Five years have passed since the Turkish occupation of areas of Ras al-Ayn/Serê Kaniyê and Tall Abyad as a result of the military operation dubbed “Peace Spring”, which began on October 9, 2019, under the pretext of establishing a ‘’ Safe Zone”. However, the reality has been the opposite. The region has lost its safety and stability, as well as continues to endure widespread violations and the absence of the rule of law.
The military incursion displaced more than 200,000 indigenous people from these areas, with Turkey and the Turkish-backed factions of the opposition Syrian National Army (SNA) indiscriminately bombarding civilian buildings and systematically looting private properties belonging to locals of various backgrounds, particularly the Kurds. Moreover, the SNA factions have prevented hundreds of displaced families from returning to their homes and reclaiming their properties.
Tens of thousands of indigenous people remain forcibly displaced in dire humanitarian conditions in makeshift camps and shelters that lack support and official recognition from UN agencies. According to independent local Syrian organizations, more than 85% of the inhabitants of Ras al-Ayn/Serê Kaniyê are still forcibly displaced, with the Kurdish population dwindling from 75,000 to just 50 individuals, the numbers of Armenian, Syriac, and Yezidi residents have also fallen to no more than a handful. Meanwhile, thousands of displaced families from other Syrian regions have been settled in the homes of those who were forcibly displaced, along with dozens of Iraqi families, including relatives of Islamic State (ISIS) fighters. Let alone the Turkish public attempts to settle one million Syrian refugees in these areas.
The endeavors of the Turkish authorities and armed factions of the opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) to alter the demographic and culture composition of these areas through forced displacement, resettling other groups in the homes of the indigenous population, and overt Turkification practices, constitute a crime against the indigenous people. These actions are punishable under international law and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and represent an attempt to change the entire identity of the region.
Turkey, which has effectively controlled all military and civil aspects in the region for the past five years, has failed to assume its responsibilities under the international law, and it has not taken any tangible and serious measures to protect civilians or improve the situations. Instead, it has turned a blind eye to the widespread violations committed by the SNA factions. Consequently, crimes, such as looting, pillage, murder, and abductions have been rife in these regions, as the absence of accountability encourages these violations to perpetuate, and exacerbate the suffering of the local people.
As an occupying power, Turkey is obligated under Article 43 of the 1907 Hague Regulations and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, to take all the measures in its power to restore, and ensure, as far as possible, public order and safety. This obligation includes the duty to ensure respect for the applicable rules of International Human Rights Law (IHRL) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL), as well as to protect the population of the occupied territories from acts of violence and not to tolerate such violence by any third party.
Despite Turkey’s commitments under the “Ceasefire Agreement”, signed with the US on October 17, 2019, stipulating in several items to “pledge to uphold human rights, protect religious and ethnic communities, ensure the safety and well-being of all residents in the zone controlled by Turkey, and exercise maximum care in order not to cause harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure,” Turkey has evaded its responsibilities towards the population and turned a blind eye to the wide-scale violations and crimes committed during and after the operation. This has led to rampant looting, pillage, murder, kidnappings, and arbitrary detention.
Ending the occupation, ensuring the return of the displaced to their homes, and compensating those affected within a framework that guarantees accountability and justice for the victims are the most urgent demands from the perspective of the organizations signing this statement. Achieving any sustainable peaceful settlement is impossible without accomplishing justice for the victims and ensuring that such crimes are not repeated. On this painful occasion, we reaffirm that the issue of Ras al-Ayn/Serê Kaniyê and Tall Abyad is a critical national humanitarian matter for its displaced inhabitants, who look forward to the day when their homes are free and safe once again.
Accordingly, we, the undersigned organizations to this statement, call on:
- The United Nations and the UN Security Council: To end the occupation, ensure the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of IDPs in line with UN standards that safeguard their rights, officially recognize the camps housing displaced people, and provide necessary support to alleviate their suffering.
- The United States Government: to ensure the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement, compel Turkey to adhere to its provisions on protecting civilians, impose sanctions on factions and armed groups responsible for violations and crimes against civilians, work towards the return of forcibly displaced persons to their original areas, and support the IDPs residing in camps.
- The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM): to release a special report about human rights violations in the Turkish-controlled territories and establish structural investigations on these violations.
