HESNA MIHEMED

 Shahba- The Maraş earthquake causes devastation in many cities of Kurdistan, Turkey and Syria. 3,000 families have been displaced from Aleppo to Shahba by the earthquake. Although the Shahba canton hosts many displaced people of Afrin and earthquake survivors, the Syrian government keeps imposing its embargo on the region by not allowing the transfer of relief supplies to the region. In an interview with NuJINHA, Fikret Ebdelo, Co-chair of the Fafîn District Assembly in Shahba canton, spoke about the effects of the embargo on the people of Shahba.

 ‘Humanitarian aid is blocked’

Fikret Ebdelo started her speech by offering her condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the earthquake. “Thousands of houses have been destroyed and thousands of people become homeless. Since the beginning of the Revolution in Rojava, all Kurdish people have been going through a difficult time. The earthquake causes other pain for the Kurdish people. Thousands of people have been badly affected by the earthquake. In Afrin, many people have been in rubble for more than a week and no humanitarian aid is allowed to be sent to the city. The Turkish state did not allow people to send humanitarian aid to the earthquake victims. It rejected the humanitarian aid sent by the Autonomous Administration and did not allow the people to receive this humanitarian aid on time,” Fikret Ebdelo said.

‘The Syrian government has the same policy with the Turkish government’

 Noting that the Syrian government has the same policy with the Turkish government, Fikret Ebdelo said, “The Syrian government blocks the humanitarian aid to be transferred to the Shahba region. The Shahba canton hosts thousands of displaced people of Afrin. The Syrian government has been blocking the humanitarian aid sent to Shahba. Shahba is also badly affected by the earthquake; many people have lost their lives and many houses have collapsed. Sovereign states always develop their policies according to their own interests. Since the first day of the earthquake, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has been sending humanitarian aid and relief supplies to the Shahba canton affected by the earthquake; however, the Syrian government has been blocking the transfer of this aid.”

‘People live on the streets’

Noting that Aleppo has been also badly affected by the earthquake, Fikret Ebdelo said, “Many people from Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods have been displaced to the Shahba canton by the earthquake. In Aleppo, six people have lost their lives and 43 people have been injured in the earthquake. In addition, many buildings have collapsed and been largely destroyed due to the earthquake. The people of Aleppo have been displaced to Shehba canton and settled in IDPs camps. These people need aid. However, the Syrian government blocks the transfer of aid to the canton. In Shahba, the people, whose buildings have collapsed, have lived on the streets for more than a week.’

‘People need urgent humanitarian aid’

‘Despite the deadly earthquake, the Syrian government keeps imposing its embargo on Shahba, preventing humanitarian aid from transferring to the region,” Fikret Ebdelo said, “The Syrian government keeps oppressing people despite this human tragedy. The government keeps imposing its siege on Shahba instead of helping the people. 3,000 families have been displaced from Aleppo to Shahba by the earthquake. We call on all states and especially on the Syrian government to help people in this region. People need urgent humanitarian aid.”