1 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,319 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to It could happen here. This is 2 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: Sharne and today I will be talking to you about 3 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: the series of devastating earthquakes that have happened in Turkey 4 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: and Syria this week. I am recording this the afternoon 5 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: of Tuesday, February seven. I am giving you that disclaimer 6 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: because the numbers keep changing as far as the casualties 7 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: and the death toll goes. So if the numbers are 8 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: different by the time this comes out, which they probably 9 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: will be, that is why. Unfortunately, that is the nature 10 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: of disasters like this. So there's nothing much that we 11 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: can do. But let's talk about the earthquakes themselves. First. 12 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: The initial earthquake was a magnitude of seven point eight 13 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: and it happened in southeastern Turkey early on Monday morning 14 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: their local time, and it was followed by magnitude seven 15 00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: point five earthquake only nine hours later, amidst eeveral aftershocks. 16 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: All aftershocks are individual earthquakes, but as long as they 17 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: are not stronger than the original quake, they are considered 18 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: after shocks. But the seven point five magnitude tremor that 19 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 1: happened after the seven point eight one only point three 20 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: of a difference. It was an unusually strong aftershock. According 21 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: to seismologists, aftershocks are typically about one point to magnitude 22 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: units lower than the original earthquake, So if there was 23 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: a magnitude eight earthquake, the after shock would be in 24 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: magnitude seven. So this was all a very rare, disastrous occurrence. 25 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: The second earthquake was a shock notable all on its own, 26 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: as well as in relation to the primary earthquake. As 27 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: of Tuesday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey, 28 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: at least one and twenty five aftershocks measuring four point 29 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: zero or greater have occurred since the initial seven point 30 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: eight one. The frequency in magnitude of the aftershocks are decreasing, 31 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: as is expected as we get further out from the 32 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: time of the original earthquake. However, five point zero and 33 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: six point zero aftershocks are still possible, and they bring 34 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,679 Speaker 1: a risk of additional damage to structures that are compromised 35 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 1: from the original earthquake. This brings a continued threat to 36 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: rescue teams and survivors. The aftershocks stretched for more than 37 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: four kilometers or about two fifty miles along the fault 38 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: zone that ruptured in southern Turkey. It stretches from the 39 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: Mediterranean Sea off the northern coast of Syria up to 40 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: the province of Malatia. The initial tremor was centered about 41 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: twenty miles from a major city and provincial capital, Gauzian Tepe, 42 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 1: and seismologists said that this first earthquake was one of 43 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: the largest ever recorded in Turkey's history. It was also 44 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 1: the region's strongest earthquake. In nearly a century nine, an 45 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 1: earthquake of the same magnitude killed thirty thousand people. Earthquakes 46 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: of this magnitude are rare, with fewer than five i've 47 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 1: occurring each year on average anywhere in the world. Seven 48 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:07,239 Speaker 1: earthquakes with magnitude seven point zero or greater have struck 49 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: Turkey in the past twenty five years, but the one 50 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: that occurred on Monday it's the most powerful. The effects 51 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: were also felt in the neighboring countries of Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel, 52 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 1: and Egypt, to name a few. But there's a reason 53 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: white earthquakes are so frequent in Turkey. Turkey sits on 54 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: fault lines, and these earthquakes in the region have caused 55 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: deadly landslides in the past Turkey is situated on two 56 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: massive tectonic plates, the Arabian and the Eurasian, and these 57 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: meat underneath Turkey's southeastern provinces. Along this fault line, about 58 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: hundred miles from one side or the other, the earth slipped. 59 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: Seismologists refer to this event as a strike slip, where 60 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: the plates are touching and all of a sudden they 61 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: slide sideways. In a strike slip, the plates are moving 62 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: horizontally rather than vertically. This matters because the building don't 63 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: want to go back and forth, and then the secondary 64 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: waves begin to go back and forth as well. Because 65 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: of the nature of this seismic event, the aftershocks could 66 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: last for weeks and months. I have had to update 67 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 1: the death toll many many times in preparing this episode. 