URFA - Stating that Turkey's attacks continue, Lolav Qamişlo, a member of the North and East Syria Social Diplomacy Center, asked the UN to prevent "war crimes" by acting according to its founding purpose.

 

While the attacks launched by Turkey against Northern and Eastern Syria on November 20 have left one month behind, protests against the attacks continue in Kurdistan and Europe, especially in Northern and Eastern Syria. Under the leadership of the Autonomous Administration Social Diplomacy Center, a letter was sent to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, with the signature of 300 intellectuals and organizations from 29 different countries, demanding that Turkey's attacks be stopped. Lolav Qamişlo, a member of the Autonomous Administration Social Diplomacy Center, made evaluations to the Mezopotamya Agency (MA) regarding the letter sent to stop the attacks.

 

'WE WANTED TO BE HEARD'

 

Stating that Turkey launched an inhuman attack on Northern and Eastern Syria on November 20, Lolav Qamişlo said that these attacks openly targeted the people and their living spaces for the first time. Pointing out that wheat silos were targeted in the attacks so that the people would struggle with famine along with hospitals, living spaces, fuel centers such as oil and electricity were also targeted, Qamishlo said that the civilian population was tried to be weakened with attacks on these places. That's why, as non-governmental organisations, they decided not to remain silent about these attacks, Qamişlo said, "We started a petition campaign with the Social Diplomacy Center and 17 organizations. With this campaign, we wanted to make our voices heard by international states. For this reason, we sent the signatures to the United Nations as a letter. UN's mission is to stop the war crimes."

 

SIGNATURES WERE SENT TO OTHER IMPORTANT ACTORS

 

Stating that they did not send the signatures only to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Qamişlo told that they sent the letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Sami Bahous, the UN Special Rapporteur for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Fight Against Terrorism, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, and to other institutions working on human rights

 

'UN SHOULD ACT ACCORDINGLY WITH ITS FOUNDING PURPOSES'

 

Stating that the peoples of Northern and Eastern Syria have paid a great price against ISIS, Qamishlo reminded that these people sacrificed their lives to protect the world states and humanity. Qamişlo told that they want the UN not to remain silent against the war crimes committed in this region and said, "The UN's primary duty is to protect the peoples who suffer from war crimes and massacres. The UN was established for this purpose. We also want it to act according to its founding purpose." Referring to the silence of the UN and other international states in the face of Turkey's attacks, Qamişlo stated that each state protects its interests and gains in the region. Noting that the relations of internation states with the Turkish state causes their silence, Qamişlo said, "No one should remain silent in the face of these inhuman attacks."

 

'WAR CRIMINALS SHOULD BE PUNISHED'

 

Stating that the UN should respond to their applications as soon as possible, Qamishlo stated that they will continue to apply to diplomatic channels and do their best to stop these attacks. Stating that the people also resisted against inhumane attacks, Qamişlo said that they continue to develop common ways and methods to make them fail, and that they continue to mobilise other states to end the attacks.

 

Calling on international states, Qamishlo said, “They should strengthen their relations with the peoples in Northern and Eastern Syria. What we want from them is that they do not remain silent and respond to the calls of the people and to punish those who commit war crimes."

 

MA / Müjdat Can