Blog 7: Syria Bars Red Cross Convoy From Fallen Rebel Bastion

This New York Times article, written by Neil MacFarquhar and Alan Cowell, documents the ongoing human rights abuses in Syria. The article details how Red Cross and Red Crescent humanitarian workers have been denied access to cities being bombarded by the government, such as Homs, and the organizations have been unable to form large scale centers to provide humanitarian aid to the sick and injured civilians that are the bystanders in the government's crackdown on rebel forces. The rebels are retreating to the north, and now the city of Baba Amr is the main target for government forces. Unconfirmed reports have proclaimed that government forces are conducting house to house searches and committing summary executions indiscriminately.  In recent days, Red Cross and Red Crescent officials have only been allowed to enter Baba Amr twice and could only evacuate 30 sick and injured people. The international community outcry for the violence to stop is growing. The Russians and Chinese agreed to a UN Security Council state “demanding immediate humanitarian access” and the UN Human Rights Council has issued a similar statement. In the meantime, countries around the world are pulling out diplomatic personal and jouralists from the country.

News reports have been sketchy because the government has maintained relatively tight controls on the media, but ghastly images of bombing in civilian centers have appeared on YouTube and similar websites.  Civilian, as well as rebel, populations are being mutilated by constant bombings, and now reports confirm that government forces will not let humanitarian aid enter the country.  Every day that Mr. Assad and his forces are allowed to slaughter civilian populations is another step back in the movement to enforce global human rights.  Every human being should be safe from government torture, and should be guaranteed a trial.  If the unconfirmed reports hold any truth, then Assad's forces are committing summary executions without even the facade of a trial.  Additionally, it is an abuse of human rights not to allow humanitarian aid into the war torn areas to aid the sick and wounded.  As the amount and types of human rights abuses stack up, the UN and other global actors are becoming more intent on intervention.  Mr. Assad's aid from Russia and China are likely limited if he does not open the borders from humanitarian aid to come in.  While the politics of the situation have allowed Assad some leeway in combating the rebels inside his country, the government's continued denial of humanitarian aid will likely insight the world community to act.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/03/world/middleeast/syria-rebels-are-forced-from-homs-stronghold.html?ref=global-home&pagewanted=print