BERÇEM CÛDÎ

 

Kobanê- The Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions occupied Afrin on March 18,2018. Since then, the people of Afrin have been subjected to many inhuman practices by the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions. Since the occupation of Afrin, 680 people have been killed, 8.792 people have been kidnapped, 100 women have become the victims of femicide, more than 80 women and children have been raped and 750 people, including 340 children and 216 women, have been injured in Afrin, according to the Afrin Human Rights Association.

 Between May 6 and May 11, the members of the Turkish-backed factions raped two children and kidnapped a woman in Afrin. NuJINHA spoke to Cîhan Derwîş, head of the Women’s Council in the Euphrates Region, about rights violations committed in Afrin.

“The Turkish state occupied Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî on October 9, 2019 after it occupied Afrin on March 18, 2018. The Turkish state aims to occupy more regions in North and East Syria,” she said.

‘The attacks show that a genocide has been committed in Afrin’

Cîhan Derwîş added, “Occupation means the infringement of property rights. It also means the violation of values, beliefs, culture, language and existence of society. The Afrin region is under the occupation of the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions. This occupation forced thousands to leave their homeland. And the people living in Afrin are subjected to the most brutal and unlawful practices. In the last five years, the nature, history, culture and language of Afrin have been attacked. These attacks show that a genocide has been committed in Afrin.”

‘Turkish-backed factions keep carrying out inhuman practices in Afrin’

Recalling that the AKP-MHP government withdrew from the Istanbul Convention that protects women and children from violence, Cîhan Derwîş said, “They showed how they hate women. Now, the Turkish-backed factions keep carrying out inhuman practices against women and children in Afrin. The Turkish state reveals its misogynous policies in Afrin now.”

‘Children are banned from speaking their mother language’

“The displaced women of Afrin keep resisting so that they will definitely return to Afrin one day,” Cîhan Derwîş said, “A genocidal policy is being carried out in Afrin especially against the Kurdish language.  Children are taught different languages. It is obvious that children who are forced to learn a language other than their mother language will certainly experience psychological problems. Banning children from speaking their mother language is the most brutal crime committed against all children.