68 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: I am probably going to have to update it many 69 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 1: many more times before this comes out. But as of now, 70 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: when I am recording this the evening of Tuesday, February seven, 71 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: the death toll is over seven thousand and nine hundred 72 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 1: deaths in Turkey and Syria combined, and it's expected to 73 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: rise significantly more in Syria as these days go by. 74 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: The exact number that is being reported is seven thousand 75 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: nine hundred and twenty six people. The Syrian Civil Defense 76 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 1: a k a. The White Helmets said that the number 77 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: of fatalities and rebel held areas in northwest Syria rose 78 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: to a thousand, two hundred and twenty and the number 79 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,039 Speaker 1: of injured people rose to two thousand, six hundred, and 80 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:08,359 Speaker 1: these figures are expected to rise significantly due to the 81 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: presence of hundreds of families under the rubble. The White 82 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: Helmet said quote, our teams continue search and rescue operations 83 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 1: in difficult circumstances, and they described a tally of more 84 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: than four hundred collapsed buildings and more than one thousand, 85 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: three hundred partially collapsed buildings and thousands of others that 86 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: were damaged. Additionally, at least eight hundred and twelve deaths 87 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: have been confirmed in government controlled parts of Syria. In Turkey, 88 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: at least five thousand, eight hundred and ninety four people 89 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,040 Speaker 1: are dead and thirty four thousand, eight hundred and ten 90 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: are injured. And this number is only going to continue 91 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 1: to rise. I don't know when it will stop. Maybe 92 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: a week from now, maybe a month. I don't know 93 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: how many more people will be unaccounted for and not 94 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: reported about but this is what we have for now. 95 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: You've probably seen pictures or videos of the devastation that 96 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: is happening. In all the destruction, there have been really 97 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: disturbing images of the ground literally just opening up in 98 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: two and as if you can see the core of 99 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: the earth. And other videos show the collapsed buildings and 100 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: the rubble that rescuers are trying to dig underneath to 101 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: find survivors. This is one story out of many, but 102 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: a newborn baby was reportedly rescued from the rubble in Syria, 103 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 1: and there is a video of this. A baby girl 104 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 1: was rescued from the rubble of her home. Her umbilical 105 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: cord was still attached to her mother when she was found, 106 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,599 Speaker 1: and her mother is believed to have died after giving birth. 107 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: One of the men that found her said, we heard 108 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 1: a voice while we were digging. We cleared the dust 109 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 1: and found the baby with the umbilical cord intact, so 110 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: we cut it and my cousin took her to the hospital. 111 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 1: The girl is receiving treatment at a children's hospital and 112 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: as of now she is stable, but arrived with bruises, lacerations, 113 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 1: and hypothermia, and she's the sole survivor of her immediate family. 114 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: They lived in a five story apartment building that was 115 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: leveled by the quake. And again, this is one example 116 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: of the stories of thousands of people. And I think 117 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: what's important to remember is that even after someone is rescued, 118 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: they're not exactly home free. They can have many injuries 119 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: or hypothermia because it's very cold over there right now, 120 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: and their recovery is going to be brutal. And I 121 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: feel like that's a good thing to keep in mind 122 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: when you hear the word rescue, because the trauma doesn't 123 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: stop there. Almost six thousand buildings have been destroyed by 124 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: this earthquake, and this includes residential buildings, hospitals, schools, and 125 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: the damage is even more severe in northwestern Syria because 126 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: it had been in the process of attempting to reconstruct 127 00:07:55,920 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: itself since the Syrian War started in Thankfully, members of 128 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: the international community have stepped up to coordinate relief efforts 129 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: to Turkey and Syria after the powerful earthquakes. However, sending 130 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: aid to Syria is going to be difficult because there's 131 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: no central government to take care of the multi sectorial response. 132 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: The Turkish government said quote, we do not know where 133 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: the number of dead and injured can go. In Syria, 134 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: rescue workers used headlamps and floodlights to work throughout the night. 135 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: Many Syrian war refugees are also in the quake stricken 136 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 1: area of Turkey. Turkey has taken in three point six 137 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,959 Speaker 1: million Syrian refugees, more than any other country, and this 138 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: is according to the u N Refugee Agency, which runs 139 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 1: one of its largest operations in Gaszian, Tepe, where the 140 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: first earthquake happened and again. Videos shared on social media 141 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 1: from Turkey and across the border in Syria have showed 142 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: destroyed buildings and rescue crews searching through piles of rebble 143 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: for survivors. Some people fled their homes in the rain 144 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: and took shelter in their cars, and governments around the 145 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: world quickly responded to Turkey's request for international assistance, many 146 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: of them deploying rescue teams and offers of aid, which 147 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:15,559 Speaker 1: I will get into in a bit. The World Health 148 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: Organization warned that the number of casualties are likely to 149 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: increase as much as eight times as rescuers are finding 150 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: more victims in the rubble. Rescuers have been combing through 151 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 1: mountains of rubble and freezing and snowy conditions to find survivors, 152 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: and these freezing conditions will leave many people without shelter, 153 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 1: adding to the dangers. It is freezing over there, and 154 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: that obviously only makes things more difficult and more painful 155 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:49,719 Speaker 1: and more complicated. And we always see the same thing 156 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: with earthquakes unfortunately, which is that the initial reports of 157 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:55,559 Speaker 1: the numbers of people who have died or have been 158 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: injured will increase quite significantly in the week that follows. 