Home Press releases & statements Syria/Afrin: 155 Syrian Organizations Condemn the Killing of Kurdish Civilians on the Eve of Celebrating Newroz

Syria/Afrin: 155 Syrian Organizations Condemn the Killing of Kurdish Civilians on the Eve of Celebrating Newroz

The signatory organizations call on the United Nations to take all necessary measures to protect the civilians in Afrin and throughout Syria and immediately cease the massive violations against them

by bassamalahmed
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Syrian Arabs and Kurds protest in Jindires town in the Afrin region. Holding the slogan "5 years of injustice, enough!", the protestors condemned the killing of 4 civilian Kurds for celebrating Newroz/Nawroz. Credit: Photojournalist Ammar al-Zeer.

On the eve of Newroz, corresponding to March 20, 2023, some fighters of Jaysh al-Sharqiya Faction/The Construction and Liberation Movement, affiliated with the Turkish-backed opposition Syrian National Army (SNA), killed four unarmed Kurdish civilians in Jindires city in Afrin countryside, northwestern Syria, on the backdrop of celebrating Newroz Day and lighting its bonfire; one of the most essential rituals adopted by the Kurds annually, with the participation of other peoples in Syria and throughout the region.

The signatories of this statement stand in solidarity with families of this attack’s victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery for the wounded, and affirm that they stand alongside all the victims and survivors across Syria. The signatories also call on all the inhabitants in Afrin, both natives and the displaced, to synergize to counter human rights violations committed by SNA armed groups and urge them to reject attempts to create a rift between local communities in Syria.

It is not the first time Afrin-occupied by Turkey and its proxies SNA factions since March 2018- has witnessed crimes and human rights violations. Several independent local and international organizations and UN commissions have documented repeated and systematic patterns of human rights violations, such as murder, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, ill-treatment, torture, looting, and property seizure, in addition to forcing the Kurd inhabitants to leave their houses, obstructing the return of the native people and practices of Turkification and demographic changes.

It is worth mentioning that this crime took place at a time when Jindires city, among other areas, has yet to recover from the impact of the destroying earthquake in February 2023, which claimed the lives of hundreds of residents. Around 1,100 people died in Jindires alone due to the earthquake. Thousands of buildings were damaged, leaving at least two thousand families homeless, while several armed groups were politicizing, diverting assistance, and denying access to populations in need.

Following the crime of murder, massive public demonstrations took place in Jindires and other areas in Afrin. Protestors denounced the de-facto authorities and demanded the ousting of the SNA’s factions from the region and providing international protection for the civilians to put an end to the violations committed by those factions. The signatory organizations declare complete support for these demands and call on:

  1. The United Nations:
  2. To take all necessary measures to protect the civilians in Afrin and across Syria, as well as pressure Turkey as an occupying power to assume its legal responsibilities in ensuring public order and safety and maintaining law and order;
  3. To pressure the Turkish government to stop the demographic changes in Afrin, Ras al-Ayn/Serê Kaniyê, and other regions, commit to the provisions of the 1907 Hague Agreement and hand over the administration of those areas to their Syrian indigenous people;
  4. To take adequate measures to stop the expansion of the terrorist-designated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)/formerly al-Nusra Front in Afrin and other northern Syria regions. The terrorist-designated organization took this crime as a pretext to advance in Jindires and its countryside and take control of the SNA’s headquarters in Jinderis.
  1. The United States government and the European Union:

to operationalize the sanctions against entities and commanders of the armed Syrian factions involved in committing human rights violations and extend the sanctions to include the rest groups and individuals responsible for the violations in northern Syria, including Turkish officials who effectively run those areas.

  1. To War Crimes Units in the countries, their enactments allow trials under the principle of universal jurisdiction, the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM), and the competent international organizations:

Intensify their work on documenting all violations by all parties, particularly those in Afrin and throughout northern Syria targeting specific racial, religious, or ethnic groups.

  1. The International Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic:

To release a briefing on the human rights situation in northern Syria, particularly in the areas under the effective control of Turkey, including Afrin, Ras al-Ayn/Serê Kaniyê, Tall Abyad, A’zaz, and al-Bab.

In addition, the organizations signing this statement call on the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces and the Syrian Interim Government (SIG), as well as all political bodies under its umbrella, to assume their legal, political, and moral responsibilities toward all the crimes committed in Afrin and call them to intervene to halt the violations of its armed groups and support the demands of the local population.

