A-Beginning of the Resistance in Syria and Establishment of Autonomous Regional Administration
More than two years ago -on 15 March 2011- when some students in Daraa wrote the slogans about the Arab Spring on the walls Syrian government responded so violently that the resistance and conflicts are still going on for all this time.
The anti-democratic, human rights violating, oppressive and dangerous political attitudes of Syrian regime resulted in Syrian people’s rebellion. This rebellion which is supported by all parts of the society against the oppressions was already started by Kurds in Kurdish Region of northern Syria in 2004. Then the rebellion was started in Qamishli and spread over all other Kurdish cities. Unfortunately during the 13 days of the rebellion 37 Kurdish young activists were killed and hundreds of them were arrested by Syrian Army.
Seven years after the rebellion in Kurdish Region the democratic and peaceful demonstrations started in Syria again in 2011. Syrian regime chose the violent response once more and the demonstration areas were targeted by Syrian Army. As a result thousands of people were shot and killed. After the violent response, demonstrations turned into an armed struggle. The ant-secular groups in Syria started to attend the Free Syrian Army and chose to fight back the violence from Syrian government. However the organized Kurdish society chose neither the Syrian regime nor the armed struggle but as a third option chose the democratic and peaceful way.
Choosing a democratic and peaceful way as a third option Kurds provided an opportunity to establish the Autonomous Regional Administration. In this new system all varieties of the society in Kurdish Region such as 4 million Kurds, 300 thousand Arabs, 150 thousand Christians, more than 25 thousand Ezidis and Assyrians, Zoroastrians, Turkmans, Alevis have found the chance to demand for their rights.
In the new system as a first step local councils were established by the votes of all communities (such as Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Alevis, Turkmans, Christins and Zoroastrians) in the liberated areas; Qamishli, Afrin, Kobani, Hasakah, Derik, Rimelan, Tirbespi, Cewadiye, Amuda, Dirbe Siye, Sere Kaniye and Tiltemir. Then committees were established on consensus of all representatives for meeting the needs of the society. These committees are;
1-Committee of Social Problems
2-Committee of Services
3-Committee of Self Defense
4-Committee of Justice
5-Committee of Youth
6-Committee of Women
7-Committee of Fraternity of People
8-Committee of Unity of Religions
These committees were recognized by the all Kurdish parties in the region. Established by all communities in Autonomous Regional Administration these committees are the facilitators for daily life and provide a more regular system when compared with chaotic atmosphere all over the country. Besides the committees many non-governmental organizations such as Union of Teachers, Union of Trade, U. of Engineers, U. of Workers, U. of Doctors, U. of Pharmacists, U. of Artists, Council of Health and Red Crescent of Kurds were established and people found the chance to defend their rights in a democratic system.
Despite all difficulties such as embargos, the risk of being attacked and being prevented to reach the international relief of UN, EU, USA or other countries/organizations people who are living in Autonomous Regional Administration are trying to survive with their own means.
B-Social Conditions During Resistance
For the last 3 years of ongoing insurgency and the conflictual atmosphere in Syria, more than 70.000 (according to UN resources more than 60.000) civilian have died, more than 700.000 have injured and 2.5 million have immigrated. With the migration of the civilians who lost their life safety and houses very significant internal and external migration movements have started and eventually social problems have appeared. Migrations from the inner parts of the country headed towards the Kurdish areas located in the North of Syria. Afrin’s population, which was more than 500 thousand, has increased to more than a million right after the migration of 500 thousand of people from Aleppo. Besides, there have been mass migrations from Al-Hasakah and Deir-ez Zor to Qamishli; from Manbij, Al-Bab ve Jarabulus to Kobani.
Today, more than 5 million people have faced with the risk of death because of the number of injured people in the migrated cities, insufficient number of hospitals, the electricity and water cuts of the Syrian State and hygiene and epidemic problems generated from housing problem and furthermore, the embargo conditions which prevent any kind of aid to be reached to Kurdish region.
For the last 3 years children haven`t been vaccinated, the reserves of medicine run out and medicine aids from abroad have not been allowed. Epidemical diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis-B, bloody diarrhea, measles and varicella, constitute danger not only for Kurdish region and Syria but also for neighboring countries. Yet, there is some information that in the Turkish villages on Syrian border measles cases have seen.
Late and unfair distribution of aids is also another treat for human health. Aids that are coming from different international actors such as the UN, the EU, the USA, Turkey, gathers in one hand in Syria, however distributed unfairly and up until now, none of the aids were allowed to reach the Kurdish region, where more than 5 million people live. Together with the last 2-months embargos and isolation, the people who try to survive with their autonomous power in Kurdish Region have to defend themselves also against the attacks from inside and outside of Syria and this reaches to the level of urrgent intervention.
C-Urgent Call and Appeal
On behalf of all committees established in Autonomous Regional Administration, we invite all administrative and humanitarian relief organizations in UN, EU, USA and Turkey and all non-governmental organizations such as human right associations, health organizations and doctors without borders to fulfil their moral responsibility for saving 5 million people facing death.
We are representing three committees of Autonomous Regional Administration;
-On behalf of Humanitarian Relief and Distribution Committee Mr. Abdurehman Hemo,
-On behalf of Women Issues and Women Health Committee Ms. Emine Use
-On behalf of Committee of NGOs Mr. Abdulkarim Saruhan
We call on behalf of these three committees and all committees of Autonomous Regional Administration:
-to organize an Independent Investigation Commission under the control of UN. So that this Commission could observe the realities we mentioned in this report with accompanying and guarantee of Autonomous Regional Administration.
-to lift the embargos and to open two new gates in border of Turkey; one in Kilis / Islahiye which is close to Raco / Afrin and the other in Kızıltepe which is close to Qamishli for providing a security line of reliefs to reach the region.
Committees of Services and Health in Autonomous Regional Administration assure that all reliefs will be recorded and distributed equal and safely.
We would like to thank you for your attention reading this report and for providing a chance for our call to be heard all over the world.
About the Reliefs and All Other Issues You May Reach These Addresses:
Syria
– Humaniterian Relief and Distribution Committee – Mr. Abdurehman Hemo:
tel: 00963936310758 (Syria) – 009647507290326 (Irak) – 00905383575343 (Turkey)
e-mail: [email protected]
– Women Issues and Women Health Committee – Ms.Emine Use:
tel: 0096352721935
e-mail: [email protected]
– Committee of NGOs Mr. Abdulkarim Saruhan:
tel: 00963930582097 – 0096352444018 – 00905370594342
-Health Committee – Ms. Sema:
tel: 00905546945745
-other contacts: [email protected] [email protected]– 00905318527724 –
-Mr. Hembar: 00905393810221 – Ms.Mizgin: 00905374626379
Turkey
-Mr. Nazmi Gür – Parliamentarian of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP): 00905396816220
-BDP Foreign Relations Advisor Mr. Evren Çevik: 00905063333496
e-mail: [email protected]
