The Patriarch of Antioch and Supreme Head of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church, Ignatius Aphrem II, made an appeal through a letter addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, regarding Turkey cutting off drinking water to Heseke and leaving 600,000 civilians without water.

The appeal was also addressed to the Chairperson of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet and the President of the European Union, Charles Michel.

The letter includes the following:

“We write to you with deep concern about the current humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place in Heseke, northeast Syria. Over one million Syrians are denied their basic human rights, namely their right to live.

For more than 10 days, armed factions supported by the Turkish occupation have deliberately cut off water for the population, thus subjecting them, especially children, elderly and vulnerable people, to thirst and critical health conditions. This comes at a time when the spread of COVID-19 virus is taking its toll on the entire country. Moreover, this humanitarian situation is further aggravated by the high summer temperatures in that region.

Using water as a weapon – which is not the first time- is a barbaric act and a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights. Yet, there has been no response from the international community to this atrocity despite the constant appeal of the people of the region. If water blockade continues, it would only be appropriate to characterize this inhumane act as a crime against humanity.

While we hold the international community responsible for the consequences of this unethical act, we urge the United Nations, through the Office of the High Commissioner  for Human Rights and the European Union, to address immediately this calamity and to provide water and help for the suffering people of Heseke and northeast Syria.”