Are our lives so cheap?

 ' “Are our lives so cheap?" is the question from a Syrian refugee to the international community as conflict rages in his homeland.”

 Mouhyedin Alkalel called on the world to do more to help his people as attacks on eastern Ghouta continue in violation of a 30-day ceasefire voted for by the United Nations Security Council on Saturday.

 Mr Alkalel, who now lives in Darlington, believes more action should be taken.

 Condemning the actions of Assad and allies including Russia and Iran, he said: “It is a disgrace to the international community, that all of its humanitarian organisations have witnessed all of these massacres for more than six years and have not been moved more to help the Syrians still in Syria.

 There are people dying of cold and hunger there and in countries of asylum and in Ghouta, children are being killed by ballistic missiles.

 Authorities within the international community are helping to kill the people of Syria and its children with silence about the massacres and I do not know how long this can go on for.

 All of this blood is flowing in Syria and if I could ask anything it would be for the UN Security Council, its permanent members and the United Nations to stir their feelings, if they have feelings, and issue a real decision to stop the killing.

 We are in the 21st century and all of this is happening in front of the eyes of the international community, in sight of the whole world and they are not doing enough to help. Are the lives and blood of children, women and the elderly in my country so cheap?” '