After visiting Syria for five days, and ending the visit with some days in Lebanon, Mairead Maguire
On behalf of an International Delegation which she led to Syria/Lebanon, called upon the UK Government not to bomb Syria. The delegation of eleven people, from six countries, called for peace and dialogue as a way to solving the crisis in Syria, and not violence and war.
Everywhere we went around Syria, from Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Mallaha, Qara, we met many Syrian people who asked us to convey to the UK Government and the NATO/US led coalition, not to vote to Bomb Syria. Many Syrian voices said ‘We want peace, we want to live in peace in our country and we do not want bombing of our country, as this would cause the death of many Syrian people, and cause yet more refugees, both within our country and wishing to flee to safety in surrounding countries, and eventually Europe.’
Maguire said ‘The UK Government would be acting illegally if it decided to bomb Syria, it would also be immoral and inhumane to subject the Syrian people to further suffering and pain. Syrian people are calling for a political solution to the crisis it is now facing, in this proxy war which after 5 years has caused the death of hundreds of thousands of Syrian, and a Refugees crisis of unbelieveable proportions which will continue to increase and effect Europe if this Middle East crisis is not solved’.