We met with Etilaf president Khaled Khoja in London on 4 November. A representative from each of the major Syrian groups within the UK attended this meeting. We discussed the situation in Syria especially after the Russian attacks. RR insisted on the importance of good communication between the Etilaf and the Syrian people.
After several newspapers said the British Goverment has dropped the plans to seek Parliamentary approval for airstrikes in Syria due to insufficient support, the office of PM David Cameron denied that. Yasmine Nahlawi, RR Advocacy and Policy Coordinator, commented on these news and repeated the Syrian urgent request for protecting civilians by imposing No-Bomb-Zone.
Rethink Rebuild Society made a submission to Parliament's International Development Committee in response to its inquiry on the Syrian Refugee Crisis. We outlined that the only sustainable solution for the refugee crisis is civilian protection from the Assad regime's indiscriminate aerial bombardments.
We attended a Parliamentary event on 28 October on the Caesar photographs which were smuggled out of Syria. These photos document the systematic torture that occurs on a regular basis within the Assad regime's prisons. The event focused on achieving accountability and called on the UK Parliament to take more action to achieve justice for victims in Syria.
We met with Jo Cox on 28 October to discuss the issue of civilian protection. Jo Cox has been championing the idea of a no-bombing zone in Parliament.
The Syrian Association of Yorkshire held a meeting with Diana Johnson MP, and we joined the meeting towards the end. It was discussed with Diana that Syria needs a no-bombing zone to ensure civilian protection, reduce the flow of refugees, and decrease the threat of radicalisation.
We had a meeting with Natalie McGarry MP (SNP) regarding civilian protection in Syria. Natalie just returned from Syria and was highly interested in hearing about options for civilian protection in Syria, most specifically the idea of the no-bombing zone.
The launch of our policy document in Parliament on 27 October was highly successful. We were joined by a number of MPs who listened intently as to the core demands of British Syrians. We also had testimony from Syrians who lived through the brutality of the Assad regime and came to the UK.
We met with Tom Brake MP on 27 October to present our views regarding a no-bombing zone in Syria to stop the Assad regime's capacity to bomb its civilians. The discussion was very productive as Mr. Brake listened to what we were saying and took in the arguments for a no-bombing zone.
We met on 27 October with Nicole, a representative from the office of Ann Clwyd MP, to discuss the issue of civilian protection in Syria.
Rethink Rebuild Society
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