On October 9, 2019, the Turkish state began its war of invasion and occupation on the territory of northern Syria. The Turkish army is attacking all major cities and settlements along the border, with airstrikes and mortar fire. According to figures published by the Kurdish Red Crescent (The Kurdish Red Crescent), during the first five days of attacks alone, at least 46 civilians were killed and 139 injured – including many women, girls and boys.
Currently, the Turkish army together with a so-called “Syrian national army”, composed of mercenaries from different terrorist groups, is attempting to extend its invasion into that territory. At the same time, ISIS sleeper cells have begun new attacks across northern Syria. The SDF and YPJ-YPG forces, who liberated Northeast Syria from the IS terrorist regime, are now dedicating their lives to protect the people from new occupations and massacres. Those women who freed thousands of women from slavery under IS are now being bombed by a NATO army.
Millions of lives, of people from all different ethnic and religious communities in this region, are under threat. Ten thousand families have been displaced. In addition to villages populated mainly by Kurdish and Arab populations, there have been targeted attacks on Christian neighborhoods. It is obvious that these attacks are carried out with the objectives of ethnic cleansing and demographic change. The Turkish occupation and war crimes in Afrin, starting in January 2018, have to date been condoned by the international community. Thus, Turkey works to expand its territory and impose its dominion over further regions of northern and eastern Syria, violating international law and Syria’s own sovereignty.
At the same time, Turkey neglects the will of the peoples of the region who have lived together peacefully, under the Democratic Autonomous Administration. Turkey’s attacks are directed against the advances of the women’s revolution in Rojava, which has been a source of inspiration for women around the world. Women, who have been at the forefront in the construction of an alternative social model, for a democratic and ecological society based on women’s liberation, are targeted by attacks by jihadist assassin squads.
The co-chair of the Future of Syria Party, Hevrin Xelef was assassinated in an ambush on October 12, while she was traveling to visit wounded and displaced people in the Til Temir region. Despite 8 years of continuous war in Syria, the Autonomous Administration regions in North-East Syria have managed to guarantee democratic rights and respond to the needs of all people in this region. Hundreds of thousands of war refugees from different regions of Syria have found refuge here. Without any notable support from United Nations organizations, these refugees were welcomed, protected and supported by the structures of the Autonomous Administration.
While Erdogan’s government openly announced this war and its occupation plans, the international community – including the bodies of the United Nations (UN) – did not take adequate measures to prevent this from happening. Furthermore, hegemonic powers such as Russia and the United States have encouraged Turkey’s aggression.
The genocides of the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians and the Syriac people in 1915 and the massacres against the Kurdish people in Dersim, Halebje, Nussaybin, Cizire, Afrin… are still in our minds. Today again, crimes against humanity have been prepared and carried out openly, since the calculation of war profits matters more than international law, human values and rights.
The women of Rojava have always underlined: “We defended the women’s revolution with our sacrifices. We wage our fight on behalf of all women in the world.” Turkey’s war against the women and people of North-East Syria is an aggression against all of us.
It aims to strike at the advances and values of our struggles for women’s rights, freedom and justice – everywhere. With the international campaign Women Defend Rojava, we unite against fascism, occupation and patriarchy. We raise our voice for the recognition of the autonomy of the Autonomous Administration in North-East Syria, for peace and justice in Syria.
To prevent new genocides and feminicides in the 21st century, we urge the United Nations Security Council, all relevant bodies of the international community and governments to take urgent action to:
• Immediately stop Turkey’s invasion and occupation of North-East Syria;
• Establish a No-Fly-Zone to protect the lives of people in North-East Syria;
• Prevent further war crimes and stop ethnic cleansing by Turkish army forces, ISIS, El Nusra and other jihadist terrorist groups;
• Try all war crimes and criminals;
• Stop arms trade with Turkey;
• Implement political and economic sanctions against Turkey;
• Recognize the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Peoples of North-East Syria;
• Take immediate measures for a political solution to the crisis in Syria with the representation and participation of women and representatives of people from all different national, cultural and religious communities in Syria.