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<h1 class="title"><big>Rojava under threat, Turkey must
end ISIS support -- statement by People's Democratic
Party (HDP)</big></h1>
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<div class="field-item odd"><big> <big><big><span
class="date-display-single">Tuesday,
October 7, 2014</span> </big></big></big></div>
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<div class="field-item odd"><big><big><big>
People's Protection Units (YPG), which
is fighting ISIS forces, in Rojava. </big></big></big></div>
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<p><big><big><big>The statement below was released
by the foreign affairs committe of the
Turkish left-wing People's Democratic Party
(HDP) on October 3. The HDP is a strong
support of Kurdish rights. HDP presidential
candidate, Kurdish activist Selahattin
Demirtas, won almost 10% o0f the vote in
Turkey's presidential elections in August.
The statement is reprinted from <a
href="http://hdpenglish.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/statement-by-hdp-on-recent-developments-in-rojava/%3Cbr%20/%3E">HDPEnglish.wordpress.com</a>
and has been edited for clarity.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>***</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>Today, the peoples of the Middle
East face the threat of a large-scale
massacre. Peoples of the region, and
particularly Syria and Iraqi peoples, are
carrying out a historical resistance against
ISIS terror. </big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>These heavy attacks of ISIS,
especially on the Kobane Canton of Rojava [a
Kurdish area in Syria] , are meeting with
big resistance and struggle by Kobane people
and the People's Protection Units (YPG)
forces. This resistance in Kobane is under
the siege from four sides, yet increasingly
continues.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>It is widely accepted by all
sensitive parties that there are some states
of the region and their Western allies have
responsibility for strengthening of ISIS and
the brutal attacks and massacres it has
carried out before the whole world. </big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>Hegemonic forces have been playing
games in the region, by all kinds of
cultural, political and economic means,
shaping the lands and peoples of the Middle
East since World War I. These forces have to
face up to the horror of the ISIS monster
that the Kurds and other democratic forces
are seeking to destroy today. </big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>This situation also offers an
opportunity to sovereign states with
historical interests in the region to
reconsider their Middle East policies.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big><strong>Turkey</strong></big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>Turkey is one of the countries who
have primary responsibility for the
existence, growth and spread of ISIS. The
AKP government’s offensive, based on a
sectarian and discriminatory foreign policy,
is criticised by almost the entire world
today. This policy’s role in the total war
against ISIS in Kobane is quite noteworthy.
</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>This foreign policy has mainly
shaped by the initiatives toward Assad
regime’s collapse and preventing an
autonomous Kurdish area in the region. The
mobility of ISIS members at the borders of
Turkey, and global jihadist reinforcements
coming from Turkey's borders, lead the
expansion of the threa for the peoples of
Middle East.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>The peace process in Turkey, which
there are attempts to advance, has a direct
relationship with developments in Rojava and
Kobane. In this regard, Turkey government’s
warlike and aggressive attitude towards
Rojava and Kobane negativel affects the
process, which is already fragile. </big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>In this context, Turkey’s policy
must change immediately for both the peace
and tranquility in the Middle East and the
advance of peace process in Turkey. The
democratic world community should put
pressure on the government in this
direction.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>The Kurdish people and YPG forces,
which are fighting against such a wild
organisation like ISIS not only for Kurds
but also for all humanity, should not be
left alone by international community. </big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>International forces should not
refrain from military aid to these
resisters. The democratic autonomous system
in Rojava, which is a guarantee for the
whole democratic future of the Middle East,
should be supported. Today, Kurds are on the
scene of the history with all their power
and any policy which excludes Kurds has
already expired.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big><strong>Urgent situation</strong>
</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>Kobane Canton, which is governed
by Kurdish, Assyrian, Armenian and Arab
peoples in the form of a legitimate
assembly, has been under siege and military
attack since September 15 by heavy weaponry
and by thousands of ISIS fighters in a bid
to diminish the peoples’ common will.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>The attempts to capture the Kobane
Canton by ISIS have been tried many times.
Due to Kobane Canton’s strategic importance
and its logistic possibilities from Turkey’s
border to Syria and Iraq, ISIS has
concentrated on seizing Kobane. Because of
previous ISIS attacks in the region, tens of
thousands civilians had to migrate to Kobane
Canton as a safe region for all civilians.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>The international community must
urgently take necessary steps against this
ongoing ISIS military siege on Kobane in
order to prevent new massacres, as happened
in Shengal [in Iraqi Kurdistan]. Therefore,
a military aid program for Kobane should be
organised as soon as possible.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>In this context, Turkey must stop
directly or indirectly supporting ISIS.
According to the last evidence, weapons and
military equipment have been transported for
ISIS by Turkish state’s railways. It is
clear that ISIS commits serious crimes
against humanity and paradoxically the
Turkish government is part of this crime. </big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>Turkey’s shortsighted policy in
regards to ISIS causes instability and a
chaotic situation in the Middle East. On the
other hand, Turkish government’s buffer zone
plan may expand the violence to Turkey. </big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>Therefore, it is necessary for
international political actors to constrain
Turkey from sabotaging the Kurdish people’s
struggle by supporting ISIS.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
<p><big><big><big>We urgently call upon
international public opinion to provide open
political/diplomatic, military, economic and
humanitarian support for Kurdish Cantons in
Syria, which can be a model for a democratic
Syria.</big></big></big></p>
<big><big><big>
</big></big></big>
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<div class="glwnews-issue-box">
<h3>From GLW issue 1028</h3>
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