Will the atrocities of Afrin be repeated east of the Euphrates?
By KAMAL SIDODisplaced people from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from forces loyal to the Islamic State in Sinjar town, walk towards the Syrian border on the outskirts of Sinjar mountain near the Syrian border town of Elierbeh of Al-Hasakah Governorate in 2014(photo credit: REUTERS)
As a Middle East expert at the Society for Threatened Peoples, a German human rights organization, I met many politicians and diplomats on the first anniversary of the illegal Turkish war against the Syrian-Kurdish province of Afrin. I am not just worried about the fate of people in the Turkish-Islamic-occupied city of Afrin, in northwest Syria, the city where I was born and where family members still live, but also in the eastern part the country, behind the Euphrates River, where I have friends as well.One sentence was repeatedly heard: “Afrin cannot be repeated!” When Turkey invades, the same thing will happen to the people there as happened to the people in Afrin. Why is the population afraid of a repetition of Afrin? What have the Turkish army and Islamists supported by Turkey done?Since the Turkish military operation started, about 250,000 Kurdish people fled their homes. About 100,000 remained in Afrin. Those who fled are now living as refugees in provisional camps in the region between Aleppo and Afrin. The living conditions in the camps are inhumane. Food, water and the requirements of health requirements cannot be sufficiently provided. The people who remain in Afrin suffer from the same degrading conditions, while also being subject to arbitrary arrests and lootings by members of Turkish military and Syrian Islamists. In particular, the situation for minorities – Kurds, Yazidis and Alevi – has been severely aggravated.Since March 2018, the Turkish government and Syrian Islamists have tried to impose extensive societal changes. Kurdish civilians have systematically been threatened, displaced, robbed, and in some cases, killed. The Turkish military prevents Kurdish civilians from working. As a consequence, they lose their economic standing. Infrastructure and monuments are being destroyed. Villages, mountains, valleys and even streets and public places are renamed with Arabic or Turkish names. In conclusion, Afrin’s occupation threatens the survival of the Kurdish language, culture and national identity.The Turkish military and Syrian Islamists are alleged to have demolished at least 32 schools in Afrin, and 318 schools, institutes and universities have been closed. Turkish educational material is being used in the remaining schools. The Turkish occupation troops force the Kurdish population to use either the Turkish or the Arabic language. All official institutions and buildings have to carry the Turkish flag.It is said that the market square has been renamed “Erdogan Square.” In mosques, only radical-Islamist Imams, who are influenced by the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs, or Diyanet, are allowed to preach. Kurdish women are extraordinarily vulnerable and many have become victims of the occupation. They are forced to veil themselves.The Kurdish-Muslim population in Afrin has always been tolerant toward other religions. Women enjoyed equal rights. This culture of tolerance is now being threatened or annihilated in Afrin. The Turkish military and Syrian Islamists preach radical Islamic convictions.Yazidis, Christians and Alevi were residing in Afrin until the Turkish military forcibly displaced them. The Turkish occupation constitutes a threat to minorities, especially as Turkish allies, radical Islamists, spread hatred toward adherents of other religions.Due to the war crimes of the Turkish military and the Syrian Islamists, it is understandable that Syrian Kurds, especially in the autonomous self-administration region east of Euphrates, try to prevent an invasion once again. The Kurds do not have a chance alone again the Turkish Army. After all, Turkey has the second largest Army in NATO.What should the Kurds do? They do not want to trust Syrian President Assad or Russian President Putin. Assad does not accept the rights of the Kurds in Syria. Despite the announced US withdrawal, the US remains the hope of the Kurds, even though Trump could “sell” the Kurds to Erdogan at any time. Therefore, pressure should be increased on the Trump government. As Erdogan cooperates more and more closely with Iran, the Kurds became a more important factor in limiting Iran’s influence in Syria. The risk for Kurds in Syria remains that of being betrayed by everyone.