"In reality the massacre in Eastern Ghouta, an area containing 400,000 people, is a continuation of the policy pursued by the tyrannical Assad regime for over six years - of killing any Syrians who do not accept its rule. This policy along with interventions by foreign militaries, has resulted in the death of approximately 500,000 citizens and the displacement of millions more" said John Molyneux, Secretary of the IAWM Steering Committee.”

He continued: "But, however, strongly we condemn this particular atrocity in Eastern Ghouta and the actions of Assad and his Russian backers, we must also look at the wider picture. Syria and its people have been subject to attacks and invasions by both the world's superpowers - Russia AND the USA - and by various regional powers - Turkey, Iran and Israel. None of these interventions have been motivated by solidarity with the Syrian people: all are attempts to carve out spheres of imperial and sub-imperial influence in the Middle East. In fact since the disastrous invasion of Iraq in 2003, opposed by over 100,000 people on the streets of Dublin and millions worldwide, the Middle East has become a continuous catastrophic war zone. We in the Irish Anti-War Movement and the international peace movement warned that this would happen and, tragically, we were right."

Jim Roche, Secretary of the IAWM Steering Committee, added: “The IAWM has long held the view that the so-called Syrian civil war is in fact a proxy war between the world powers of the USA and America with various regional powers taking one or the other side. The horrific anti-human destruction now being played out in Eastern Ghouta is yet another element in this wider conflagration where ordinary Syrian citizens are caught in the middle of these militaristic power games. We have long called for an immediate ceasefire and meaningful negotiations for permanent peace. What appears to be happening now is that Russia and the Syrian Regime are using a minor offensive by the rebels to effectively indiscriminately bomb an entire urban area with no consideration for the casualties. Sadly this has been a characteristic perpetrated by all sides in this 7-year war.

“The Irish Anti-War Movement calls for an immediate end to the bombing of Eastern Ghouta, for an end to the senseless war on the Syrian people and to ALL foreign interventions.

“We also call on the EU and the Irish government to end their shameful response to the refugee crisis which is resulting in mass deaths in the Mediterranean and elsewhere. If the expressions of concern about Syria are not empty and hypocritical then European Governments, including the Irish Government, must start actually welcoming refugees to Europe and treating them with dignity when they get here by for example ending the cruel Direct Provision system.”

For more information on the IAWM see www.irishantiwar.org