159 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: The situation on the ground seems to be more disastrous 160 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 1: in Syria, and this is according to the country director 161 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: in Ghazian Tepe for the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation. 162 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: He said, it's a disastrous situation in both Turkey and Syria, 163 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: although Syria is more disastrous. Over a decade of conflict 164 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 1: in Northern Syria has fostered a poor economic situation to 165 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: say the least, making it very difficult to respond to 166 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: the current crisis. In contrast, the situation in Turkey is 167 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: coordinated through a very well settled government and Northern Syria 168 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: unfortunately has no government that gives a shit about it. 169 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 1: In Northern Syria, most of the services and help are 170 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: provided by NGOs, and this is due to a long 171 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:49,200 Speaker 1: term lack of investments in early recovery and infrastructure. One 172 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 1: of these groups again is the White Helmets. They were 173 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: one of the main saviors or helpers ever since the 174 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 1: Syrians Civil war started in eleven They have been on 175 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 1: the ground helping and they are made up of Syrian volunteers. 176 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: And I think that's important to keep in mind because 177 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,439 Speaker 1: many Syrians have relied on each other and each other 178 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: alone because they didn't receive help in the past. And 179 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 1: I'm going to get into later how much the country's 180 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: civil war has made things exponentially worse. Several parts in 181 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: northwestern Syria, including the city of Islab, are still controlled 182 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: by anti government rebels. This representative added that they evacuated 183 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: to maturity hospitals because of the physical impact of the 184 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 1: earthquake on the infrastructure. And so the question is where 185 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 1: are these people going to go. There's no shelter, it 186 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: is freezing, and there's not enough aid to go around. 187 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 1: And I'm hoping the countries that have said they will 188 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: help are in the process of actually doing so. And 189 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: I'm going to get into some of them in a 190 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 1: moment because I'm grateful that there's help coming from somewhere. 191 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: And amongst all this, there have been calls to ease 192 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: the Syrian border restrictions and controls. Four countries to offer 193 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,719 Speaker 1: their aid and again the rebel held on clave in 194 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: northwest Syria, across the border from Turkey, is among the 195 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: areas that have been hit the worst by this disaster. 196 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: International pledges, as I said, of emergency aid have poured 197 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: in for Turkey and Syria, leading to calls for the 198 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: international community to relax some of the political restrictions on 199 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: aid entering Northwest Syria. The Turkish President Aragon, who was 200 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: facing an election only a few months, said the offers 201 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: of aid to Turkey had come from forty five countries, 202 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 1: ranging from Kuwait to Israel, Russia and the UK. Syria 203 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:41,719 Speaker 1: said it had received offers of help from China, Russia, Lebanon, Algeria, 204 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 1: and the United Arab Immirance. Aid from around the world 205 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: is thankfully heading towards Turkey and Syria, and some seventy 206 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: countries and fourteen international organizations have offered their assistance. Here's 207 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: a roundup of some of the latest pledges. There is 208 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: a Hungarian rescue team of fifty people, including five military 209 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: doctors and to search dogs. South Korea plans to offer 210 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: humanitarian aid worth five million to Turkey and send about 211 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: a hundred and ten disaster relief workers and military personnel 212 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 1: to support its search and rescue work. You may notice 213 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: that I'm only saying they're sending aid to Turkey and 214 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: a couple of these, and I will get into why 215 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: in a little bit, but to continue, the Palestinian International 216 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 1: Corporation Agency will deploy seventy experts to the quake later 217 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 1: this week, sending two crews comprised of the Civil Defense, 218 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: Ministry of Health and the Palestinian Red Cross. As well 219 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: as doctors and engineers. There are also teams from the 220 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: Palestinian Red Crescent and they are carrying out earthquake rescue 221 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: and relief operations and the Palestinian refugee camps and the 222 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:55,680 Speaker 1: surrounding areas in Syria. At least three Palestinian refugee camps 223 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: in Syria were struck by the earthquake. Pakistan deployed to 224 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 1: content engines of emergency services to Turkey. China said it 225 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: will send about five point nine million dollars worth of 226 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: aid to Turkey, while also coordinating with Syria for emergency 227 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: supplies and accelerating ongoing food aid projects to Israeli aid 228 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: groups chartered a special flight to Gauzi and tep on 229 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: Tuesday to bring personnel and equipment to victims. Germany's Federal 230 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: Agency for Technical Relief is sending a team of fifty 231 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: recovery experts to Turkey. The Dalai Lama committed to sending 232 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: rescue and relief efforts early today, and Taiwan increased its 233 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 1: donation to Turkey from two hundred thousand to two million 234 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: dollars and it dispatched about a hundred and thirty rescue teams. 