Assad's regime confiscating much of medical aid - groupNovember 7, 2012 - 21:18 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - President Bashar Assad's regime is confiscating much of the medical aid that the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in Damascus tries to distribute, a spokesman for a Syrian medical aid group said Wednesday, Nov 7, according to The Associated Press. Dr. Tawfik Chamaa, a Syrian doctor in Geneva and spokesman for the Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organizations, said that as much as "95 per cent of everything that is sent to Syrian Red Crescent headquarters in Damascus goes to support the Syrian regime" and is handed out mainly to injured supporters of the government. He told reporters in Geneva that dozens of medical workers have been killed and more than 600 imprisoned since the conflict began 19 months ago, but the ongoing aid diversion is a silent killer. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent has been virtually the only aid organization allowed to keep operating in Syria, where its volunteers have been involved in a wide range of aid such as helping to deliver food, setting up mobile health units and providing safe drinking water in schools. "We are witnessing the silent death of hundreds of patients who are being treated for cancer, diabetes or hypertension or are undergoing dialysis or have premature babies or are pregnant," he said. Raefah Makki, a spokeswoman in Beirut for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said volunteers with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are working "sometimes in life-threatening conditions to provide urgent assistance to people affected by the unrest and in need of assistance in the most needed areas with complete impartiality." Through the group, Makki said, her Geneva-based umbrella organization "supports medical health points and provides relief and food items that reach people in areas controlled by different parties." She said eight aid workers with the group have been killed since Syria's unrest began in March 2011, which activists say has claimed more than 36,000 lives, but its neutrality is key to delivering humanitarian assistance to more than 1 million people monthly. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |