SYRIA / AMOS

STORY: SYRIA / AMOS
TRT: 3.32
SOURCE: UNSMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 14 AUGUST 2012, DAMASCUS, SYRIA

SHOTLIST:

1. Pan right, Amos walking with the head of UNSMIS General Gaye at UNSMIS HQ
2. Various shots, Amos being briefed at UNSMIS
3. Tracking shot, the convoy on the way to Al Zaheraarea
4. Tracking shot, Amos walking with Dr. Abdulrahman Attar, president of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent
5. Various shots, Amos visiting the school where Somali and Sudanese refugees live
6. Various shots, Amos talks with officials and refugees
7. Pan left, food for distribution to refugees by volunteers from the National Development Party
8. Close up, Red Crescent symbol
9. Various shots, Amos talking to a Somali woman
10. Close up, sign indicating Alzahera area, Muhammad Badereddine Abdin neighbourhood
11. Wide shot, Amos entering another school (Second Commerce Secondary School for Girls)
12. Various shots, Amos inspecting the conditions at the school
13. Pan right, Amos arriving at the HQ of the red Crescent
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Amos, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator:
“Well, I visited four schools. There are a number of issues that those in the schools are concerned about which I will raise with the responsible authorities. Clearly the situation has got worse since I was here in March. Through our partners, the Syrian Red Crescent, who as you know have been doing an extremely good job trying to make sure the people who need help get help. We will continue to support them but also work to scale up our own efforts.”
15. Close up, cameras
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Valerie Amos, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator:
“I think we all hope that the fighting stops and that there is peace, stability and security. That’s what people want. Thank you very much.”
17. Various shots, Amos sharing Ramadan Iftar (breakfast ) with the volunteers

STORYLINE:

United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos held talks in Syria today (14 August) on ways to increase humanitarian aid to civilians trapped or displaced by intensifying fighting between government and rebel forces.

The UN’s humanitarian chief began a three day trip by visiting four schools were some 20,000 displaced persons are housed while fleeing the increasing violence in that country.

Amos visited schools in Zahera District of Damascus where hundreds of displaced people are living in precarious conditions, often lacking sufficient food, bedding and clean water.

She was accompanied by Dr. Abdulrahman Attar, President of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC), which is providing humanitarian assistance with support from the Red Cross / Red Crescent movement and UN agencies.

Amos said there were “a number of issues that those in the schools are concerned about” and indicated the situation has deteriorated since her last visit in March.

She expressed hope “that the fighting stops and that there is peace, stability and security.”
Amos, who is also the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, is aiming to draw attention to the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the impact of the conflict on civilians caught up in the fighting, and to attempt to gain greater access to assist them.

The Government of Syria estimates that 1.2 million people have been forced to flee their homes and are living in temporary shelters or with host families.