In this episode, we speak with Michaël Neuman from Doctors' Without Borders (MSF).

 

He tells us about the charity's work in Syria, and how the fall of Bashar Assad's regime could affect this. 

 

We also discuss MSF's work in Gaza, Israel's ongoing genocide against the Palestinians and the fact that, unlike most conflicts, the people there have no escape.

 

Michaël also tells us why MSF decided it needed to help asylum seekers in the UK, and why European governments have been far too quick to pause asylum claims for Syrians. 

 

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--- Show notes ---

 

For more on MSF, visit: msf.org.uk

 

Follow MSF UK on Twitter here: @MSF

 

Check out MSF Crash's website here: msf-crash.org/en

 

Michael refers to the cyclone which battered Mayotte in December. Read about MSF's work on teh Indian Ocean island here: https://msf.org.uk/article/cyclone-chido-how-msf-responding-mayotte-and-mozambique 

 

For more on MSF's rescue ship, the Geo Barents, see here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/tag/Geo-Barents

 

AND, check out episode 14 of The Civil Fleet Podcast, with the ship's search-and-rescue team leader Riccardo Gatti and midwife Kira Smith.

 

Listen to episode 21 also, with MSF UK advocacy officer Sophie McCann. 

 

This 2017 video by Vox is a fairly good summation of the differing sides in the Syrian Civil War: youtube.com/watch?v=JFpanWNgfQY&t=3s&ab_channel=Vox 

 

Here is an excellent speech by the late journalist Robert Fisk in 2016 on the Arab Spring, Egypt, Isis, Iraq and the West's role in the Middle East: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gzq_uPzGfw&ab_channel=UCD-UniversityCollegeDublin 

 

Ben mentions a previous episode with Syrian refugee Hasan. Check out episode 25 of The Civil Fleet Podcast to hear that

 

For more on MSF's work in Gaza, see here: https://www.msf.org/gaza-israel-war 

 

Michael mentions an article in the Haaretz newspaper about Israeli soldiers killing any Palestinian person who crosses the Neztarim corridor. You can read that here: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-12-18/ty-article-magazine/.premium/idf-soldiers-expose-arbitrary-killings-and-rampant-lawlessness-in-gazas-netzarim-corridor/00000193-da7f-de86-a9f3-fefff2e50000 

 

That article is behind a paywall, unfortunately, BUT you can read about it here (for free!) on Middle East Eye: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hundreds-indiscriminately-shot-dead-israeli-soldiers-gaza-kill-zone 

 

Michael mentions the siege of Mosul. For more on that, see here: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/video-life-aftermath-war-mosul 

 

For more on MSF's work in the UK, particularly at the Wethersfield migrant containment centre, see here: https://msf.org.uk/article/explainer-why-msf-treating-people-seeking-asylum-uk 

 

For more on the conditions inside Britain's migrant containment centres, check out episode 32 with journalist Bethany Rielly (then home affairs reporter at the Morning Star newspaper, now a co-editor at the New Internationalist)

 

For more on Doctors of the World, see here: https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk 

 

Ben mentions his exclusive articles revealing the number of deaths in UK Home Office Accommodation in 2022 and 2023. Read that here: https://thecivilfleet.wordpress.com/revealed