More than 5 years of war, close to 400,000 fatalities, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and 80 percent of its population is living under the poverty line.
The hell of the Syrian armed conflict has in recent years joined other circumstances that prevent people from even surviving. One example is the 2011 imposed blockade by the European Union to sanction the regime in Damascus that, in its practice, penalizes the population.
The petition explains this by the former custodian of the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, several Syrian bishops and religious congregations. It has been launched via the platform, Change.org.
They are seeking citizens' signatures to give to the parliamentarians before May 23, when the European Council will meet and sanctions could be renewed.
This blockade regards necessities, with the exclusion of oil. There is no basic food nor medicine. The embargo also prevents Syrians, who are outside the country, to send money to their relatives in the country and for NGOs operating in Syria to send money to their workers.
The petition promoters say it is not only the war that pushes millions of people to flee Syria. It is the lack of work, safety, food, medicines and drinking water generated by this embargo. This imposition is by a Europe that denies entry to refugees, but at the same time imposes sanctions on their own country, making it very difficult to stay.
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