Kobanê, 25th March 2014
Urgent Call to UN and European Union
Urgent Call to UN and European Union
The region of Kobanê (Ayn-Al-Arab) has been under attack from gangs linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) for about 3 weeks. Isis has been attacking the area from three directions: Jarablus to the west, Sarrin to the south, and Tal Abyad to the east. They have surrounded Kobanê from three sides after gathering all their forces deployed in Deyrel Zor, Halep, Raqqa, Lazkiye and other regions around the Kobane Canton.
Hundreds of Kurds and Arabs have been forced to leave their homes in villages in Rakka and Tel Abyad due to threats from ISIS.
The aim of these attacks is to sever links between the Kurdish cantons of Kobane, Afrin and Cizîre that were declared in January this year. The Canton of Kobane, was the first declared canton. We are seeing the current attacks as revenge against the Kurdish solution of Democratic Autonomy. The attacks are aiming to punish our people for their demands of the internationally legitimate right to self-determination, which was practised in Rojava in the form of the Cantons.
The goal of the attacks in Rojava and Kobanê is to install the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) in the lands of Syria. Surrounding countries and in particular Turkey are continuing to support these forces, because these states were not happy with the Kurdish solution of Cantons.
These various gangs, particularly ISIS, are saying that they are against the Syrian regime; they say that they are coming to power with their advances against Damascus, Dêrezor, and Lazkiye. But in recent days they have pulled their forces back from here and sent them to Rojava. The clear aim is to destroy the Kurdish solution of Democratic Autonomy in Syria, which was organised due to the three Cantons.
Since the ISIS is surrounding the Canton they are targeting the civilians systematically. In addition to our call to the Kurdish political parties as well as the Kurdish people, we are calling for immediate aid and international diplomatic and political intervention to stop these current attacks. So long as the attacks of ISIS will continue the people of the Kobane canton will face a serious human tragedy. It seems that the ISIS will continue to surround the whole region. Since the attack of ISIS and Al Qaeda the population of the Kobanê Canton has tripled and reached nearly 700 thousand.
The only border crossing open at present is the Mürşitpınar (Kobane) gate opened to Urfa's Suruç in Turkey.
The UN and EU must ensure the opening of border gates from Turkey for humanitarian aid and human rights organisations. Furthermore, the UN and EU must urge Turkey for an immediate halt to support for the gangs against the Kurdish people in Rojava.
Enver Muslim
President of the Kobanê Canton
President of the Kobanê Canton
