Syria and Yemen

[muminmanchester]

I can't stop thinking about the horrendous images of children caught up in conflict in Syria and Yemen that I've seen over the last few days. Their eyes are always either aflame with abject fear or almost completely dead, as if their brains just can't process what's happened to them any more. It's utterly heartbreaking and the world just seems to be watching it happen.

I'm nowhere near as knowledgable on what's happening in these conflicts as I should be, and I'm ashamed of that. I haven't taken as much notice as I should because I've been caught up in my own life, as I suspect many people are (though, thankfully, not everyone).

Is there anything we can do that might actually help these innocent children whose lives are being destroyed as the world watches? Which are the best charities to support? How can we help put pressure on NATO etc to act?

I can't help but think 'there but by the grace of God go I'. In another life this could be my child and that thought is just too horrendous to even contemplate.

Any suggestions on how to help welcomed

[SuburbanRhonda]

I feel exactly the same. Yesterday in Syria in particular was heartbreaking, with those children in such pain from the chlorine gas. And the toddler in Yemen who is so malnourished he can't walk or talk. And the child who died on camera from a simple bacterial infection because the hospital didn't have the right antibiotic.

I was thinking the Red Cross might be the best organisation to donate to, though Islamic Relief looked very well-organised judging by their website.

[muminmanchester]

I know SuburbanRhonda, I had dreams about one little girl who was on ITV News last night, screaming in pain and orphaned. I just can't stop thinking about what her life will be.

I'll have a look at Red Cross and Islamic Relief, thank you x

[alteredimages]

The situation in both countries is awful, but it is Yemen that gets to me the most because there is so much British complicity and so little media coverage.

The overwhelming evidence is that the Saudi led coalition is deliberately targetting hospitals and schools, which has not happened on a systematic basis in other conflicts. It is a completely needless war on a country with far less wealth and infrastructure to begin with than Syria and it will take generations to rebuild. It all seems to be about the Saudi Defence Minister showing off, but he didn't bank on the war lasting more than a few months. Meanwhile, UK arms companies are flogging weapons on a massive scale and profiting handsomely.

No surprise that BoJo blocked a full independent inquiry.

[muminmanchester]

Alteredimages I didn't know that about Boris. Appalling.

[alteredimages]

It's pathetic, isn't it? Even before Boris the FCO had a massive, Saudi Arabia shaped blind spot in their human rights priorities though.