Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

Sous-comité des droits internationaux de la personne du Comité permanent des affaires étrangères et du développement international

For immediate release

Ottawa, November 24, 2016 -

On 1 November 2016, the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development held an emergency meeting on the humanitarian situation in Aleppo, Syria. During this meeting, the Subcommittee heard troubling testimony confirming that 275,000 civilians, including 100,000 children, remain besieged in eastern Aleppo, and the once-vibrant metropolis could be completely destroyed by the end of the year. Following the meeting, the Subcommittee condemned the Assad regime and its backers’ use of indiscriminate and deadly weapons and its intentional targeting of hospitals, medical facilities, rescue workers and humanitarian convoys.

The Subcommittee is appalled and horrified to learn that the Assad regime recently bombed and destroyed all remaining hospitals in eastern Aleppo after rejecting the United Nations’ latest proposal for a truce. The Assad regime’s callous and criminal destruction of two general hospitals and the area’s only children’s hospital has killed at least 172 civilians and left more than 250,000 without access to hospital care. The Subcommittee notes with dismay that the death toll in eastern Aleppo will rise even further as its besieged civilians have nowhere to obtain urgent trauma care, major surgeries, and other treatment for serious health conditions. Meanwhile, supplies of food rations, water, medicines, bandages, and fuel in besieged Aleppo continue to diminish. As the war drags on, it is the helpless civilians, including many children and infants, who continue to pay the price.

The Subcommittee condemns the ongoing bombing and besiegement of eastern Aleppo, and urges Canada to continue its efforts with the international community to use all means available to allow humanitarian relief to reach Aleppo, to end the siege of Aleppo, and to hold parties accountable for violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

QUOTES

The Government of Syria’s targeted destruction of all remaining hospitals in eastern Aleppo is not only a war crime but also constitutes a crime against humanity, and the Assad regime needs to be held accountable. Canada and the international community must continue their efforts to end the horrific suffering in Aleppo.

Michael Levitt, MP, Chair

In its decision to reject a proposed truce and instead destroy all remaining hospitals in eastern Aleppo, the Assad regime and its backers have once again shown their callous disregard for human life and that maintaining territorial control takes precedence to saving civilians’, including countless children’s, lives.

David Sweet, MP, Vice-Chair

Now more than ever, the international community must work together to bring an end to the heinous crimes committed in Aleppo against innocent civilians, and bring those responsible to justice.

Cheryl Hardcastle, MP, Vice-Chair