235 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: Indonesia also supplied aid for Turkey. The Vice President of 236 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: Indonesia highlighted the urgency of dispatching humanitarian aid to Turkey 237 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: to return the support granted by the country to Indonesia 238 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: during their times of need over natural disasters in the past. 239 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 1: Canada also pledged seven point five million dollars to earth 240 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: quake relief. Egypt offered relief assistance to Syria in the 241 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 1: wake of this earthquake. Ukraine will send eight seven emergency 242 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 1: staff workers to Turkey to assist with the relief efforts 243 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: and not just countries, but also companies and nonprofits have 244 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: offered their help. This week. For example, Amazon announced that 245 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: it will help the victims of Turkey earthquake by donating food, medicine, 246 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: and equipment from its Istanbul warehouse. Amazon has about two 247 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: thousand employees in Turkey, and in a statement on Monday, 248 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: it said that it activated its quote disaster relief capabilities 249 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: and was preparing to donate relief items including blankets, tents, food, 250 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: baby food, and medicines. Even here in the US, the 251 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: Virginia Task Force one is sending a crew of seventy 252 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: nine members and six dogs to Turkey, and there are 253 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: seventy eight members of the l A County Fire Department 254 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: who left Monday evening to Turkey. And then there's Greece, 255 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 1: who set aside tensions with Turkey to send aid. But 256 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: helping Syria, they said, is more complicated. Despite its tensions 257 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: with Turkey, Greece was among the countries that have dispatched 258 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: help to the country, but conflict torn Northwest Syria makes 259 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: the same efforts more complicated, the Prime Minister said. Grace 260 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: and Turkey, he said, are quote neighbors who need to 261 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: help each other through difficult times. This is not the 262 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: first time earthquakes have struck our countries. This is a 263 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: time to temporarily set aside our differences and try to 264 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: address what is a very, very urgent situation. He continued 265 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 1: to explain that in Syria, however, there is no official 266 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 1: person or official from the government to have a dialogue with, 267 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: and no assurance that aid will make it to the 268 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 1: impacted area and people, and that makes relief efforts hard 269 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: to pull off. No country on its own has the 270 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: ability to actually make these sort of arrangements. That's why 271 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: I think it is important that these negotiations could take 272 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: place either through the U N or through the European 273 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: Union by pulling resources. I would not feel confident having 274 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: these sort of discussions at a bilateral level. He also 275 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 1: added that he has not directly communicated with Damascus. He 276 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: went on to say that quote, I want to stress this, 277 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,159 Speaker 1: this is not about geopolitics. This is not about recognizing 278 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: any sort of regime. This is about saving people and 279 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: horrible conditions who desperately need our assistance. So the scale 280 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: of aid being offered is going to require a large 281 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: coordination effort as well as delicate diplomatic maneuvers to supply 282 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 1: aid to Syria, where the leadership of A. Charles said 283 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: is not recognized in the West. It's not recognized for 284 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: me either, and many Syrians feel the same way. But 285 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 1: that is the monster that we are currently dealing with 286 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 1: and there's not much we can do about that at 287 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 1: this certain point in time. And so, as I mentioned, 288 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:52,679 Speaker 1: the Syrian side of the border is going to be 289 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: a challenge since the worst affected areas contain hundreds of 290 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 1: thousands of Syrian refugees that are locked in a war 291 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: zone and still facing attacks from Syrian government forces. Aid 292 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:06,880 Speaker 1: agencies reported that some of the roads from Turkey into 293 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:10,160 Speaker 1: Syria were blocked, including the main cross border crossing used 294 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 1: by international aid agencies. The White Helmets said hundreds of 295 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: families were still trapped in the aftermath of the earthquake. 296 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:22,199 Speaker 1: They also added that terrible weather conditions, including freezing temperatures, 297 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:26,439 Speaker 1: had compounded the crisis, and they're continuing rescue operations in 298 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: Syria despite great difficulties in aftershocks, they said. The White 299 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:35,400 Speaker 1: Helmets also urged the Assad regime and Russia to refrain 300 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 1: from military activity, and they affected areas in order to 301 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 1: allow international groups to unify and help the people affected. 