Participant of Brussels Conference on Syria calls for not politicizing aid
ERBIL, KRG, Iraq (North Press) – On Monday, the Executive Director of Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) Bassam al-Ahmad called on the need not to politicize the humanitarian aid provided to Syria.
This came during his participation in the sixth Brussels Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region” on 9 and 10 May, 2022.
Earlier on Monday, the Sixth Brussels Conference started with the participation of the international and local humanitarian organizations to continue supporting the Syrian people in Syria and the region, and mobilise the international community in support of a comprehensive and credible political solution to the Syria conflict, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
“The majority of the participants agreed on the risk of forced return of the refugees, the mechanism for distributing humanitarian aid, and the non-politicization of it, ensuring it reaches all areas. They also agreed on strengthening the role of the youth and creating better space for civil work,” al-Ahmad told North Press.
He said that he discussed the issue of humanitarian aid and refused to politicize it on a geographical or ethnic basis, stressing the need to be distributed fairly without discrimination.
Al-Ahmad also called for creating the space for the work of civil organizations and for close coordination among them at the level of Syria in general.
Al-Ahmad highlighted an important issue, which is the one of the Syrian refugees in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, on equal terms with the refugees in Turkey and other countries.
The Executive Director of “Syrians for Truth and Justice” also stressed the rejection of the “refoulement of refugees anywhere,” urging the conference participants to call for the voluntary and safe return.
As far the Turkish plan to deport about one million Syrian refugees, al-Ahmad said: “Turkey had the right, if the return was indeed voluntary, and if they returned to their areas of origin. The Truth is that the Turkish plan is a project of demographic change, so the refugees should be returned to only their places of origin.”