Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on Nov. 1st, 2016

[Sébastien Beaulieu]

As I've alluded to briefly, we're working with the U.K. to host the White Helmets in a few weeks in Canada. We're working closely with many members of the Syrian civil society, within Syria and outside of Syria, and certainly I'm pleased to say that the White Helmets are part of that network of partners.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Thank you for that. That's really good news.

With respect to air strikes and to the creation of perhaps no-fly zones over dense populations and creating those safe spaces for civilians, is that a possibility at all?

[Sébastien Beaulieu]

Thank you.

Yes, those issues and topics are often raised. They're very complex operations, and they're military operations, that must start with neutralizing, for example, air defences across the zone. That requires monitoring and enforcement. Safe zones in some cases create more of a target than zone that is safe. It's a very complex issue, and that's why the international community has not undertaken the establishment of such safe zones.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Thank you.

Mr. Al Saleh, what can Canada do for your organization on the ground? What role can we play beyond the role that we are currently playing?

[Raed Al Saleh]

Frankly speaking, we have been having discussions lately with Canada to obtain support for the White Helmets and to work with the Government of Canada to empower and enforce the participation of women in Syria and Syrian society in the field of civil defence, in order to target a larger number of people. We are also working on the development of the institutions and stations of the White Helmets as well as raising the awareness of civil society and the community to fight violence against civilians. There is also co-operation to work against the use of cluster bombs. This will be a first step in the right direction and will give us the opportunity to have women play a better role in our society.

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Thank you very much, sir.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

Thank you.

MP Watts.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Thank you very much.

I appreciate all of the information here. I noted in the briefing from Foreign Affairs, and I think I circled numerous times words about the actions being strongly denounced, conveying concern, sending letters, and writing resolutions. I think there were 17 calls for action. Still we have a situation here that, from what we're hearing, is quite dire.

I have a couple of questions on that front. I understand the support for the first responders and for search and rescue. I'm also hearing that there remains about 20 or 30 days' worth of food and medical supplies.

Within Canada's role, or through the international community coming together, are there opportunities to do air drops of any food or medical supplies?

I'll address that to Mr. Al Saleh.

[Raed Al Saleh]

We have no idea about this issue. These are technical issues that are up to the countries who play a role in the international coalition in addition to the United Nations. The United Nations work on this issue. We cannot talk about air delivery of supplies. The decision is not up to us but up to the international coalition against Daesh and to the United Nation themselves. I can't make such a decision.

We need such decisions in order to provide medical supplies as well as fuel supplies to hospitals, bakeries, and the stations of the White Helmets.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

If we're talking about 250,000 people who are currently besieged and being bombed, with medical and food supplies diminishing, it would seem to me.... I'll rephrase is this way: Would it help you if the international coalition, the international community were doing airdrops of medical supplies, food, and other things that are desperately required?

[Raed Al Saleh]

That may be helpful, but the solution is to remove the siege under which the civilians are living. The solution is not just to provide airdrops; the solution is to help civilians. The solution is to remove the siege, to lift the siege the civilians are suffering from. There are 250,000 people under siege in Aleppo, a great number of whom are children. We have a very limited number of doctors working.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

What I'm hearing you say is, that it is a case of removing the air strikes.

[Raed Al Saleh]

No, that is not what I said.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Okay, can you rephrase that then?

[Raed Al Saleh]

Yes, definitely.

What I said exactly is that airdrops are a temporary solution, a first relief or first aid solution to provide medical supplies, but the solution is to put pressure on Russia to lift the siege that is imposed on civilians in Aleppo.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

I understand that.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

You still have an extra 30 seconds.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

That's okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Levitt]

MP Tabbara.

[Marwan Tabbara, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to everyone here today for their testimony.

I specifically want to thank Mr. Al Saleh for all the hard work that the White Helmets specifically are doing. They're going into areas that are bombarded, in which there is a lot of conflict. When civilians are running away and taking shelter, the White Helmets are the front force, going in and helping civilians.

I want to talk about the health care networks there. Some physicians and human rights groups have revealed that risks faced by medical personnel and their patients in Syria have led to the rise of an underground health network.

Could you elaborate on some of the challenges that have been faced with some of these makeshift health care facilities, and how they are impacting the civilians there?

[Raed Al Saleh]

Lately we have noticed that hospitals have been targeted, even the Médecins Sans Frontières hospitals. Four out of six hospitals in Aleppo have been targeted. During the past three years, more than 1,250 medical workers have been killed, and a few months ago in Aleppo, Dr. Hasan al-Araj, who was supported by the Syrian Arab Association, was killed.

We are trying to protect hospitals. Contrary to how other states draw a crescent or a cross on a hospital, in Syria, we are trying to build hospitals underground or in the mountains, in order to protect them and to prevent them from being bombed.

[Marwan Tabbara, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

I have a second question, Mr. Al Saleh.

Have any other Arab countries, specifically the Gulf States or northern Africa, helped the White Helmets organization or even given further assistance within Aleppo?

[Raed Al Saleh]

There has been some relief assistance from neighbouring countries to build up refugee camps on the borders with Turkey, and the provision of food supplies to the camps. Ten days ago, the White Helmets received a one-time grant from Qatar to buy search-and-rescue vehicles.

[Marwan Tabbara, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

My last question is for Monsieur Beaulieu.

You mentioned in your testimony that Canada is helping with opposition forces. I know the Free Syrian Army is an opposition force on the front, and there are various other factions.

Can you elaborate on what groups we are helping and assisting?

[Sébastien Beaulieu]

Thank you for that question.

We are working with the opposition. We are not providing any lethal assistance, just to be clear on this for the record. We sometimes meet with opposition groups. We have a special representative to the opposition who acts as a liaison, conveys Canada's messages, and also liaises with the rest of the international community, just as most like-minded countries have special envoys to Syria.

There's some coordination on the ground in the region, not in Syria per se but in Istanbul, Beirut, Amman, and Saudi Arabia. We have a whole network there. We also provide support to the High Negotiations Committee, which is the representative of the opposition in the peace talks.