The IAWM also calls on the Irish Government to end its silence and to condemn the atrocities and geo-political military contest that is being played out in Syria by world and regional powers. Taoiseach Enda Kenny should call in the Ambassadors of both Russia and the US and tell them to stop this war.
We equally condemn the continued bombing, logistical support, arming of rebels, etc. by the US, Britain, France, Saudi Arabia, Turkey et al. The recent ceasefire was broken by the killing of over sixty Syrian soldiers by a US air strike, possibly with British involvement.
The descent into a living hell for Syrians has been fueled by a number of factors including western governments' insidious interference for their own imperial interests, the logistical support to rebel groups from the regional petro-Princedoms and Turkey, the rise of Da'esh (Isis), which is a direct result of the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq, and the violence of the Assad Government helped by Iran, Hizbollah and of course Russia in order to protect, like the US, its imperial interests.
The Syrian people are now being sacrificed by a struggle between world (Russia and the US mainly) and regional powers in a geopolitical sandwich in what looks like becoming an imperial carve up of their country fueled by an obscene multi-national arms industry with its insatiable demands for increased profits.
Stop the bombing of Aleppo. Agree an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Open the channels for humanitarian aid to assist the besieged, starving, wounded and dying people of Syria. Let those refugees who are fleeing this carnage come to the west for sanctuary if they wish to. Stop flooding the region with arms. All foreign militaries should announce their intentions to get out of Syria.
A peaceful context must be created in Syria which will allow Syrians to decide their own future. This cannot happen while western, Russian and regional powers are competing for dominance while shamelessly killing Syrians and flooding the region with arms.
We condemn also the recent commencement of the western supported assault on Mosul in Iraq in which both US and UK warplanes will be used for air strikes. Much as we all wish to see an end to Dae'sh this escalation of war will mean more aerial bombardment of civilians, will not help to bring about peace and stability in Iraq and is instead, as the UN have warned, in danger of creating a grave humanitarian crisis.
The IAWM is calling on supporters to join them at Dáil Eireann this Wednesday to stand in solidarity with the people of Syria and to send a strong anti-war message to Russia, the Syrian Government, the US, Britain, France, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to end this war now.