More Syrian refugees in Europe are joining the hunger strike in protest against the Assad regime and Russian continued bombing campaign in the ‘de-escalation zone’ in northwestern Syria, brining the number to 50 people distributed in many countries around the world, especially the French capital Paris.
Syrian activists who joined the strike gathered in the Place de la République Square in Paris on Thursday, holding signs that demonstrated solidarity with the victims of the Assad regime and Russian brutal bombing campaign.
The participants in the hunger strike said the move was aimed at sending several messages, the first of which is addressed to the people living in areas under shelling and who are suffering extremely dire humanitarian conditions. One of the signs read ‘If you do not eat, we will not neither.’
The activists said that the second message was addressed to the international community to urge action to put an end to the bombardment everywhere in Syria and stop the killing of innocent children and civilians. They pointed out that the overwhelming majority of the victims of the bombardment are civilians, not militants.
The participants in the strike stressed they would carry on with the strike until their demands to save Idlib and put an end to the suffering of the Syrian people were met. They also expressed rejection of any settlement or agreement with the Assad regime.
Sahar Suleiman, a Syrian activist living in Paris, told the New Arab newspaper: “Our message to the whole world which sees and hears all that is happening, is that that those who are keeping silent about what is going on are equally responsible. We are trying to convey the image of what is happening in Syria to the outside world.”
Suleiman, who has been on a hinger strike for nearly a week, added: “Though the strike could drag on for long and might not achieve the desired results, we will do our duty anyway. We want to tell our people at home that we are standing on their side despite the vast distance separating us away from them and from Syria for years. We want to tell them that they are always on our minds and in our hearts and will always be on their side.”
The hunger strike began 27 days ago with Britta Haji Hassan, the former head of the local council in eastern Aleppo, declaring he was going on a hunger strike while standing outside the UN office. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