- The Turkish Government: to assume its responsibilities as an occupying power, prevent factions and armed groups from harming the civilian population, establish a specific timetable for ending its occupation of the regions to ensure a safe return for the residents to their homes, and stop weaponizing water, in the occupied territories, against the residents in northeast Syria.
- The European Union (EU): to support projects that alleviate suffering of the IDPs residing in the camps and shelters, pressure Turkey to stop supporting factions and groups that commit crimes and violations against the residents, work to hold accountable perpetrators of war crimes and violations in these areas through a process that guarantees accountability and redress for the victims, as no sustainable peaceful settlement can be achieved without justice for the victims.
The signatory organizations to the statement, listed in alphabetical order are:
- Accountability Advocates Organization
- Act for Afrin
- Adil Center for human Rights
- Afrin Platform
- Afrin Social Association
- Al Ahd
- Al Diyar Society
- Al Ghaith Development
- Al Nawras Development Organization
- Al Zajel
- Amal Al Furat Org
- Ambassadors Association for People with Disabilities
- Analysis and Strategic Studies Organization (ASO)
- Anwar Algahd
- ARAS Association
- Areej Organisation
- Artis Team for Arts, Culture and Children
- Ashna Development Organization
- ashti center
- Aso News network
- Bader Organization for Community Development
- Baladna
- BALLOON
- Bridges of Peace
- Bukra Ahla Association for Relief and Development
- Center for Research and Protection of Women’s Rights
- Centerofliertiesbefense
- Chaushka Women’s Association
- Cloud Org
- Community Solidarity Organization
- DAN for Relief and Development
- Dar Association for the Victims of Forced Displacement
- Das Leben
- DemoS
- Development Seeds Centre
- Dijla Organization for Development and Environment
- DOZ Organization
- Dya Al Aml
- Edraak Organization for Development and Peace
- Ella organization for development and peace building
- Emaar Al Mansura
- Engineering for Services
- Enlil Center
- Environmental Protection Association
- Ezdina Organization
- Fajr
- Foor Them
- Future Makers Team
- Hevy for relief and development
- HLD
- Hope Makers
- House of Citizenship Organization
- Human rights organization Afrin – Syria
- Human Rights Organization in Syria
- Humanitarian and Development Cooperation – HDC
- Insight Organization
- Jian Humanitarian Organization
- Jiyan foundation for human rights
- Kobani for Relief and Development
- Kurdish Cultural Association in Geneva
- Lamasat Al Khair Association for Relief and Development
- Lêlun Association for Victims
- Lights For Development And Construction
- Lots Association
- Malva Organization for Arts, Culture and Education
- Mary for culture
- Mawj for Development
- Missing Persons’ Families Platform in North and East Syria (MPFP-NES)
- Nabd Team
- Nasmet Amal
- NES -LNGO- Platform
- Nour Al-Huda Charity Association
- Nowat organization
- Nûdem
- Nudem Organization
- Nujeen Association of Community Development
- Okaz
- Organization “Swaedna for Relief and Development
- Orgnaization of Zagon
- Orient Association
- Oxygen shabab
- Peac Tent
- Peace land organization
- Peace Pioneers
- PEACE SHE LEADER NETWORK
- PÊL- Civil Waves
- Purity
- Raja Organization for Relief and Development
- Ras Al-Ayn Platform
- RÊ for rehabilitation and development
- Reng for Development
- Restoring Hope
- Rights Defense Initiative- RDI
- Rojava Relief and Development Organization
- Rose
- Sahem Organization for Cooperation and Development
- Salam Organization
- Sanad Humanitarian Organization
- Sara Organization to Combat Violence Against Women
- Sawaeed Organization for Development
- SCSD
- Shamal Charitable Society
- SHARE FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
- Silav Organization for Civil Activities
- Small Dreams Group
- SMART Center
- Stability Support Center.
- Synergy Association for Victims
- Syriac Cross Organization for Relief and Development
- Syrians for Truth and Justice – STJ
- Syrin Help Organization
- Taa Marbouta
- Tara Organization
- The Committee for the Displaced of Serêkaniyê /Ras al-Ain.
- Tree of Life Development Organization
- Warshin AssociatiOn Of Environment
- Weqaya Association
- Wheat & Olive Platform
- White Hope Organization
- White Human Organization
- Women for Peace
- Women Initiatives
- Youth for Change
- Zameen for Development and Peace Building
- Zhrat Al Furat Org
- Zorana for Development