Photo from the GOPA-DERD, an ACT Alliance partner in Syria.

Photo from the GOPA-DERD, an ACT Alliance partner in Syria.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) joins our partners in the Middle East in calling on the U.S. government to lift its sanctions on Syria so that a speedy and effective humanitarian response can be mounted immediately in response to the devastating earthquakes on Feb. 6. The earthquakes that rocked Southern Turkey and Northern Syria resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries and hundreds of destroyed buildings. In Northern Syria, already suffering from years of war and U.S.-imposed sanctions, the earthquake has had devastating effects. 

The sanctions, which have been in place for decades, only add misery to an already traumatized and impoverished population, particularly following the devastating civil war that began in 2011. This earthquake adds yet more misery to the people of Syria who in recent years have been slowly trying to rebuild their homes and their lives.

While the PC(USA) and other organizations working with partners in Syria can obtain humanitarian licenses for their humanitarian work in Syria, the effect of the sanctions slows down transfers of aid, often for months. Relief supplies intended for Syria’s frigid winter end up arriving in the high heat of summer. Syria is in the depths of winter, and many people are now homeless. With sleet, snow and freezing rain forecast, there is an immediate need for shelter, blankets and medical supplies to treat the injured. The few remaining hospitals are overrun with casualties. 

Lifting the sanctions will enable the aid that is required for the immediate emergency to flow smoothly and equip people to rebuild their homes and lives in the coming weeks and months. This would be the most compassionate action our government could take in response to this tragedy. We urge that the well-being and needs of the most vulnerable people in Syria and throughout the region — who have suffered so greatly — be at the center of our concern.

Stated Clerk Signature
Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Learn more about the earthquake and efforts already in action by the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) and our partners at https://pda.pcusa.org/situation/turkey-syria-earthquake/. To support PDA's response, please designate gifts to DR999999.