NEWS CENTER - In the statements where massacres against Alawites in Syria were protested, it was said “This is genocide” and a call was made to raise reactions.
In Syria, where Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took over after the fall of the Assad regime, reactions to the attacks and massacres against Alawites continued.
RIHA
Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Pirsûs District Organization protested the massacres with a statement in front of the party building. Riha (Urfa) Provincial Co-chair Bekir Karakeçili condemned the massacre and said that all peoples living in Syria have the right to live free.
Speaking afterwards, DEM Party Riha MP Ferit Şenyaşar said, “Mr. Öcalan always says peace. Kobani is right next to us. We condemn the massacre of Alawites in Syria. The government should speak out against this massacre. As the people of Pirsûs, we stand by the Alawite people.”
Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) activist Ayla Akat Ata reminded the attacks of ISIS on Kobani in 2014 and the resistance against it and said, "Yesterday it was called Al Nusra, ISIS, today it is HTS. Everyone must speak out before the massacre grows. All human rights organizations should stand with the Syrian people today. The women's movement in Turkey must stand with the women of Syria. As TJA, we stand with women. Coexistence in the Middle East is possible. The more we believe, the more effort we put in, the more possible a democratic solution will be. Women in Syria will not be alone.”
HATAY
Iskenderun Labor and Democracy Forces made a statement at the Healthy Life Park. Human Rights Association (IHD) Iskenderun Branch Co-Chair Coşkun Selçuk said that after HTS took over the administration in Syria, it started “genocidal attacks” in a way that would not be comparable to ISIS atrocities. Selçuk said, “It is seen that violence, threats, kidnappings and executions against Alawites have reached an extreme level and Alawites are under serious danger just because of their religious identity. Just in the last few days, there has been a massacre of Alawites in Latakia and Tartus. Civilians are being massacred in front of the eyes of the whole world. Threats and pressures against Kurds, Druze and Christians are also continuing.”
Pointing out that the only way out of this situation is an equal, free and democratic system, Selçuk added, "The massacre of Alawites and the murderers in Syria, that we will not accept the crimes against humanity in the Middle East and that we are in favor of an equal and free government in Syria where democracy prevails."
ISTANBUL
Social Initiative for Peace made a written statement on the massacres. The statement reads: "The operations carried out under the pretext of clearing the remnants of the regime are of the nature of ethnic sectarian cleansing and contain all elements of the crime of genocide. The time factor is important. At this stage, civil war is still preventable. However, after a while, when the problem turns into an Alawite-Sunni conflict open to the intervention of foreign powers, it will be much more difficult to prevent the disintegration of Syria. In addition, it is imperative and vital for Turkey to take initiatives to mobilise the UN, for example, to make efforts to call the UN General Assembly for a meeting. In addition, there is the possibility of going to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and requesting an injunction against Syria within the framework of the Genocide Convention. The Syrian government must realise that the integrity of Syria depends on the establishment of a pluralistic democratic regime in which different faith and ethnic groups can live together while preserving their identities. We call on the forces of democracy to raise their voices for the prevention of genocide and for peace in the region."