Stop the Turkish Aggression and Prevent a Humanitarian Disaster in Afrin

February 27, 2018

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Stop Turkey’s violations of its UN mandate and crimes against humanity in Afrin, Syria.  Start humanitarian aid to this region now.

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Instead of stabilizing the region, working with other countries to end the Syrian crisis and achieve peace, the Turkish government supported terrorist Islamic groups, like ISIS and the Al- Nusra Front, and, indeed, waged war itself against Kurds in Syria, contrary to Article I of the Charter of the United Nations which requires member states to maintain international peace and security.  

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The Turkish government fought to prevent the establishment of a Kurdish safe zone in Syria.

The Kurds protected their region in Northern Syria and provided services to the population despite devastation and war in Syria.  Turkey though saw this self-determination of Kurds as a threat.  Hence, Turkish forces attacked these Kurdish ruled areas in northern Syria, through support of armed groups including the “Free” Syrian Army and the Syrian National Army, terrorist organizations and through direct military intervention.  

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On 20 January 2018, Turkey itself bombed and sent troops to Afrin in Northern Syria in violation of Article IV of the Charter of the United Nations, which prevents all members of the body in their international relations from the use of force against the territory of any other state.

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In its brutal aggression on ​​Afrin and its countryside, the Turkish government using air and ground weapons, destroyed, water and electricity plants, health centers--even the Afrin hospital.  They burned and vandalized crops.   The “Free” Army and Islamic groups allied with the Turkish army of aggression displaced, wounded and killed hundreds of civilians--including many women, elderly, and children.

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Turkey thereby threatens the existence of the Kurds as an indigenous people in the region of Afrin, in violation of the Geneva Conventions on war crimes. Indeed, the Turkish army’s and its allies’ atrocities are war crimes against humanity per international law.

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We therefore call on the international community and you to force the Turkish government to stop its aggression and withdraw all forces and to secure international protection for the Afrin region and its inhabitants.  We also call for urgent medical and humanitarian assistance to prevent a humanitarian disaster.

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Signatories:

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1. The Kurdish Center for Studies and Legal Consultations - YASA

2. Kurdish Committee for Human Rights in Syria (Monitor)

3. The Kurdish Organization for Human Rights in Syria (DAD)

4. National Organization for Human Rights in Syria

5. Human Rights Organization in Syria - MAF

6. Arab Organization for Human Rights in Syria

7. Organization for the Defense of Detainees of Opinion in Syria - Rawanka

8. Committees for the Defense of Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria (LHD)

9. Kessaki Environmental Protection Organization

10. Syrian Foundation for the Rights of Widows and Orphans

11. National Assembly for the Rights of Women and Children

12. National Coordinating Committee for the Defense of Missing Persons in Syria

13. Syrians for democracy

14. Syrian Association of Jurists for Transitional Justice and Rule of Law

15. Syrian Association for Freedom and Equity

16. Syrian Center for Human Rights Education

17. Ebla Center for the Studies of Transitional Justice and Democracy in Syria

18. Syrian Center for Human Rights

19. Syrian Media Association

20. Zenobia Development Foundation

21. Electronic Press Foundation in Syria

22. Educational Center for Human Rights.

23. Zagros Center for Human Rights.

24. AFAMIA Network of Justice

25. The Democratic Association for Women's Rights in Syria

26. Women's Rally for Peace and Democracy in Syria

27. Association for the Promotion of Community Participation in Syria

28. Green Earth Society for Environmental Rights

29. Syrian Center for the Protection of Trade Union and Workers' Rights

30. Syrian Foundation for Human Rights Consultancy and Training

31. National Institution for the Support of Fair Trials in Syria

32. Abla Association of Syrian Free Media

33. Shahba Center for Digital Media

34. Syrian Foundation Against Religious Discrimination

35. National Committee for Supporting Human Rights Defenders in Syria

36. Sham Association for Free Journalists

37. Syrian Institute for Development and Democracy

38. Syrian Women's Association for Studies and Training in Human Rights

39. Adal Center for Human Rights.

40. Association for the Freedom of Women in Syria

41. Palmyra Center for the Protection of Freedoms and Democracy in Syria

42. The Syrian Committee for Transitional Justice and the fairness of the victims

43. Syrian Foundation for the Protection of the Right to Life

44. National Association for Solidarity with Political Prisoners in Syria.

45. Women's Foundation for the Care and Support of Civil Society in Syria

46. National Center for Development Support and Syrian civil society organizations

47. Democratic Institute for Women's Rights Awareness in Syria

48. Syrian Women's Foundation for Transitional Justice

49. Al - Sham Foundation to support the issues of reconstruction

50. Popular Organization for Supporting Reconstruction in Syria

51. Solidarity Association in Support of Peace and Tolerance in Syria

52. Syrian Forum for Truth and Equity

53. Syrian Center for Transitional Justice and the Empowerment of Democracy

54. Syrian Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture

55. Syrian Center for Democracy and Development Rights

56. National Center for Tolerance and Anti - Violence Studies in Syria

57. Syrian Center for Democracy and Human Rights

58. Syrian Center for Housing Rights

59. National Democratic Bloc in Syria

60. Syrian Center for Research and Studies on Migration and Asylum Issues.

61. Journalists without newspapers

62. Syrian Committee for Environmental Rights

63. Syrian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary

64. Syrian Foundation for the Development of Community Participation

65. Syrian Association for the Defense of Workers' Rights

66. Syrian Center for Economic and Social Rights

67. Ugarit Center for Training and Human Rights

68. Arab Committee for the Defense of Freedom of Opinion and Expression

69. Syrian Center for Election Observation

70. Palmera Center Against Discrimination Against Minorities in Syria

71. Syrian Center for Civil Society and Human Rights Studies

72. Syrian National Network for Civil Peace and Community Safety

73. The Network for the Defense of Women in Syria (comprising 57 Syrian women's bodies and 60 independent Syrian women figures)

74. Syrian Coalition Against the Death Penalty (SCODP)

75. The Syrian NGO Forum (SPNGO)

76. The Syrian Federation of Human Rights Organizations and Organizations (including 91 organizations, centers and bodies inside Syria)

77. Malakurd ( Civil Society-Canada )

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