302 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: A spokesperson from the White Helmets said, our teams responded 303 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 1: and until now many families are under the rubble. Our 304 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 1: teams are trying hard to find all the casualties. Northwest 305 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 1: Syria is now a disaster area. We need help from 306 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 1: everyone to save our people. I think this would be 307 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: a moment to take a little break. I don't have 308 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 1: the capacity or emotional bandwidth to think of a clever segue. 309 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: So here are some ads and we are back. We're 310 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:27,280 Speaker 1: talking about the difficulty sending aid to Syria along the 311 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: Turkey Syrian border. Last month, actually, the UN Security Council 312 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 1: agree to allow aid into Northwest Syria from Turkey across 313 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: one border, crossing Bablahalla, surprising no one. The Syrian regime 314 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: has been resistant to allowing aid into a region serving 315 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,880 Speaker 1: more than four million of its people because it regards 316 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: the aid as undermining Syrian sovereignty and reducing its chances 317 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: of winning back control of the region. Yes, that is correct. 318 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 1: The Syria government doesn't want to help more than four 319 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 1: million of its own people because one day it wants 320 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:11,639 Speaker 1: to control them again. Are you fucking kidding me? I? 321 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: I don't understand that malignant desire to rule over a 322 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,919 Speaker 1: land that you have destroyed, in a people that you 323 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 1: have murdered. I don't get the fucking point, but regardless, 324 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: that is one of the many reasons why getting aid 325 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 1: into Syria is going to be much more complicated than 326 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: getting aid into Turkey. Additionally, Mark Locock, the former head 327 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: of U and Humanitarian Affairs, said the area's worst affected 328 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: by the earthquake inside Syria look to be run by 329 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 1: the Turkish controlled opposition and not by the Syrian government. 330 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: It is going to require Turkish acquiescence to aid in 331 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: these areas. It is unlikely the Syrian government will do 332 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: much to help. Yes, Mark, I think you're right. The 333 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: Syrian government is and gonna do shit if anything. Said 334 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 1: is probably happy seeing all these people dying, because that's 335 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:10,919 Speaker 1: his whole mmm, just to kill the Syrian people anyway. 336 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,160 Speaker 1: A video from a hospital posted by the Syrian American 337 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:18,440 Speaker 1: Medical Society showed that it was immensely crowded. They said, 338 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 1: our hospitals are overwhelmed with patients filling the hallways. There 339 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 1: is an immediate need for trauma supplies and a comprehensive 340 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:29,640 Speaker 1: emergency response to save lives. And treat the injured. Initial 341 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 1: needs are for tens of thousands of tents, heaters for 342 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,879 Speaker 1: the tents, tens of thousands of blankets, thermal clothes, ready 343 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: to eat food, and basic first aid kits. A unit 344 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,719 Speaker 1: of representative in Aleppo said that the hospitals in Syria 345 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 1: are absolutely overloaded. Hospitals are full of patients with trauma, 346 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: broken bones and lacerations, and some people are going to 347 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: the hospital to seek help for the mental trauma they 348 00:21:54,600 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: endured after the earthquake struck, the UNSEAT representative Angela Kearney said, 349 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 1: and while hospitals are functioning, the task has been overwhelming. 350 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: Describing the scene in Aleppo when the earthquake struck on Monday, 351 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,800 Speaker 1: Kearnie said, children who have already been traumatized by war 352 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 1: were bewildered. They didn't know what was happening. Kearnie said 353 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: that on Monday morning, when UNISEEF began its work in 354 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: the area, there were seven schools in Aleppo that are 355 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: being used as shelters. By Tuesday morning, that number grew 356 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 1: to sixty seven and currently it is nearly two hundred 357 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 1: and all of those schools that are partially damaged. There 358 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 1: are families there who left their apartments left their houses 359 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 1: with just their pajamas, she said. She also added that 360 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: while aid is starting to go into the affected areas, 361 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: there are still a desperate need for blankets, food, clean water, 362 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: medical care, and nutritional care. She said that water, sanitation 363 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 1: and nutrition needs are the most urgent. The aid is 364 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 1: starting to go in, but it is overwhelming. The needs 365 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:03,120 Speaker 1: are very great. There are discussions under way to open 366 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 1: aid corridors from the government controlled parts of Syria to 367 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: the rebel held areas. Hammad Hammoud, Syria Country manager at 368 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: the Norwegian Red Cross, said that he hopes with the 369 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: help and efforts from humanitarian communities, this would happen in 370 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: the coming days, and he said currently nothing has moved there, 371 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: but there are discussions about moving aid and access to 372 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: these areas. He continued to say, after being asked if 373 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 1: the Syrian government in Damascus has been helpful to these areas, 374 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: he said they have stated that they are open to 375 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 1: cross line intervention, meaning from government held areas to these 376 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: non government held areas. They are open to it. They're 377 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: not doing ship though obviously. Earlier today, the head of 378 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, which described itself as an 379 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: