ŞANLIURFA - Kongra Star Coordination member Elif Mihemed stated that there is a problem of medicine, food and winter fuel in Shehba Canton, where 30 thousand people live, due to Turkey's attacks and the embargo of the Damascus government.

 

Thousands of people had to migrate to Shehba, Shera and Sherava due to Turkey's attacks against the northern and eastern Syrian city of Afrin on January 20, 2018, together with paramilitary forces. Migration continued after Afrin came under the control of paramilitary forces. Those who migrated to Shehba, Shera and Sherava were frequently targeted by Turkey's air strikes here as well. The Damascus government, on the other hand, has imposed an embargo on the region for years, not allowing the passage of basic life items such as medicine, food and fuel. Kongra Star Coordination member Elif Mihemed spoke about the problems people are experiencing due to the Turkish attacks and the Damascus embargo.

 

Elif Mihemed

 

RESISTANCE AGAINST THE ATTACKS

 

Stating that the people in Shehba are facing "massacre", Mihemed said: "Despite all the difficulties, they did not leave their place and they struggled to return to Afrin. , Turkey wants the people to be weak, demoralized and hopeless with these attacks. The people of Afrin resisted for days against 72 warplanes. The people are facing all difficulties to return to Afrin by passing through the camps in Shehba, Shereva and Shera. The youth and women lead the struggle for survival in the camps. The ongoing life is wanted to be disbanded by Turkey, which wants to keep the 'Ottoman dreams' alive. People say that they cannot live here without a country and without their freedom. The peoples here, with their women, young and old, have paid hundreds of prices. They continue to pay this price. Women are making their voices heard in the streets with the slogan 'jin, jiyan, azadi' against the annihilation in Shehba. The voice of the people of Shehba will reach the world, we will end the dirty policies of the AKP-MHP and remove them from our occupied lands. We will break the embargo and attacks with the ideas and thoughts of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan."

 

WINTER SEASON INCREASED CHALLENGES

 

Stating that they have been facing an embargo for about 5 years in Shehba, where they settled after emigrating from Afrin, Mihemed said: "This embargo has intensified for 2 months. 30 thousand people in the camps are living under difficult conditions under this embargo. The embargo affected more people with the onset of cold weather. There was a shortage of food and medicine in particular. They formed communes and assemblies in 5 camps in order to minimize the problems. The lack of support from organizations advocating human, child and women's rights in order to overcome the problems they experienced.

 

GAS AND FUEL EMBARGO

 

Stating that the will of the people was tried to be broken with the embargo against the camps, Mihemed said: "The gas, diesel and medicine embargo forced the elderly and the ill. Due to this interruption and embargo, children cannot receive education in the schools established in the camps for a month. We are faced with a brutal embargo inside. There are great difficulties in terms of gas, diesel and medicine. We will not give up our resistance despite the cold and winter. We called those who defend the rights of women, ecology, children and human rights should oppose these massacres and deaths."

 

MA / Müjdat Can