Syrian Conflict Becoming Forgotten Yet more Acute

"The violence in Syria in danger of becoming a forgotten conflict. Early deaths were on the news, now the victims are increasing day by day, it also speaks of hundreds of killed, but no one says anything, is now a routine. Like all wars for the Syrian will be forgetting. "With this dramatic confession Mgr. Mario Zenari, Vatican nuncio in Syria, describes the plight of the people of Damascus, the last town in time to be officially entered the war. "Because of the embargo - he explains - it is difficult to get humanitarian aid, but in the upcoming season of Advent invite you all to pray for Syria to take a moment of the day to the suffering of these people. Do not let the pain suffered by Syrians be forgotten. " 

A Bulldozer removing the rubble next to the "Al Shifa" Hospital in Aleppo

The prelate said that from the beginning of November, "the humanitarian situation is hell, which also involved the capital, transformed into an armored city." The drama is especially acute in the suburbs: Darayya, Qudssaya, Irbin. Here you fight day and night, the bombs pulverized even the few houses left standing. Yesterday, 76 people died in the bombings. Among these 10 children also affected by a cluster bomb while playing in a soccer field located in a southern district of the capital.

"Several of my employees - said Msgr. Zenari - have been living in the home of the Nunciature, because they can not return to their homes, others no longer have a roof and spend the night in the basement, or in makeshift shelters. Parishes have become dormitories. Convents try to offer hospitality to all, even in the garden. ""But now - continues the nuncio - with the arrival of displaced people are likely to die of starvation and cold. Every day I receive calls from religious and priests who ask me: What can we do for these people?. Church put every available space, the rooms of the offices, stores to the same places of worship. Yet without external aid and the possibility of a ceasefire even these efforts are likely to be a small drop in the bucket. " 

Archbishop Zenari confesses that the most common question among the Syrians is: "How long will this war?". Since the last attempt in June of Kofi Annan for a ceasefire, the conflict is not a more temporary emergency, it has become a daily reality that appears endless. "This insecurity - said the nuncio - kills the hope of returning to normal, which adds to the pain for their loved ones killed."

Recently returned from a trip to Italy, the prelate has assisted in a short time to deterioration of the war: "Now the population live in conditions even more dramatic than a few months ago. Sorrow for the bombings, revenge among political and religious groups, was also added to the local crime, which is not with anyone. In the country, there are hundreds of kidnappings that wiped out the family, not just the rich, but now even the poorest. these criminals by their own admission do not support any political faction or military. They exploit the climate of instability for their own interests. unfortunately the media does not talk about it, but many families, even here in Damascus are affected by this scourge, which made it even more painful their lives. "

The diplomat explained that there are two types of seizure. The first is political and serves groups of the two sides to demand the release of prisoners. The second is motivated by ransom.

This is very common and forcing the population to do also raise public funds to free their loved ones, who are often at risk of being killed anyway indifference. The Nuncio said that the Church is also active in this field and in all the parishes in which there are such cases have been set up committees to negotiate with the kidnappers. "She - she says - is the only true institution remained intact in the country, where any State body is decomposing and private. All apply to you: Christians, Muslims, Alawites and Sunnis. Clergy, priests, religious men and women often try to risking their lives to bring reconciliation and forgiveness even where it seems impossible. "

According to the prelate, avoid this war into oblivion. The West has a duty to inform, to try to understand this situation, even if the media and governments are prone to easy answers. Archbishop Zenari states that Syria is not implementing a Arab Spring as in other Middle Eastern countries, such as Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya. After a year of riots and demonstrations in this war have entered too many external factors. The population has no voice and has only one desire: to return to normal life.