25 NGOs in NE Syria call for action against Turkey’s crimes

25 non-governmental organizations issued a joint statement against the crimes of the Turkish state in Afrin. Organizations called for action to stop Turkey's ethnic genocide.

The Yazidis living in the Basufanê village of Afrin, which was occupied by the Turkish state and its gangs, have been under intense pressure for a few days. Gangs affiliated with the Turkish state, which blockaded the village, kidnap and murder civilians.

25 Yazidi institutions and legal organizations made a joint statement and called on the international public for the rescue of the Yazidis under the pressure of Faylaq al-Sham organization.

‘TURKEY COMMITTING A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY'

The statement emphasized that the Turkish state wants to change the historical identity of Basufanê village, and continued:

“The crimes against humanity committed by the Turkish state and its gangs in Syria continue. The Turkish state, which wants to change the demographic structure in the region brings in foreign populations to the areas it has occupied, especially Afrin. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Ghouta, which is in eastern Syria, have been settled in Afrin.

The international community is an accomplice to what happed in Afrin. They gave permission for the "Olive Branch" massacre of the Turkish state. As a matter of fact, after this attack, in which thousands of people were displaced and massacred, tens of thousands of olive trees were cut.

'STOP THE ETHNIC GENOCIDE'

As the democratic non-governmental organizations that signed this declaration, we call on international organizations, especially the USA, Russia and the UN, to stop these ethnic genocide practices of the Turkish state. The Yazidi community must be liberated from the Faylaq Al-Sham ’organization, which operates within the Syrian National Army. The occupation of the Turkish state in Syria must end and the displaced people must return to their lands under the guarantorship of international countries.

Before the occupation, 3 thousand 500 people lived in the village of Basufanê, but now this figure has dropped to 200. The gangs raid the village each day and kidnap civilians, forcing the remaining Yazidi residents to migrate.

According to the information we have recently received, Yazidi individuals Basil Mamed Hisên (22), Samir Mamed Hisên (35), Dilbirîn Erebo, (known as Ebo Dilo Erebo) Xezalê Menan Hisên (40), Rêzan Îbrahîm Erebo (22), Riyad Elî Cûma (33) were kidnapped by the gangs.

The kidnapped Yazidis were taken to the prison in Iska village in Shêrawa district. The gangs had to release Şêxo Îbrahîm (59), who was in poor condition due to torture. On the other hand, Dilbirin was released after being beaten in Erebo. The gangs had also attempted to kill Dilbirin Erebo last March. The gangs fired 2 bullets at him as he opposed to the gangs evacuating his house.

'WE HAVE DOCUMENTS, TOO'

One of the main reasons for this blockade stems from the Basufanê Yazidis not converting from their religion despite all the pressures of the Faylaq al-Sham organization. The gangs, who cannot accept this attitude of the Yazidis, raid the village each day and kidnap civilians. The gangs want to evacuate the village this way. We also have documents regarding these attacks carried out by the gangs.”

The NGOs that endorsed the statement are as follows:

Syrian Yazidis Union, Syrian Human Rights Committee, Nemsa Kurdish Association for Protecting Human Rights, Syrian Human Rights Organization (MAF), Violations Documentation Center in Northern Syria, Kurdish Legal Committee, Kaniye Spî Association, Syrian Yazidis Community, Zêxin Yazidî House, Afrin -Syria Human Rights Organization, Afrin Region Lawyers Union, Afrin Yazidis Union, Cizre Region Yazidi House, Cizre Region Human Rights Organization, Euphrates Region Human Rights Organization, Syrian Women's Rights Protection and Research Center, Syrian Legal Defense Initiative, Cizre Region Lawyers Union, Supreme Council of the Yazidis in Syria, Yazidi Social and Cultural Society, Yazidi-Germany Legal Committee, Kurdish Committee of Human Rights (Rasid), Syrian Kurdish Civil Society Organization, Yazidi Institution, German Legal Research Center.