If we are to help Syria’s people, we must take action
|
Version 0 of 1. The terrible civil war in Syria has now entered a dangerous new phase following Russia’s decision to come in on President Assad’s side. Each death is a rebuke to the world for its failure. We have a responsibility to protect people, but in Syria no one has taken responsibility and no one has been protected. It is the great humanitarian crisis of our age and one of our greatest tests too. Today, nearly half the Syrian population no longer live where they were when the civil war broke out. Seven and a half million people are internally displaced and 4 million have fled the country. Families have been forced out of their homes because of the barrel bombs and bloody terror inflicted upon them by Assad and because of Islamic State’s mind-numbing brutality. In Syria and Iraq they have killed Muslims and Christians alike, stoned people to death, thrown gay men off buildings, raped girls and women and sold them in markets and cut the heads off humanitarians who only came to help. Related: Syrian rebels decry Russian airstrikes: 'we have not had Isis here in over a year' Britain was right to respond to the request from the democratically elected Iraqi government for air support to try to defeat Isis as part of a large international coalition that is opposing it. There is now considerable discussion about British airstrikes against Isis in Syria, but to bring peace, stability and security to that country we need a much broader, more comprehensive plan. This will require political, diplomatic and humanitarian will too. At the Labour party conference, Jeremy Corbyn and I called on the prime minister to strain every sinew to secure a comprehensive UN security council resolution under chapter VII of the UN charter calling for: • effective action to end the threat from Isis • the creation of safe zones in Syria to shelter those who have had to flee their homes • the referral of suspected war crimes to the international criminal court • increased humanitarian aid to those who have fled to neighbouring states • an agreement for countries to welcome their share of Syrian refugees • and a major international effort bringing together Russia, Iran, the neighbouring countries, the Gulf states, the US and Europe to agree a post-civil war plan for Syria. Since then Russia has launched military strikes in Syria. There are very serious concerns that these have been targeted at groups opposing Assad, rather than at Isis. This changes the situation on the ground, but it makes the need for action to end the Syrian civil war much more pressing. On the question of airstrikes against Isis in Syria, it should now be possible to get agreement on a UN resolution given that four of the five permanent members – the US, France, Britain and Russia – are already taking military action against Isis in Iraq or Syria or in both countries. The prime minister should now be working tirelessly with other countries to try to secure such a resolution. Related: British military intervention in Syria will solve nothing | Diane Abbott In any event, MPs will want to know what the aim of British airstrikes in Syria would be, their nature and what difference they would make, the legal base and the views of other nations in the region, including Iraq. Britain also needs to redouble its efforts and use its influence to urge the UN to act on the wider Syrian crisis to protect civilians through safe zones, hold to account those responsible for suspected war crimes, increase humanitarian aid, help refugees and agree a plan to bring the civil war to an end. Of course, we know that any resolution may be vetoed and in those circumstances we would need to look at the position again. The way we take any decision will matter a great deal. MPs and others may disagree about what the right thing to do is, but we must never forget that we have a responsibility both to help the Syrian people and protect British citizens. Deciding to intervene militarily in another country is one of the most serious decisions parliament can make, but equally nobody should be in any doubt that inaction is also a decision that will have consequences in Syria. |