During the US and Israeli bombardment of Iran, 168 children lost their lives in a missile strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls school in Minab. Women and children are not parties to war. Bombing schools and deliberately or foreseeably targeting civilians is a clear violation of international law and constitutes a grave crime against humanity. Unilateral attacks carried out without exhausting diplomatic channels are contrary to the United Nations Charter. No state and no military power is above the law or above humanity.
As a foundation, we made a donation to Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), an international, independent, non-profit medical humanitarian organization that provides medical assistance to people affected by conflicts, epidemics, and natural disasters around the world. A letter of appreciation was presented to our Foundation by the aforementioned organization.
If There Is One Image That Summarizes the Destruction, Despair, Senselessness, and Brutality of This Conflict, This Is It.
Regarding the donation, our Foundations Board Member Uğur Tatlıcı stated: “With the United States of America and Israeli attacks on Iran in the Middle East, the region has effectively been dragged into a new war. This war is a massive process of destruction that directly threatens the lives of millions of people and could bring about severe humanitarian consequences. As always, the price of wars is paid by the most vulnerable groups: children, women, the poor, and working people. The loss of dozens of childrens lives and the wounding of hundreds as a result of the bombing of a school clearly demonstrates the scale of the brutality being witnessed.
Schools are places of science, reason, and the future, not of weapons, military confrontations, and power struggles. Targeting educational institutions where children are present is a grave crime against humanity. Under no circumstances is it acceptable to turn educational spaces into part of a war and then hide behind claims that it was a mistake. In this cruel world, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all physicians and healthcare workers around the globe, first and foremost to the Doctors Without Borders organization, who rush to provide medical aid to all people regardless of religion, language, or race.”
“Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)” – “Doctors Without Borders”
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was founded in Paris in 1971 by a group of journalists and doctors. Today, it is an independent worldwide movement of approximately 63,000 people. Its teams are composed of tens of thousands of health professionals, logistics and administrative staff, all bound by its charter. Its actions are guided by the principles of medical ethics, independence, and impartiality. It is a non-profit, self-governing, member-based organization.
MSF provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters, and to victims of armed conflict. It does so irrespective of race, religion, creed, or political affiliation. MSF observes neutrality and impartiality in the name of universal medical ethics and the right to humanitarian assistance and demands full and unhindered freedom in the exercise of its functions.
Members commit to respecting professional codes of ethics and to maintaining complete independence from all political, economic, or religious powers. As volunteers, members understand the risks and dangers of the missions they undertake and make no claim for themselves or their assigns for any form of compensation other than that which the organization is able to provide.
