As India and others pitch in, politics hampers western aid to quake-hit Syria

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New Delhi, February 9

Twitter suspended the verified account of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after he criticised West’s withholding of aid to his country while generously sending it to fellow NATO member Turkey.

Assad’s account was suspended after he tweeted, “The West says they didn’t send aid because Syria didn’t ask for it. Are the pictures of collapsed buildings and dying people not enough? Or do they want Syrian people to beg on broken legs?”

Several emerging countries such as India, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, the UAE, Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have promptly send aid to both Turkey and Syria. India has sent six tonnes of aid with more to follow, while Russia will send 10 planeloads of relief material in the first week. Iraq has sent truckloads of badly required fuel while the sanctioned Iranian IRGC’s planes were freely landing in Damascus.

But what was equally conspicuous was the absence of any substantial helping hand from Europe and the US. “All we want from Europe and the US is to lift sanctions – if they lift sanctions the Syrian people will be able to take care of their country,” said Adviser to Assad Bouthaina Shaaban.

Instead the UK and other western permanent members of the UN Security Council were trying to corner the Assad regime on an inspection by the Organisation of Prevention of Chemical Weapons. i

This week, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, “the US approach to the Assad regime has not changed” and reiterated the US stand of not opening talks with the Syrian government on disaster relief.