Organizations: Displacement of Afrin Residents Is a Gross Violation and a Serious Threat to Kurdish Identity

ARK News.. Human rights and civil society organizations in Syria have stated in a statement that the forced displacement of Afrin residents from their land to areas such as Tabqa and Raqqa, which lack the most basic conditions for a decent life, constitutes a gross violation of human rights and poses a serious threat to the cultural and historical identity of the Kurds in the region.

The Statement Reads as Follows:
Statement by Human Rights and Civil Society Organizations in Syria

To the International and Local Bodies Concerned with Human Rights, and to Public Opinion,

Human rights and civil society organizations are deeply concerned about the suffering of Afrin residents who have been forcibly displaced from their homeland to areas such as Tabqa and Raqqa, which lack basic living conditions. This forced displacement and the ensuing daily hardships represent a blatant violation of human rights and a grave threat to the cultural and historical identity of Kurds in the region.

We, the undersigned human rights and civil society organizations, reaffirm the legitimate and non-negotiable right of Afrin residents to return safely and with dignity to their original homes in Afrin itself, not to other areas. The solution lies in restoring Afrin residents to their normal lives in their environment, which forms an integral part of their identity and history.

We call upon all concerned parties, including the international community, to fulfill their legal and humanitarian responsibilities by:

Ensuring the safe and dignified return of all displaced Afrin residents to their original cities and villages.
Protecting civilian rights and preventing any actions that lead to forced displacement or demographic changes.
Providing the necessary support for displaced individuals during their return and meeting their basic needs.
We appeal to the international community, United Nations organizations, and global civil society to take immediate action to end the tragedy of forced displacement affecting Afrin residents. We also urge displaced Afrin residents to remain steadfast in claiming their legitimate right to return to their land, where they can rebuild their lives and dignity in their ancestral city.

Together for justice. Together for a dignified and sustainable return for Afrin residents.

Qamishlo, Syria
December 7, 2024

Signatory Organizations:

Human Rights Organization in Syria - MAF
Kurdish Committee for Human Rights - RASD
Kurdish Human Rights Organization in Syria (DAD)
Defense Organization for Prisoners of Conscience in Syria - Rwanga
General Union of Kurdish Writers and Journalists in Syria
Yazidi Council of Syria
Organization of Free Kurdish Women
Legal Committee in the National Democratic Meeting in Syria
Kurdistan Civil Society Forces
Organization of Journalists Without Newspapers
Environmental Protection Organization - Kaskayi
Kurdish Civil Society Organization in Europe

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