Allen
Cambs
Feb 22, 2023
155
kaveh hannani
OR
Feb 22, 2023
154
David Keenan
CA
Feb 22, 2023
153
Urška Babnik
Slovenia
Feb 22, 2023
152
Roger Blackwell
Outside US or Canada
Feb 22, 2023
151
Joyce abraham
Scotland
Feb 22, 2023
150
Anna Nozareva
Feb 22, 2023
149
Diana Bohn
CA
Feb 22, 2023
148
Amal Wahdan
Ramallah Al Bireh Govenate
Feb 22, 2023
147
Johanna Clarke-Irons
Devon
Feb 22, 2023
146
Waltraud Schauer
Vienna
Feb 22, 2023
145
David Halpin FRCS
Devon
Feb 22, 2023
144
Claude Grégoire
Feb 22, 2023
143
Henry Duke
Ca
Feb 22, 2023
142
Helga Mankovitz
Ontario
Feb 21, 2023
141
Charles Lownes
NC
Feb 21, 2023
140
Izumi Van Cleave
CA
Feb 21, 2023
139
Dimitris Konstantakopoulos
Feb 21, 2023
138
Coleen Rowley
Minnesota
Feb 21, 2023
137
Max Blumenthal
DC
Feb 21, 2023
136
Jane Stillwater
CA
Feb 21, 2023
135
L. Smith
CT
Feb 21, 2023
134
Melinda Stahr
Ca
Feb 21, 2023
133
Suzanne E Cowan
California
Feb 21, 2023
132
Mary Heffron
VT
Feb 21, 2023
131
Karen Platt
CA
Feb 21, 2023
130
Cinda Rubinstein
Select
Feb 21, 2023
129
Elaine Marie Kinch
WI
Feb 21, 2023
128
Melly Ailabouni
Minnesota
Feb 21, 2023
127
Melinda Smith
NM
Feb 21, 2023
126
Frank A Scafani
CA
Feb 21, 2023
125
Frances ReMillard
United States
Feb 21, 2023
124
aida poerteneuve
CA 90803
Feb 21, 2023
123
Bob Gorringe
CA
Feb 21, 2023
122
Bill Dole
WA
Feb 21, 2023
121
Paul Larudee
California
Feb 21, 2023
120
Bill Holt
TX
Feb 21, 2023
119
Wally Yazbak
GA
Feb 21, 2023
118
Mary Davies
Mn
Feb 21, 2023
117
Ali Mallah
Ontario
Feb 21, 2023
116
Mirna Miranda
Colorado
Feb 21, 2023
115
Hannah Safran
Feb 21, 2023
114
Jane Nahass
CA
Feb 21, 2023
113
Viqar Ali
Feb 21, 2023
112
Eric Green
Select a state
Feb 21, 2023
111
Sandra Decker
Feb 21, 2023
110
Ephrosine Daniggelis
Washington
Feb 21, 2023
109
David Westerlund
Washington
Feb 21, 2023
108
Lenore Sheridan
CA
Feb 21, 2023
107
Sate Hamza
MB
Feb 21, 2023
106
sandra marr
VT
Feb 21, 2023
105
Mary Allen
PA
Feb 21, 2023
104
Beatrice Eichten
wi
Feb 21, 2023
103
judy neunuebel
California
Feb 21, 2023
102
Rosemary A Seifert-Graf
MA
Feb 21, 2023
101
Janet Pixley
MA
Feb 21, 2023
100
David Bicking
MN
Feb 21, 2023
99
Julie Webb-Pullman
Wellington
Feb 21, 2023
98
John Barker
Tennessee
Feb 21, 2023
97
Maureen Duignan
California
Feb 21, 2023
96
LOLOA ALKASAWAT
Ontario
Feb 21, 2023
95
Mary Miller
CA
Feb 21, 2023
94
Sherrill Futrell
CA
Feb 21, 2023
93
Carl Howard
OH
Feb 21, 2023
92
Gessica Italiano
Feb 21, 2023
91
richard forer
Colorado
Feb 21, 2023
90
Gary Anderson
Colorado
Feb 21, 2023
89
Antony Pringle
Feb 21, 2023
88
Steven Sallie
az
Feb 21, 2023
87
Earl Staelin
Colorado
Feb 21, 2023
86
Takis Politis
Feb 21, 2023
85
Ann Tiffany
NY
Feb 21, 2023
84
Shaista Zainul
Ontario
Feb 21, 2023
83
Nydia Leaf
NY
Feb 20, 2023
82
Patricia Hynes
