Statement by NGOs in Diyarbakır About Afrin

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NGOs, professional associations and political parties have made a joint statement about Afrin operation.

In the statement, a call for “putting national unity spirit and practice into effect” was made and called on people to “attend Newroz celebrations to act in solidarity in Afrin resistance”.

77 political parties and NGOs including Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Revolutionary Democratic Kurdish Association (DDKD), Azadi Movement, Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), Freedom and Socialism Party (ÖSP), Labor Party (EMEP), Education Union, Haber Sen, SES, Diyarbakır Chamber of Medicine, Chamber of Architects, Pir Sultan Abdal Association, Assembly of Yazidis, Kurdish PEN, Federation of Assyrians’ Assembly, Platform of Local Associations, Chamber of Agriculture Engineers, Chamber of Survey Engineers, Chamber of Mining Engineers signed the statement.

In his speech yesterday (March 18), President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “I’d like to share a good news with you. Afrin city center was taken under control by TAF (Turkish Armed Forces)-supported FSA (Free Syrian Army) members at around 8:30 a.m. this morning. Now Turkish flag and FSA flag are flapping there. Turkey has once again shown all the world that it sides with the oppressed”.

“Afrin was hosting those who ran away from ISIS”

Mezopotamya Agency reported that DTK Co-chair Bedran Öztürk, who read out the joint statement released about Afrin, stressed that the operation was on its 58th day and went on:

“Hundreds of civilians lost their lives in air and land bombardments during this period. Afrin’s villages and towns have been turned into a total ruin with these bombardments. At the same time Afrin’s historic fabric, which is legacy of humanity, and ecological structure have been harmed as well.

“Afrin was an oasis of co-existence, peace and fraternity which hosts those who ran away from tyranny of DAİŞ (ISIS), shares its bread, water, air and all values with them. Now this oasis of peace, fraternity and co-existence is attempted to be dried”.

The statement also called on the international public and organizations to “stick by their motions”, which foresee Turkey’s withdrawal from Afrin.