BEIRUT - The Syrian government is co-opting humanitarian aid and reconstruction assistance and sometimes using it to “entrench repressive policies,” an international rights group said Friday, calling on donors and investors to ensure their contributions are used for the good of the Syrian people. Large parts of the country are totally destroyed and the government estimates reconstruction will cost some $200 billion dollars and last 15 years. Many Syrians rely on aid to survive amid poverty and lack of food and medicine in parts of the country that had a pre-war population of 23 million. “While seemingly benign, the Syrian government’s aid and reconstruction policies are being used to punish perceived opponents and reward its supporters,” said Lama Fakih, acting Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Source: thestar June 28, 2019 08:26 UTC