Outcry to support Syria amid the earthquake is hindered by ongoing sanctions: Who are we really punishing?
On the dawn of February 6th, 2023 an earthquake shook the ground in Northern Syria and Türkiye with a 7.9 magnitude killing over 50,000 people and injuring thousands more. A few hours later, another earthquake with a 7.5 magnitude followed, causing more damage.
While politicians raced to publish words of comfort and support, their movement to action was rather slow. Spokespersons for international aid organizations released statements saying that they are ready for action when called upon. However, as organizations began to collect donations and fly into Türkiye, many people seemed to have forgotten the severe sanctions placed on Syria, a reality that Syrians cannot forget.
Economic Sanctions
Economic sanctions are imposed on a country or individuals to impede them from pursuing specific economic or political actions. Sanctions can include weapons embargoes, the freezing of assets, financial restrictions, etc.
Syria was first sanctioned and labeled, by the United States, as a State Sponsor of Terrorism in 1979. Sanctions intensified in the following years and peaked at the onset of the 2011 Syrian War.*
In 2011, the European Union adopted measures to restrict specific individuals. In August of the same year, the United States heightened sanctions against Syria to include restrictions on imports to Syria, the selling of petroleum, and more.
Despite the failures of the sanctions to stop the violence in Syria, they remain in place, causing more harm than good. The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent earthquake highlighted the detrimental outcomes of these sanctions on internally displaced refugees and civilians. Basic necessities have become hot commodities people can only dream of eating and classic Syrian dishes have now become part of sacred memories as some can no longer afford to eat them. Syrians struggle to make ends meet after being cut off from most of the world, with the exception of Russia.
Access to food is not the only issue. Syrians lack access to electricity which limits their access to warmth. In many regions in Syria, civilians only have access to half an hour of electricity every 24 hours. The shortage has people relying on older methods to keep light in their households including vintage kerosene stoves.
Civilians are suffering with no end in sight. Although the United States Department of Treasury announced a six-month suspension on the sanctions, it is only to help with earthquake aid. This is yet another short-term solution the United States has chosen to follow. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) recently released a statement highlighting that the aid reached is negligible and inadequate to address the severity of the situation. Why is earthquake relief prioritizing one group of people over another? Why is the Israeli strike on a densely civilian-populated area in Damascus on February 18 not receiving an outcry for action from the international community despite the casualties and structural damage? When will international aid reach Damascus and other impacted regions? What about those still recovering from 11 years of war? Syria needs support for more than 180 days to undo years of damage.
Moving Forward
Over 6.7 million internally displaced people, mainly women and children, do not live in stable conditions. The removal of sanctions would alleviate price hikes, allow for ease of transportation, and allow for the import and export of goods to generate both money and support for people in the country.
It is estimated that 14.6 million are in need of humanitarian support. The issue in Syria has moved beyond politics and is now a humanitarian crisis awaiting the response and collective action of the international community. It is up to global leaders to respond to the dire situation in Syria by removing sanctions to uphold the right of millions of people to life.
Removing sanctions should not be a way to forget or condone the harm inflicted on civilians during the war. Instead, it’s to protect and honor the lives of those who are left. It is clear the current sanctions system is not working with civilians most negatively impacted. Therefore, there needs to be a commitment to focus on long-term solutions that help those impacted and support them out of a state of war. Most recently, there have been calls by UN experts, and some religious groups to lift the sanctions entirely to support civilians and remedy the harm that has been inflicted as a result of the sanctions.
According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, people have the right to a “standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care.” If states believe this to be true, how are the sanctions invoked on Syria justified?
The international community urgently needs to commit to protecting and elevating Syrian lives out of poverty, instead of sending empty condolences to affected families.
*According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a civil war is “a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country.” Consequently, I don't refer to it as the Syrian Civil War because the conflict surpassed the involvement of only civilians and the ruling party. The conflict was fueled, funded, and prolonged by the involvement of Iran, Russia, the United States, Türkiye, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.