The UOSSM Safety and Security Director recently visited the region and sent the following distress call for help. The situation is dire. 

Peace and blessings be upon you

My Dear Brothers and Sisters, God bless you all

I am not sending these words because I am from Hama and my city, KafrNabooda, was bombarded leading to destruction, fires and displacement. I am speaking as a Syrian from the most beautiful land on earth, with the most amazing people on Earth. I am speaking on behalf of anyone who has lived on this land…

On behalf of your brothers and sisters from Hama, Damascus, Homs, Idlib, Al Raqqa, Al Dayr, Daraa, Golan Heights, Al Sahel, and Aleppo etc., the people that now live in Northern Hama and Southern Idlib…they are people that were displaced from Eastern Ghouta and Northern Homs, and Daraa, and Quneitra and Aleppo. They are, in this blessed month, in desperate need for people to lend a helping hand…they are need of those that will shelter them…that will feed them…that will ease the pain and suffering… that will stand by them in their disastrous situation/calamity…

This catastrophe and disaster is larger than the catastrophe of Aleppo and Ghouta and Homs and all other Syrian areas…The numbers of displaced have exceeded 400,000 and I am not exaggerating…20% of them are without shelter, living under the olive trees…over 35% are in Mosques, schools, community shelters and government buildings… and over 30% are in displacement camps; with over 3 families in each tent…in the worst of conditions…there is not enough food, not enough water, not enough blankets, and not even enough toilets…. The rest of the people sold their gold and personal belongings and rented homes for $100 that don’t even have the basic necessities for a home or are staying as guests with friends and family or generous people that welcomed them into their homes. 

I am speaking like this because the displaced fled with the clothes on their backs…they fled barefoot…they fled in search of safety for them and their families after the bombings would not stop. Even if a ceasefire is agreed upon and the bombings stop, over 50% of these people cannot return home because they have no home to return to; they were destroyed by the bombings.

Advocacy is important…calling out the guilty criminals is important…showing the pain and suffering and the size of the catastrophe is important as well…but what is most important is our role as human beings to alleviate the suffering in any way we can…alleviation is not a pain killer pill or the salary of a nurse or doctor…alleviation is by protecting their dignity…by providing a tent to give them shelter…or some food and water to stop their hunger and thirst…some clothing to give them some dignity and make their children smile as Eid approaches…

There is so much need… so much we can do…I know that UOSSM operations on the ground in the Northern region are doing what they can to respond to the medical need and the operation of mobile clinics and support of healthcare centers, but right now the more important role is not the medical role but the humanitarian role which is part of our mission and goals…

The response of other humanitarian organizations is almost non-existent… the people are in desperate need for your support. I’m sorry this is so long but I wanted to relay this message as my duty in front of God and of those in need. May God bless you all and reward you

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