Organizations and Associations Signing the Statement:

  1. Act for Afrin
  2. Adel Center for Human Rights
  3. Afrin Media Center
  4. AFRIN PLATFORM
  5. Afrinpost Network
  6. AINSHAMS Organization
  7. Al Amal for Coexitennce Organization
  8. Al RIYF Association
  9. ALAHD Organization
  10. aldiyar Association
  11. Alghaithdev Organization
  12. Al-Hasakah Organization for Relief and Deve
  13. Al-Khaboor Association
  14. Amal Afrin Association
  15. Analysis and Strategic Study Organization
  16. Anwar al-Ghad
  17. Arak East Organization
  18. Aras charity
  19. Areej Organisation
  20. Awda for Development
  21. Azdeihar Organization
  22. Better Life Organization
  23. Better Tomorrow Organization
  24. Bridges of Love
  25. Bridges of peace for development
  26. Bukra Ahla Association for Relief and Development
  27. Caesar Families Association
  28. Center for Research and Protection Women’s right in Syria
  29. Cloud
  30. Community Solidarity Organaization
  31. Country Raqqa Organization
  32. S.C
  33. DAN for Relief and Development
  34. Dari Organization
  35. DAWLATY
  36. Deirna for Development
  37. Demokratik women network
  38. DemoS
  39. Dijla Organization for Development and Environment
  40. Droep Foundation
  41. Ebdaa Organization for Development
  42. Edraak Organization for Development and Peace
  43. Ella Organization For Development and Peacebuilding
  44. Engineering for Services and development
  45. Enma al Jazera Organization
  46. Enmaa Organization
  47. Ensaf for Development
  48. Euphrates NGO
  49. Ezdina Organization
  50. Families For Freedom
  51. Fariq Snnae al-Mustaqbal
  52. For Them Organisation
  53. Forerunner 4 Development & Empowerment & Education
  54. Friends Charity Association
  55. General Union of Kurdish Writers and Journalists in Syria
  56. Green Women’s Association
  57. GWN Organization
  58. Hajin Technicians Organization
  59. Haneen Alfurat
  60. Hdf Humanitarian
  61. Hevy for Relief and Development
  62. Hope Makers Organization
  63. House of Citizenship Organization
  64. Human Hope Team
  65. Human Rights Committee in Syria – MAF
  66. Human Rights Organization in Jazeerra
  67. Human Rights Organization in Syria – Maf
  68. Human rights organizations Afrin- syria
  69. Humanitarian and Development Cooperation
  70. Inmaa al-Furat FDO
  71. Inshaa Masar Organization
  72. Intensive Care Association
  73. International Organization for Development and Human Rights
  74. Iwaa Organization
  75. Jasmine Association
  76. Jinar for Aid and Development
  77. Jiyan Charity Association
  78. Jsor al-amal
  79. Khutwa Association
  80. Kurdischer Rat in Deutschland e.V
  81. Kurdish Committee for Human Rights (RASSED)
  82. Kurdish Cultural Association in Geneva
  83. Kurdish Feminist Voices
  84. Kurdish National Congress of North America
  85. Kurdish Organization for Human Rights in Syria (DAD)
  86. Kurdish Swiss Alliance
  87. Laila Initiative
  88. Lamsatalkhierfor Relif and Development
  89. Lelun Association for Victims
  90. Les Kurdes Rojava en France
  91. Lights for Development and Construction
  92. Maakom for Devolepment and Peace
  93. Mahabad Organisation for Human Rights MOHR
  94. Manara Organization
  95. Mary Association for Culture, Arts and Environment
  96. Muwatana
  97. Nawras Organization for development
  98. NES Mine Action center
  99. Nujin Society for Community
  100. Okaz
  101. Oxygen Shabab
  102. Peace she Leaders Network
  103. Peace Sounds
  104. PÊL- Civil Waves
  105. Platform of Wheat and Olive
  106. Platform Syrische Koerden in Nederland
  107. Purity
  108. Qadar Organization
  109. Raja Organization
  110. Ras Al-Ain Platform
  111. Reng
  112. Rewangeh Organization
  113. RFD Organization
  114. Rights Defense Initiative
  115. Roj Kar for Relief and Development
  116. Roj Mine Control Organization
  117. Rojava Organization for Relief and Development
  118. Rose
  119. Sahem Organization for Cooperation and Development
  120. SALAM Organization
  121. Sawaeed Organization for Development
  122. SCSD
  123. Sêl Organization for Development
  124. Shar for development
  125. Shawshaka Association for Women
  126. Silav Organization for Civil Activities
  127. SMART Center
  128. SOZ Association
  129. Sphere for Studies and Development
  130. Swaedna Organization for Relief and Development
  131. Synergy Association for Victims
  132. Syria Center for Development
  133. Syria Justice and Accountability Center
  134. Syrian Cancer Society
  135. Syrian Center For Media and Freedom of Expression
  136. Syrian Kurdish Civil Forces Gathering
  137. Syrians for Truth and Justice
  138. Tara organization
  139. TASTAKEL Women Organization
  140. Tel Abyad forum for civil society
  141. The civil Cooperation Team Organization
  142. The Kurdish Center for Studies
  143. Together for Algarnya organization
  144. Together for Deir Ezzor
  145. Train of Hope Dortmund e. V.
  146. Vision
  147. We Want our Detainees and Kidnapped Campaign
  148. Weqaya Association
  149. Wessal Development Organization
  150. Yasna organization for Zoroastrian religion and philosophy
  151. Youth for Change
  152. Zakon Organization
  153. Zameen Organization
  154. Zirak For Development
  155. Zurna Development Organization

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