independent and volunteer based humanitarian organization, said that the organization 380 00:23:57,040 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: is ready to immediately send aid convoys to rebel old areas, 381 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 1: including Islib through the u N. Hamoud added that the 382 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:08,879 Speaker 1: humanitarian situation is worsening. He said we are in a 383 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: race against time. In describing the rescue and search operations, 384 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: Hamoud said that due to the lack of machinery, most 385 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:18,160 Speaker 1: of the work on clearing the rubble is done by 386 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:22,159 Speaker 1: hand and the cold weather conditions are not helping. He 387 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,199 Speaker 1: also added that the buildings are already weakened because of 388 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:28,879 Speaker 1: eleven years of war. In addition to the thousands of 389 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: people that have been lost to this tragedy, there are 390 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,919 Speaker 1: also some cultural sites that have been permanently damaged in 391 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: both Turkey and Syria. UNESCO, the United Nations Cultural Organization, 392 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,880 Speaker 1: said it's going to provide assistance following the cultural site damage. 393 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: UNESCO said that it is particularly concerned about the situation 394 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,639 Speaker 1: in the ancient city of Aleppo, which is on the 395 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:54,399 Speaker 1: list of World Heritage and Danger. It added that the 396 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 1: citadel had significant damage, the old city wall has collapsed, 397 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: and several building and the suits have been weakened. In 398 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,879 Speaker 1: the Turkish city of Diyad Beka Unit School lamented the 399 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 1: collapse of several buildings. The city is home to the 400 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: World Heritage Site, the Yabucat of Fortress and the he 401 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:16,240 Speaker 1: cl Gardens cultural landscape, which is an important center of 402 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:20,919 Speaker 1: the Romans and Acid Byzantine, Islamic and Ottoman periods. The 403 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: organization says it is mobilizing experts to establish a precise 404 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 1: inventory of the damage with the aim of rapidly securing 405 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: and stabilizing these sites. Aleppo was also one of the 406 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 1: city's worst damaged by the Syrian regime. It is a beautiful, 407 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:43,400 Speaker 1: beautiful place. Everything that the regime has destroyed was a beautiful, 408 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:47,160 Speaker 1: beautiful place. Aleppo had a lot of history, though, and 409 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 1: that region is just home to so much history, and 410 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:55,359 Speaker 1: it's just really heartbreaking to know the extent of the 411 00:25:55,440 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: loss that doesn't just include lives. In talking to my 412 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:06,119 Speaker 1: mom and my family about this, the sentiment seems like 413 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:10,200 Speaker 1: it's the same that it's been for the past decade. Essentially, 414 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:16,360 Speaker 1: Syrians don't have a government. There is no government. Assad 415 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: in his regime doesn't care about the Syrian people. My 416 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 1: mom literally said, we have no one we've known this 417 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: for years, no one helped us. Syrians are the ones 418 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,639 Speaker 1: supporting each other. The White Helmets is a great example 419 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 1: of this. One of our family's friends on the ground 420 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 1: in the city of Hamma, which is where my mom 421 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:40,679 Speaker 1: is from, was saying that it was absolute chaos. Everyone 422 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: is in the streets and no one is daring to 423 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 1: go back inside their homes. Another person was telling us 424 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:49,479 Speaker 1: about his experience, and he said, I was asleep and 425 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:53,440 Speaker 1: felt the earthquake start in my bed. My son was terrified, 426 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 1: and I went to hug my son. I kept telling 427 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:59,639 Speaker 1: him it'll be over soon, It'll be over soon, and 428 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:03,680 Speaker 1: then roof started crumbling on top of us. So then 429 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 1: he ran outside and he saw many people doing the same, 430 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 1: just running outside their homes if they were able to 431 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 1: make it out, and watching their homes just crumble in 432 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 1: front of them. Let's take a break, and when we 433 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: come back, I want to set the scene of what 434 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: Syrians have been going through even before this earthquake even happened, 435 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 1: and how sanctions in particular have made the impact of 436 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 1: this disaster exponentially worse. So we're back and we're going 437 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: to talk about how sanctions have only aided in the 438 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 1: suffering of the Syrian people twelve years after the eruption 439 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: of the Syrian Uprising and the subsequent conflict, The US 440 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 1: IS Syria policy has constrained political pressure on the Assad 441 00:27:56,560 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 1: regime to broad economic sanctions, but despite an expansive approach 442 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:05,879 Speaker 1: that targets entire economic sectors, these sanctions have had little 443 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:09,400 Speaker 1: to no effect in pushing the regime to offer political concessions, 444 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 1: engage meaningfully in a peaceful settlement of the conflict, or 445 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 1: improve its human rights record. All the while, conditions in 446 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: Syria have steadily worsened. As sanctions along with the destructive 447 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 1: effects of twelve years of conflict, the economic crisis and 448 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:27,159 Speaker 1: neighboring Lebanon, and the COVID nineteen pandemic, all of this 449 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:30,800 Speaker 1: has fueled an economic collapse that has left more than 450 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: nine percent of the population in Syria living in poverty. 