ROCHELLE JUNIOR

As-Suwayda — Women from As-Suwayda expressed their full solidarity with the residents of the besieged city of Kobani, particularly women and children, affirming that what is happening constitutes a blatant violation of fundamental human rights.

Jihadists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have imposed a tight siege on the city of Kobani and its countryside, exacerbating residents’ suffering due to the cutoff of essential supplies, including food, medicine, water, electricity, and fuel, in addition to the displacement of civilians. Drawing on their own experiences with siege, the women of As-Suwayda called for urgent action to end civilians’ suffering and to allow the unhindered entry of humanitarian aid.

Dima Munther stressed that the current conditions, ongoing attacks, and the widening scope of conflicts impose a humanitarian and moral duty to stand by the people of Kobani—especially the Kurds—against the siege they have been subjected to for some time.

She pointed out that the absence of deterrent laws to protect children, women, and the elderly makes them the first victims of war’s consequences, including starvation and shortages of medicine and infant formula.

Dima Munther described the news coming from Kobani as reflecting a catastrophic humanitarian situation, calling on international organizations and concerned states to take into account children’s right to a safe life and women’s right to live in areas free from conflict.

She emphasized that “even in times of war, the human conscience must remain present by easing the siege and allowing the entry of medicines, food, flour, and basic health supplies without discrimination or political bias, in order to preserve the minimum of human values.”

Similar Siege Experiences

For her part, Waad Abu Zein Al-Din confirmed that the city of Kobani is currently suffering from a suffocating siege that has cut off food, water, and medicine, resulting in the deaths of several children. She noted that Syrians deeply feel this tragedy because they have lived through similar siege experiences, the effects of which persist to this day.

She added that Kobani’s current situation is even harsher, given the absence of the most basic necessities of life, stressing the urgent need to deliver medicine, water, and food, as there are children, elderly people, and patients suffering from chronic diseases that require continuous treatment, which is currently unavailable.

She questioned what crime children and women have committed to endure such suffering, affirming that they are “civilians with no connection to the ongoing conflicts.” She called for an urgent international solution to ensure the opening of crossings and the provision of civilians’ needs, asserting that the suffering of innocents cannot be justified under any circumstances.

Protecting Civilians Is an Urgent Human Responsibility

Lawyer Lina Abu Hamdan, in turn, addressed an appeal to free people, the United Nations, and humanitarian and international organizations, considering that what is happening in Kobani falls within a broader context of suffering endured by the Syrian people as a result of tyranny, siege, hunger, and disease.

She noted that “violations have affected all components of Syrian society, including minorities, through killing, persecution, and attempts at genocide.”

Lina Abu Hamdan affirmed her full solidarity with the Kurdish people in Kobani, calling for the immediate lifting of the siege and allowing humanitarian aid to reach the city, especially amid the spread of diseases and the lack of medicine.

She stressed that civilians are innocent of the practices of the authorities controlling the current reality and have no relationship or social contract with them, emphasizing that protecting civilians is a humanitarian responsibility that cannot be delayed.

Meanwhile, Rima Azzam expressed her deep solidarity with the people of Kobani, affirming that the city is besieged and deprived of all basic necessities of life.

“These painful conditions are not unfamiliar to Syrians who have experienced similar sieges, but what deepens the tragedy is the continued international silence toward the suffering of civilians.”

She condemned the violations targeting innocents, affirming that women and children are the most affected by wars, and that the world today is witnessing the killing of children and women without serious action to protect them.

“Women in conflict zones suffer severe violations of their rights without real support or protection,” she said, questioning the fault of children and women in wars they were never parties to.