Protecting civilians from slaughter in Eastern Aleppo is the ‘duty’ of the International community, says Bishop Declan Lang, of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, who has written to UK Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson. He has called on Boris Johnson to use diplomatic channels to bring about humanitarian relief.
‘At this critical time I urge you to exert all of the UK’s diplomatic influence in establishing no fly zones, safe passage for humanitarian relief and ultimately a complete cessation of hostilities.
‘While there are clearly immense political challenges in addressing this crisis, our common humanity compels us to act.’
You can read the whole of the letter from Bishop Declan Lang to Boris Johnson on the Catholic Church in England website.
Faith leaders’ statement
Other Christian and faith leaders have also called on the UK Government to act to support the urgent delivery of aid to those besieged in Aleppo, Syria.
As the UN has warned that mass starvation in Aleppo is a real prospect if aid is not allowed in, in a joint statement faith leaders call on the UK government to ‘take action at an international level, including in the UN General Assembly, and to provide practical support to facilitate the delivery of aid to civilians in the city’.
The statement has been signed by:
- Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary
- Church of Scotland, The Rev Dr Richard Frazer, Convener of the Church and Society Council of the Church of Scotland
- Methodist Church, Revd Dr Roger Walton, President of the Methodist Conference and Rachel Lampard, Vice President of the Methodist Conference.
- United Reformed Church, The Revd John Proctor, General Secretary.
Leaders from other faiths signing the statement are:
- Hindu Council UK, Sanjay Jagatia, Director.
- Lewisham Islamic Centre, Imam Shakeel Begg.
- Liberal Judaism, Rabbi Danny Rich, Chief Executive.
- Mohammed Kozbar, Director of Finsbury Park Mosque.
- Muslim Council of Britain, Harun Khan, Secretary General.
- Reform Judaism, Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi.
- Sikh Council UK, Mr Gurmel Singh, Secretary General.
For more details see the Baptist Union of Great Britain website.
