Calls for a safe return for IDPs in the Turkish occupied areas in north-eastern Syria

Remailan- North-Press Agency
Abdelhalim Suleiman

"The involvement of the international attitude regarding the situation in north and eastern Syria, does not hinder the continuation of their diplomatic and legal attempts to take their voices into international forums," said Fawza Youssef, a member of the executive body of the Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM). As Ms. Youssef added in her talk to North-Press that the “intersection of states' interests negatively affect our "cause", and that their mission to reach international forums which face many difficulties.” This came on the sidelines of a meeting on the genocide and demographic change in north-eastern Syria, which was organized by Rojava Center for Strategic Studies in the city of Remailan, northern Hasakah, yesterday morning.

For her part, Leila Soar, an official in Rojava Center for Strategic Studies, explained that all of the components of the region have realized that the Turkish operation does not stop at a specific stag in city, she also said that genocide and ethnic cleansing are not a problem for Turkey, citing historical incidents such as the Armenian Genocide genocide and subsequent historical periods.
In this context, Mona Youssef, a displaced woman from Sere-Kaniye (Ras Al-Ain), who was forcibly displaced into the city of Hasakah and lived very difficult moments with her children as they were leaving their hometown, Sere-Kaniye , Mona Youssef, expressed her hope of return to her hometown, that was occupied by the Turkish military and its affiliated armed opposition groups.

The forum lasted throughout the day and included three sessions on the genocide throughout history, assessing war-crimes and violations committed by Turkey and its backed armed groups, and identifying ways and mechanisms in support of preventing genocide and demographic change. The forum also concluded with urging the international community to stop the abuses and violations committed by Turkey and its affiliated armed groups, as a result of the ongoing military invasion in north-eastern Syria.

The statement called on the international judicial bodies and organizations defending human rights to carry out their responsibilities and obligations regarding: "Providing justice for the victims and hold perpetrators accountable." And called on The international community to put pressure on Turkey to stop the ethnic cleansing and demographic change, and to put an end to its negative interference in the affairs of the region. The forum statement added that (the United States and Russia) must compel the Turkish regime to stop its occupation of northern Syria, and allow the return of the indigenous people to their areas and properties, in safe and secure conditions."

Moreover, the statement stressed on the inclusion of the Turkish-backed armed opposition groups on the list of terrorist organizations, as their war-crimes and violations constitute a source of material, moral and military support for terrorist organizations, especially (al-Nusra Front) and (ISIS) terrorist organizations.

The Forum's statement also mentioned the need to engage the political will in north-eastern Syria in all the works and conferences concerned with resolving the Syrian crisis, including the Constitutional Committee. According to the statement of "The forum on genocide and demographic change in north-eastern Syria," it is imperative to establish an international criminal court specialized in violations and war-crimes committed in Syria in general, and in north-eastern Syria in particular, to put Turkey and its affiliated armed groups on trial.