MA
Feb 20, 2023
81
Tony Reddin
Prince Edward Island
Feb 20, 2023
80
Edwin Hiley
PA
Feb 20, 2023
79
John Walsh
CA
Feb 20, 2023
78
Mona Dakroub
California
Feb 20, 2023
77
Bruce Gagnon
ME
Feb 20, 2023
76
Antoine Ayoub
ga
Feb 20, 2023
75
Mary Anne Grady Flores
Na
Feb 20, 2023
74
Mark Stansbery
Ohio
Feb 20, 2023
73
Edward Fisher
CA
Feb 20, 2023
72
ed kinane
new york
Feb 20, 2023
71
Christopher Helali
Vermont
Feb 20, 2023
70
Bill Jacobson
New York
Feb 20, 2023
69
v jane orendain
NY
Feb 20, 2023
68
Eleanor Levine
California
Feb 20, 2023
67
Janet Maker
CA
Feb 20, 2023
66
Sarah Wazzi-Moukahal
ON
Feb 20, 2023
65
Irena Varjabedian
California
Feb 20, 2023
64
Wally Yazbak
Georgia (GA)
Feb 20, 2023
63
Sabah Tumeh
GA
Feb 20, 2023
62
Samia Shannan
Feb 20, 2023
61
Rev. Fahed Abuakel
GA
Feb 19, 2023
60
Anjali Choksi
QC
Feb 19, 2023
59
Sara Flounders
NJ
Feb 19, 2023
58
Melanie Jacobs
CO
Feb 19, 2023
57
Rikesh Kutoo
Quebec
Feb 19, 2023
56
Farook Chandiwala
AL
Feb 19, 2023
55
Elizabeth Burr
MN
Feb 19, 2023
54
Kris McNeil
Illinois
Feb 19, 2023
53
shahram najafi
Ontario
Feb 19, 2023
52
Memuna Moolla
Feb 19, 2023
51
Michel Casselman
QC
Feb 19, 2023
50
Akemi Hosoi
Kanagawa
Feb 19, 2023
49
Lorna Paisley
CA
Feb 19, 2023
48
Daniel Stone
California
Feb 19, 2023
47
Wendy Brown
Nova Scotia
Feb 18, 2023
46
Jelica Roland
Feb 18, 2023
45
Afiya Islam
ON
Feb 18, 2023
44
Andrew McGlashan
VIC
Feb 18, 2023
43
Nancy Issenman
BC
Feb 18, 2023
42
Lut De C
Flanders
Feb 18, 2023
41
Jose N
None
Feb 18, 2023
40
J P
Illinois
Feb 18, 2023
39
Diane McLoughlin
New York
Feb 18, 2023
38
Renee Nunan-Rappard
Saskatchewan
Feb 18, 2023
37
Lynne Doupe Gonzalez
BC
Feb 18, 2023
36
Karen Rodman
Canada
Feb 18, 2023
35
Mary Beaudoin
MN
Feb 18, 2023
34
Teddie Kelly
CA
Feb 18, 2023
33
Danielle Tilkin
NY
Feb 18, 2023
32
Hiroyuki Tani
Japan
Feb 18, 2023
31
Gina Bugni
Arkansas
Feb 17, 2023
30
Rico Brasco
Feb 17, 2023
29
simone Swan
az
Feb 17, 2023
28
Said Zulficar
Feb 17, 2023
27
Susan Dirgham
Feb 17, 2023
26
Ann Garrison
Feb 17, 2023
25
Fary Moini
Feb 17, 2023
24
Elisabeth Nyffenegger
Feb 17, 2023
23
Filomena Rocha
Feb 17, 2023
22
MIriam Adams
Feb 17, 2023
21
lisa bonvecchio
Feb 17, 2023
20
John Philpot
Feb 17, 2023
19
Wayne Brelowski
Feb 17, 2023
18
david paul
Feb 17, 2023
17
michael dolman
Feb 17, 2023
16
Francisco Castro
Feb 17, 2023
15
Bahman Azad
Feb 17, 2023
14
Hilda Reyes
Feb 17, 2023
13
Myrna Kroff
Feb 17, 2023
12
Michael Payne
Feb 17, 2023
11
Ahmed Rahman
Feb 17, 2023
10
Elisabeth Schmid
Feb 17, 2023
9
Jay Tharappel
Feb 17, 2023
8
Gabriella Turek
Feb 17, 2023
7
Tracie A Smith
Feb 17, 2023
6
Sam Miles
Feb 17, 2023
5
Tim Anderson
Feb 17, 2023
4
Gerry Condon
Feb 17, 2023
3
Roger Harris
Feb 16, 2023
2
Jesse Bello
Feb 16, 2023
1
Judith Bello
Feb 16, 2023