45 organizations warn of the danger of Erdogan’s project about demographic change
45 human rights organizations, journalists and civil society called on the international community to hold Turkey and its mercenaries accountable for the violations and crimes committed in northern Syria, and to refrain from giving legitimacy and funding to Erdogan’s project called “voluntary return.
The text of the statement addressed to the Secretary-General of United Nations, Antonio Guterres, and co-chair of Sixth Brussels Conference that Support the Future of Syria and the region, which is scheduled to be held in Brussels today and tomorrow on 9-10 of this month, that reads:
“International conventions stipulate the necessity of safeguarding the rights of peoples in their lands, especially the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the 1989 Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ILO Convention 169), the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and American Convention on the Rights of Human.
The right to own land is considered a right guaranteed by these agreements, and it is linked to the rights of indigenous peoples due to the importance of the land and its relationship to the identity and existence of the community, This sacred right is now hijacked by well-known parties in Syria led by Turkey and publicly seeking, in front of a shameful international silence, to settle a million Syrians in Syrian areas under its control along the northern borders of Syria, in the governorates of Aleppo, Hasaka and Raqqa, many of which have a Kurdish majority, as part of an aggressive scheme for sedition and the elimination of its demographic and historical identity and its cultural and national specificity in an attempt to strike the component that has always expressed its willingness to coexist with all the components within the framework of respect, not like Ankara that pursues to impose a policy of demographic change and destroy the demographic structure that characterizes that region, under the banner called “voluntary return.”
We consider Ankara’s preparation for “voluntary return” project for one million Syrians and their resettlement there, which will have dire consequences for the region, and will constitute a spark for the outbreak of conflicts from which Syria as a whole will not be spared, as the Turkish President claims that these areas are safe under the claim that Ankara has provided since the launch of its operations in Syria 2016, 2019, 2018, while daily evidence and facts confirm that since that date those areas have become the scene of killings, looting and abuse, and a source of security chaos, which is monitored and documented daily by human rights organizations, especially since those who supervise them are Turkish military who roam without accountability in front of the world’s hearing and sight.
The violations reached the point of selling real estate in areas controlled by Ankara-backed factions, as well as uprooting fruitful trees by “Free Army” factions and Turkey forces, in addition to the kidnappings, that are part of the systematic policy of intimidation to displace the indigenous population of the mainly Kurdish component.
The violations also affected historical sites and swept them away during the search for archaeological finds and burials as part of an attempt to obliterate Syrian history, and in an attempt to create an environment to seize the area after eliminating its identity.
The signatory associations and organizations warned in their statement: “The dangers of continuing to impose a policy of demographic change in north and east Syria, and the repercussions of settling one million Syrians who are not the component in that region, which leads to conflicts that may lead to civil war, and the expected repercussions of establishing settlements and attracting non-Syrians, in addition to the dangers of continuing to eliminate the plant wealth in that area by uprooting fruit trees and cutting water.”
The statement called for: “Accounting Turkey and its mercenaries for violations and crimes committed in northern Syria, and punishing the perpetrators involved in the killing, displacement, and kidnapping, in addition to refraining from funding Erdogan’s project called voluntary return financially and not granting him legitimacy and legal cover in order to prevent a future civil war.”
The statement continued: “Postponing voluntary return until the situation in Syria is settled so that no party is subject to tracking by regime, and a safe environment is provided for the return from a home and the necessities of a decent life.”
The undersigned organizations affirmed that “northern region is not safe yet to receive the Syrians, but rather is marred by disputes and conflicts between the factions and witnesses daily killings, and that the return must be accompanied by preparing the infrastructure and superstructures, especially schools and hospitals, as well as providing rehabilitation, psychological support and training activities, in addition to providing support from national and international funds to provide the necessary environment. And these are the most basic elements of a dignified life for a part of the Syrian people who have suffered, and still suffering for more than 10 years, the scourge of displacement and terrible violations of their material and moral rights, contrary to what is stipulated in all international conventions related to human rights and dignity, we hope that after these tragedies we will live a new awakening for international society and humanitarian organizations.
Some of the signatories:
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Kurdish Legal Commission (DYK), Threatened Peoples Association – Germany, Mahabad Organization for Human Rights M.O.H.R, Yazidi Union of Syria, the German-Kurdish Forum, Human Rights Organization Afrin – Syria, Kurdish Civil Society Organization in Europe, Kurdish Society Association in Stuttgart, Violations Documentation Center in Northern Syria, Afrin Social Association.