451 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:39,479 Speaker 1: In nineteen seventy nine, the United States listed Syria as 452 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: a state sponsor of terrorism, and since then it has 453 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 1: pursued sanctions as a primary tool in its policy towards Syria. 454 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 1: The George W. Bush administration issued a series of sanctions 455 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:57,160 Speaker 1: under executive orders aiming to limit Syria's destabilizing influence in Iraq. However, 456 00:28:57,520 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 1: after the eleven uprising, the Barack Obama Mamma and Donald 457 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 1: Trump administrations sanctioned the Assad regime on an unprecedented scale 458 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: for its gross human rights violations against his people. These 459 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 1: sanctions ultimately accumulated in the passing of the Caesar Act 460 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 1: in twenty nineteen, and this allows primary and secondary sanctions 461 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 1: targeting both those who commit the sanctionable offenses and those 462 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: who enable them. Just three months ago, in November two, 463 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:30,080 Speaker 1: a u when appointed independent human rights expert urge the 464 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:34,000 Speaker 1: United States to lift the unilateral sanctions against Syria, warning 465 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 1: that they are perpetrating and exacerbating the destruction and trauma 466 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: suffered by ordinary citizens since the brutal war began in 467 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 1: This expert's name is Alana Dohan, and she said, I 468 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: am struck by the pervasiveness of the human rights and 469 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 1: humanitarian impact of the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria 470 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 1: and the total economic and financial isolation of a country 471 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 1: whose people are strug ling to rebuild a life with dignity. 472 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 1: In a statement that followed her twelve day visit to Syria, 473 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 1: Dohan presented detailed information on the catastrophic effects that sanctions 474 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 1: have had on all aspects of Syrian life. Currently, serious 475 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,960 Speaker 1: population is living below the poverty line, she said, pointing 476 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: to their limited access to food, water, electricity, shelter, cooking 477 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:31,120 Speaker 1: and heating, fuel, transportation, and healthcare. Moreover, growing economic hardship 478 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 1: threatens to trigger a massive brain drain in the country, 479 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: she said, with more than half of the vital infrastructure 480 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 1: either completely destroyed or severely damaged, the imposition of unilateral 481 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:49,959 Speaker 1: sanctions on key economic sectors, including oil, gas, electricity, trade, construction, 482 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: and engineering, have quashed national income and they undermined efforts 483 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 1: toward economic recovery and reconstruction. These sanctions have committed very 484 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: as human rights violations in their existence, including these serious 485 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 1: shortages and medicines and specialized medical equipment. My family and 486 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 1: I have direct experience with these repercussions of the lack 487 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:20,440 Speaker 1: of medicines and medical equipment. My cousin, a child, had 488 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: brain cancer and it got worse and worse, and the 489 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 1: city they were in did not offer the treatment necessary 490 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 1: or even chemo to help his condition. So his mother 491 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 1: would drive to Damascus, where at least some of the 492 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: treatment options were available, but the road to Damascus, even 493 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 1: though it shouldn't take more than a few hours, can 494 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: sometimes take all day because there are so many checkpoints 495 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 1: and road closures and just the regime making it so 496 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 1: difficult to do anything. Ultimately, my cousin was suffering for 497 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 1: the anger of his very young life, and he didn't 498 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:06,719 Speaker 1: get the treatment that he needed. And I really think 499 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 1: these sanctions have a lot to do with the lack 500 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 1: of access that my family and many families have in Syria. 501 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: And that experience that my family went through is one 502 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:25,600 Speaker 1: of many that many Syrian families have endured because of 503 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:28,960 Speaker 1: these sanctions. So I want you guys to keep that 504 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: in mind. That numbers also contain individual lives, and each 505 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:41,040 Speaker 1: one is devastating all on its own. And I know 506 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: I say that often, but I think it bears repeating 507 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,520 Speaker 1: every time. I don't want us to be numb to 508 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 1: statistics and numbers when it comes to casualties and suffering 509 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 1: and loss. And maybe it sounds obvious, but I just 510 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:02,440 Speaker 1: think we need your remember the value of human life 511 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 1: and what it means to take it away. So that's 512 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 1: what I'm going to say about that. For now. Let's 513 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 1: get back to the reports that MS Dohan was showing 514 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: the US back in November two about the effect of 515 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: the sanctions, so including the impact that sanctions have had 516 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 1: on the serious shortages and medicines and specialized medical equipment 517 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 1: due to the unavailability of equipment and spare parts. She 518 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 1: warned that the rehabilitation and development of water distribution networks 519 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:36,960 Speaker 1: for drinking and irrigation has stalled, with serious implications for 520 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:42,160 Speaker 1: public health and food security. Twelve million Syrians are experiencing 521 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:45,960 Speaker 1: food and security. This is pre earthquake. The number is 522 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 1: probably much higher now. Dohan urged for the immediate lifting 523 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:54,560 Speaker 1: of all unilateral sanctions that severely harm human rights and 524 00:33:54,640 --> 00:34:00,360 Speaker 1: prevent any efforts for early recovery, rebuilding and reconstruction. She said, 525 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:04,680 Speaker 1: no reference to good objectives of unilateral sanctions justifies the 526 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 1: violation of fundamental human rights. The international community has an 527 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:13,920 Speaker 1: obligation of solidarity and assistance to the Syrian people. I 528 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:17,400 Speaker 1: want to add something that UNICEF said about the children 529 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:21,160 Speaker 1: in Syria. Children in Syria continue to face one of 530 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:25,360 Speaker 1: the most complex humanitarian situations in the world. A worsening 531 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 1: economic crisis, continued localized hostilities after more than a decade 532 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:35,160 Speaker 1: of grinding conflict, mass displacement, and devastated public infrastructure have 533 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:38,600 Speaker 1: left two thirds of the population in need of assistance. 