Raise voices for Aleppo

PERHAPS the city of Aleppo, Syria, seems very far away, but we should care that more than 100 children have been killed there since last Friday.

Ordinary people like us, all over the world, are crying out: Enough is enough. Surely the seemingly relentless attacks by Russia and Syria amount to mass murder. Certainly, United Nations secretary general Ban ki-Moon has warned that the siege upon Aleppo may amount to war crimes. And there are consequences to that – at least on paper.

Activists are demanding a no-fly zone to protect civilians. Mass petition calls online – such as the ever-vigilant Avaaz – are also pleading with United States President Barack Obama and his allies to stand up to Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in what is becoming one of history’s most almighty and bloodiest wars.

It is unthinkable to most of us that barrel bombs and chemical attacks could be used against the citizenry of a country. But indeed, that is what is happening in eastern Aleppo, where at least 250 000 people are now trapped, fearing for their lives every minute with little or no access to food, medicine or clean water. It is estimated that around 100 000 of these are children.

Negotiated political solutions have simply not worked in bringing down the death toll. Yet US officials say they’re weighing new options to stop the bombing campaign by Russia and Syria that’s plunged Aleppo deeper into misery. But The Washington Post, among other media, opines that few outside the Obama administration believe there’s much it will do.

US Secretary of State John Kerry last week threatened to suspend diplomatic talks with Russia. But Moscow ignored him and pressed ahead with its air campaign.

Let us raise our voices against this slaughter, however small we may think we are. This cannot go on.