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20:10 GMT
PARIS, Feb 19 (KUNA) -- The International medical humanitarian
organization, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), warned on Sunday from what it
described as "dangerous" consequence as result of militarizing humanitarian
corridors.
"Rather than shielding medical care workers and facilities from war and
repression, establishing humanitarian corridors would militarize medical aid
and make it a target," MSF President Dr. Marie-Pierre Allie, said here in a
press statement.
The Paris-baes MSF said that the "association opposes militarized
humanitarian corridors, as it has opposed them in other conflict situations."
The primary issue for medical workers and humanitarian organizations today
is to obtain, from all parties to the conflict and starting with the Syrian
government, the demilitarization of areas in which to provide care and the
routes supplying them, MSF said in the statement.
The statement added, "mandating an armed international force to transport
medical supplies would be a disaster in that regard."
MSF noted that it supports the diplomatic efforts seeking to restore the
neutrality of hospitals and to provide the besieged cities with vital supplies.
According to French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, the goal of this
initiative would be to deliver "medical products" and other basic supplies to
the besieged cities, with military back-up, if necessary, to "protect the
humanitarian convoys as in Libya."
However, MSF said that "if France intends to provide military support to
the Syrian opposition, it would be both hypocritical and dangerous to do so in
the name of protecting the wounded and medical workers," the statement
explained.
MSF, which aims to provide medical aid 'where it is most needed, regardless
of race, religion, politics or gender', and currently works in 60 countries,
says Syrians injured by government troops are unable to go to hospital for
fear of being arrested, tortured or even killed for opposing Assad's rule.
MSF added "medicine is being used as a weapon of mass persecution, in ways
almost unprecedented in recent warfare." (end)
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KUNA 192310 Feb 12NNNN