Arzo Temo: We should speak out against the rapes by armed groups
A child was raped by a leader of an armed group in occupied Afrin. “War crimes have been committed in Afrin for five years,” said Arzo Temo, spokesperson of the Sara Organization to Combat Violence against Women.
ROJ HOZAN
Qamishlo- The Turkish state and Turkish-backed armed factions have committed many crimes against humanity in Afrin since they occupied the city. According to the reports, Ahmed Mamdouh, the leader of an armed group known as Al-Amshat, raped a 10-year-old child in Afrin’s Shiye town. The rape of the child has sparked anger in society.
NuJINHA spoke to Arzo Temo, spokesperson of the Sara Organization to Combat Violence against Women, about the rape of the child.
‘The perpetrators go unpunished due to the system built by the factions’
Arzo Temo told us that women and children have been subjected to rape, torture and arrest in occupied Afrin since the city was occupied by the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions. “Today, hundreds of women and children are subjected to rape and violence in detention centers. As women, we do not accept such inhuman practices and strongly condemn them. Although the international community is aware of war crimes committed in Afrin, they remain silent. The armed factions have built a system here and closed down all NGOs protecting the rights of women and children. The perpetrators go unpunished due to this system. There is no law protecting women and children from violence.”
Reaction to the international community and organizations
Criticizing the attitude of the international community and organizations against the crimes committed against women and children in Afrin, Arzo Temo said, “The international community and organizations remain silent against the rape of a 10-year-old child. The rape of this 10-year-old child shows that there are no human rights.”
‘War crimes have been committed in Afrin for five years’
“War crimes have been committed in Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî for five years. Rape is one of the the most brutal crimes committed in these regions,” Arzo Temo said, “These war crimes must end. All the crimes that the international community says they oppose have been committed in occupied regions. As the Sara organization, we will never remain silent against such crimes and we should speak out against the rapes by armed groups. I call on all organizations protecting the rights of women and children to unite against these crimes.”