The European Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E) issued a written statement today regarding the coronavirus threat.

The statement includes the following:

“The Covid-19 pandemic has reached a stage affecting the whole world. Despite all our differences, everyone is trying to live under the threat of this pandemic and take precautions. It is evident that the power, opportunities and approaches of governments are not sufficient to provide equal, adequate protection and health provisions to everyone. Moreover, the demands of this process are at a level that exceeds the needs. It was revealed that we couldn’t handover the fight against this pandemic solely to the governments. Especially with the current setup of health systems, we witnessed that it is not "sufficiently" effective in the face of such a serious problem with its structure based on unequal economic backgrounds and its ambitions for profit.

As KDCK-E, we evaluated our organizations in Europe, Canada and Australia since the outbreak - with all the social, religious and cultural institutions in our organization, without any discrimination - and supported everyone who we have approached or anyone who reached out to us.

Initially, via a Central Health Commission consisting of 35 doctors, we provided widespread information by presenting the information provided by the World Health Organization and the specialist institutions that are fighting the pandemic in our countries, in layman’s terms, to explain and persuade the attitude that should be taken personally in the face of the pandemic. We persistently articulate the seriousness of the problem we face and the importance of the measures. We continue to make an active effort to meet the needs of the elderly and patients, especially those in the risk groups.

We will continue our efforts to protect our people against this pandemic and to comply with the most important measures. We will try to maintain this not only for the parts we represent and everyone else in need. This is because we are going through the most crucial days in which solidarity and cooperation among peoples and societies should be strengthened. We realize that everyone can do their best against the pandemic, but we can increase their chances of survival by solidarity, by developing a collective awareness, attitude and practice.

For this reason, we want to indicate that we are ready to open 436 associations and halls belonging to our civil and democratic organizations that come together within the body of KCDK-E, and we are ready to support and facilitate any contact from governments or related institutions, as much as it is deemed necessary.

Once again, we invite everyone to follow the measures seriously and to continue this approach until we overcome this pandemic, and most importantly, to practice solidarity, sharing and collaboration as part of our daily life.”

KCDK-E listed their demands as follows:

• NGOs, initiatives, health ministries and municipalities in all countries and localities should establish coordination against coronavirus and develop common solutions.

• All institutions should share their local work, knowledge and experiences.

• If possible, local initiatives should be combined for elderly, asylum-seekers and chronic patients in need.

• We should act by developing a sense of solidarity and cooperation, with the awareness that we are responsible not only for our own health but also for other people's health.

• We should stay home - taking into account the areas necessary to make life sustainable - this should apply to everyone, but we should also strengthen social solidarity.