A Letter For Syria

Dear friends,

In 1994, after his family was butchered in a wave of systematic violence, Rwandan Apollon Katahizi posed an important question to the world: "When they said 'never again' after the Holocaust, was it meant for some people and not for others?" Now, as I stand in front of a mass grave in Kigali, Rwanda's capital, I realize that we are witnessing yet another failure to uphold our promise of 'never again,' this time in Syria.

In 1994 it took three months for the UN to act; in that time approximately one million Rwandese were killed. The decision not to act was described by the Belgian Prime Minister as 'a gross failure of morality by the international community.' Currently we sit continuing to twiddle our thumbs over the war in Syria for almost two years now and in that time over 70,000 Syrians have died. The vast majority are not dying with a gun in their hand, but instead they are civilian victims of a relentless aerial campaign by the Syrian regime. Often the shelling is of towns long held by the opposition and is seen as a form of 'punishment' for gains made by the rebel forces on the front line. The weapons being used to inflict carnage by the regime include surface to surface scud missiles, cluster bombs and according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, chemical weapons.

This is not acceptable. Not now, not ever. So do something about it.

This petition is aimed at helping end the violence in Syria.

The goal is to petition our respective governments to use what political tools they have to exert pressure on the Chinese Government. As most of you know China is a major economic partner with Australia and New Zealand. Right now they are one of two countries using their power to veto any intervention in Syria to stop scenes like the one in this photo.

When I was on the ground in Syria working as a journalist, earlier this year, a question that came from many Syrians was, "why does your government not help us?" We all have a moral responsibility as a memeber of the global community to help stop this butchering of civilians and we have not. New Zealand and Australia have a special historical relationship, fighting alongside one another against tyranny and injustice for over 100 years. Therefore it is fitting that we come together now to help the people of Syria.

For me the Syrian conflict is not just another 'Middle Eastern War', this is different, this is Genocide. I had little doubt in my mind when I was there and even less now that after the dust settles in Syria, that we will be adding Bashar Assad's name to a list that includes Hitler, Pol Pot, Jean Kambanda and Slobodan Milosevic.

Join me in writing a letter asking Julia Gilard and John Key to lobby China to withdraw its veto vote against intervention in Syria. I am currently drafting a letter which I will be posting online at www.kiwigoingnowhereslow.com and on social media sites Facebook and Twitter as soon as its finished.

It may not bear any fruit but Ill be damned if, when my kids ask about the Syrian Genocide, I have to tell them that I did nothing, that I sat back and watched.

Please add your name to this cause.

Silence is a crime too.