To: The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Donald Trump
Restore U.S. Funding of the White Helmets
We call on the U.S. to restore and increase funding to the White Helmets rescue workers in Syria.
Why is this important?
Popularly known as the White Helmets, Syria Civil Defence is a group of 3,000 volunteers, men and women, from local communities who have since 2013 risked their lives to save people from underneath the rubble of buildings destroyed during the Syrian civil war. Bakers, tailors, salespersons, teachers – they are now trained fire-fighters, search and rescue workers, and medics. The group has won the Right Livelihood Award in 2016 and received 130 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The White Helmets are viciously slandered by forces allied with the Syrian dictator, who claim they are “terrorists” or actors making propaganda. In fact they’re the only organized rescuers in areas controlled by opposition forces. They’ve saved 100,000 people while losing 200 of their own. They video their work and this enrages those who demand Syrians either meekly die or surrender.
As of mid-April 2018, funding from the U.S. government to the White Helmets has been frozen by the Trump Administration. The U.S. has sent Syria Civil Defence around $33 million over 6 years, a tiny sum compared to the billions and billions spent on war. We call on the U.S. to unfreeze and increase money sent to this amazing humanitarian organization.
The White Helmets are viciously slandered by forces allied with the Syrian dictator, who claim they are “terrorists” or actors making propaganda. In fact they’re the only organized rescuers in areas controlled by opposition forces. They’ve saved 100,000 people while losing 200 of their own. They video their work and this enrages those who demand Syrians either meekly die or surrender.
As of mid-April 2018, funding from the U.S. government to the White Helmets has been frozen by the Trump Administration. The U.S. has sent Syria Civil Defence around $33 million over 6 years, a tiny sum compared to the billions and billions spent on war. We call on the U.S. to unfreeze and increase money sent to this amazing humanitarian organization.