Churches call for government and UN to act on Aleppo

The UN has warned mass starvation in Aleppo is a real prospectif aid is not allowed in. As the city comes under furtherbombardment and food is about to run out, Christian, Muslim,Jewish, Sikh and Hindu faith leaders call on the UK Government toact. They issued the following statement on Monday 28thNovember.

Joint Statement Calling for the Urgent Delivery ofHumanitarian Aid to Aleppo

We, UK faith leaders, jointly call on the UK Government to actto support the urgent delivery of aid to those besieged inAleppo.

In eastern Aleppo, an estimated 250,000 people, including100,000 children, have been cut off from food and medical suppliessince August 2016. The UN warns that there will soon be no foodleft in the besieged part of the city.

This is an ancient city which has been home to people ofmany faiths, we pray for all those still in the city and call foraction to preserve the lives of the people of Aleppo.

The situation is now desperate, yet the UN is still beingprevented from delivering desperately needed aid to the besiegedcivilians. It seems a very real possibility that the world couldstand by whilst 250,000 people are facing starvation.

As faith leaders we bear witness to the suffering of all thosein the city of Aleppo. We call on the UK government to takeaction at an international level, including in the UN GeneralAssembly, and to provide practical support to facilitate thedelivery of aid to civilians in the city.

The UK can lead the way in alleviating the terrible sufferingof the people of Aleppo, we pray that action is taken to come totheir aid.

Signatories:

Muslim Council of Britain, Harun Khan, Secretary Genera

Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Revd Lynn Green, GeneralSecretary

Church of Scotland, The Rev Dr Richard Frazer, Convener of theChurch and Society Council of the Church of Scotland

Hindu Council UK, Sanjay Jagatia, Director.

Methodist Church, Revd Dr Roger Walton, President of theMethodist Conference and Rachel Lampard, Vice President of theMethodist Conference.

United Reformed Church, The Revd John Proctor, GeneralSecretary.

Sikh Council UK, Mr Gurmel Singh, Secretary General.

Mohammed Kozbar, Director of Finsbury Park Mosque.

Lewisham Islamic Centre, Imam Shakeel Begg.

Reform Judaism, Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, SeniorRabbi.

Liberal Judaism, Rabbi Danny Rich, Chief Executive.