Dear Friends,
Around 300 members of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF) gathered to help the citizens of Kobanê to re-build the city. They were going to plant trees, build a library and a park. This trip was one of many trips arranged by the organisation. Our comrades, belonging to the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations gather Turkish and Kurdish young people, and have their roots in both Kurdistan and Turkey. Their mother party is the Socialist Party of the Oppressed- ESP. It is a member of the Democratic People Congress- HDK in Turkey and in Kurdistan a member of The Democratic Society Congress- DTK. Both parties are the same, but cover different regions. Also the well-known People‘s Democratic Party- HDP is a member of HDK and DTK.
On the 20th of July, the activists were a target of a terrorist attack in the Kurdish city of Pirsûsê (Suruc). This attack was an attack against brother- and sisterhood between Turkish and Kurdish youth. The aim was to target values of equality and solidarity.
The deed, that cost 32 young activists’ lives and more than 100 injured, is by the Turkish AKP government claimed to be a suicide bomber attack. The news reported that the deed was conducted by the fascist and rapist organisation DAIS (ISIS).
However, the deed has in fact socialist youngsters and the revolution in Rojava (Western Kurdistan- Syrian parts of Kurdistan) as its target. The Turkish government wants to frighten the youth and declare that Rojava is a ”red line”. The Turkish government is even preventing help and support to reach Rojava. The Turkish President Erdogan has previously stated that ”PYD- Democratic Union Party is more dangerous than ISIS”. There is no difference between the threat against Kobanê and the deed in Pirsûsê. Similar attacks have previously been conducted against HDP‘s offices in Adana, Mersin, during an election campaign in Amed (Diyarbakir), Kobanê and many other places. The Turkish government has not taken any precautions to make sure to prevent possible future attacks, instead they have been satisfied with only condemning the attacks.
AKPs friendly approach towards DAIS is known to the public. The DAIS gangs move freely between Turkey and Rojava due to the lack of control in the Turkish controlled borders. DAIS’s injured members even get health-care and treatment in Turkish hospitals. The latest revelations show that the Turkish Security Service has sent trucks full of arms and ammunition to DAIS.
USA and EU warned Turkey about their policy and told them to be clearer on their stand against DAIS. Turkey was also told to take precautions in the Turkish-Syrian boarders, but unfortunately the warning didn‘t have any effect.
The young activists who were murdered declared early that they were going to be in Kobanê, between 19th -24th July, with the aim to help-out with re-building the city. But their application to cross over to Kobanê was rejected by the Pirsûsê local government. The 20th July the activists wanted to make their work and situation official. At this meeting they became a target for hate and terrorism. The deed makes one reflect and ask the question “Why?”.
There are clear indicators on that DAIS can conduct terrorist attacks without the Turkish AKP government taking any safety measures or intervening. Therefore, the Turkish AKP government is as responsible for the massacre.
Despite the actions of the Turkish government, there is still hope and positive development among the people that brings hope to Turkish, Kurdish and between eastern people. The AKP government is unfortunately continuing their mass arrests of political prisoners, attack against democratic civil organisations and continuing the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan. AKP government for example turned a blind eye to the bomb attacks that took place in Diyarbakir the 7th of June during the election campaign of HDP.
We want to declare that the attack against the Kurdish people and attack against the people in the region is an attack against humanity. We condemn all attacks against all peace seeking forces and we appeal to all democratic and peaceful forces to stand up and dare to speak out.
In Solidarity,
DEMGENÇ- DTK Youth