534 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:43,279 Speaker 1: Water Borne diseases pose another deadly threat to children and 535 00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:48,000 Speaker 1: families affected. And all of this is again pre earthquake. 536 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:50,840 Speaker 1: This is the life that Syrians have known for years 537 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:56,600 Speaker 1: now without any assistance. Sanctions have done nothing but contribute 538 00:34:56,640 --> 00:34:59,400 Speaker 1: to the increase in the suffering of Assyrian people, and 539 00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 1: now count treason organizations might have a hard time providing 540 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:08,080 Speaker 1: aid because of these sanctions. Sanctions have done nothing but 541 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:11,120 Speaker 1: contribute to the suffering and pain of the Syrian people. 542 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:15,640 Speaker 1: They didn't do anything they were supposedly meant to do. 543 00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:19,640 Speaker 1: The Assad regime isn't going to change anything. It hasn't 544 00:35:19,719 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 1: changed anything. It's still killing its people. I also want 545 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:28,799 Speaker 1: to mention that last year on May, the EU extended 546 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:32,759 Speaker 1: its sanctions against the Syrian government for another year. Who 547 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:36,680 Speaker 1: knows if this will change, but for now that's the reality. 548 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:41,439 Speaker 1: So I'm really hoping these sanctions get eventually lifted or else. 549 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 1: Helping the Syrian people is going to be extremely difficult, 550 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:49,719 Speaker 1: and right now rescuers are still digging through thousands and 551 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:55,600 Speaker 1: thousands of flattened buildings, in near freezing temperatures. The death 552 00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:59,880 Speaker 1: toll is only going to continue to rise, and everyone 553 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,640 Speaker 1: there needs all the help they can get. And I know, 554 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:07,800 Speaker 1: at least for me, it feels really helpless. I've felt 555 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:11,520 Speaker 1: pretty helpless for a long time when it comes to Syria. 556 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:14,240 Speaker 1: But if you're able to donate any money at all, 557 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 1: I would really urge you to donate to a charity 558 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 1: that you trust. I really like the White Helmets because 559 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:22,200 Speaker 1: they're just on the ground and they've been doing the 560 00:36:22,239 --> 00:36:26,520 Speaker 1: work for years. So if you're able to, I think 561 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:29,600 Speaker 1: help can go a long way. I want to end 562 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:33,799 Speaker 1: with something that Elena Dohan, the UN appointed independent human 563 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: rights expert that gave the US this report about the 564 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:42,840 Speaker 1: sanctions in November. She quoted one view that she heard 565 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 1: expressed many times. She said, I saw much suffering, but 566 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:51,840 Speaker 1: now I see the hope die. So that's where the 567 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:57,440 Speaker 1: Syrian people started, that's where they've been. Nearly seventy of 568 00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:01,720 Speaker 1: the Syrian population was already in need humanitarian aid before 569 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:05,319 Speaker 1: the earthquake even happened, and it's an issue that's only 570 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:09,720 Speaker 1: been compounded by the tragedy today. The UN said quote, 571 00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:13,759 Speaker 1: this tragedy will have a devastating impact on many vulnerable 572 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:16,799 Speaker 1: families who struggle to provide for their loved ones on 573 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:20,760 Speaker 1: a daily basis. The statement outlined the impact of serious 574 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:25,480 Speaker 1: twelve year war, describing a country as grappling with economic collapse, 575 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:30,440 Speaker 1: severe water, electricity and fuel shortages. They issued an appeal 576 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:35,000 Speaker 1: to all donor partners to provide assistance necessary to alleviate suffering. 577 00:37:35,719 --> 00:37:39,040 Speaker 1: The UN and humanitarian partners say they are currently focusing 578 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 1: on immediate needs including food, shelter and non food items 579 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 1: and medicine and the devastation of this earthquake because of 580 00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:54,080 Speaker 1: this is truly devastating. I cannot emphasize that enough. So again, 581 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:56,520 Speaker 1: if you're able to donate, I really urge you to, 582 00:37:57,120 --> 00:38:00,400 Speaker 1: and if you can't, just keep raising awareness because as 583 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:03,919 Speaker 1: someone else might be able to donate. And that's all 584 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:08,640 Speaker 1: we really have for now. So that's the episode. I 585 00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 1: hope it was informative or eye opening in any way. 586 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:14,680 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening. I will talk to you later. 587 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:21,880 Speaker 1: It could happen here as a production of cool Zone Media. 588 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:24,760 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website 589 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 1: cool zone media dot com or check us out on 590 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:29,480 Speaker 1: the I Heart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you 591 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:32,319 Speaker 1: listen to podcasts, you can find sources for It could 592 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:35,319 Speaker 1: happen here, Updated monthly at cool Zone Media dot com 593 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:37,320 Speaker 1: slash sources. Thanks for listening.