KCK calls for international investigations in the guerrilla areas of South Kurdistan

The KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Health Committee released a statement directly addressing the OPCW, UN, CPT and especially Doctors Without Borders: “Why are you silent regarding the genocidal crimes of the Turkish state in Kurdistan and the Middle East?”

“The chemical weapons used by the Turkish state are lethal weapons that cause suffocation, burns, impairment of the nervous system, and cauterization and destruction of tissue,” said the KCK Health Committee, calling for the OPCW and Doctors Without Borders in particular to investigate the use of chemical weapons by the Turkish forces in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

The statement published by KCK Health Committee on Friday includes the following:

“A genocide is being committed against the Kurdish people before the eyes of the world public. Yet the entire world is simply watching in silence. The use of a variety of banned weapons is just one example of the numerous genocidal crimes being committed. Already in the past, chemical weapons were used again and again against the Kurds. The after-effects of these attacks in the South Kurdish region of Helebce (Halabja) continue to this day.The use of chemical weapons by the Turkish state in recent years is not only being ignored, but attempts are even being made to justify it.

The genocidal Turkish state has been using chemical weapons against the Kurdish people and their freedom guerrillas for many years. Until now, this has always been done in secret and deliberately concealed. For six months now, a heavy war has been taking place in the mountains of South Kurdistan, in the course of which the Turkish occupation forces have suffered heavy blows at the hands of the guerrillas. Despite their enormous technical resources, the Turkish occupation forces are no match for our guerrilla forces. They are therefore relying intensively on the use of chemical weapons. It has been extensively documented that the Turkish state has used chemical weapons in Rojava in the past. The use of these banned weapons has now also been documented dozens of times in the South Kurdish regions of Heftanîn, Metîna, Zap and Avaşîn. Today, the Turkish state no longer succeeds in keeping the use of chemical weapons secret. Even its biggest supporters, NATO and the KDP, can no longer conceal it. Therefore, it no longer considers it necessary to hide the use of chemical weapons and uses them openly.

The production, concealment, transport, and use of chemical weapons may be easy. But it is extremely difficult to document their use and to clearly determine the extent of the effects and aftermath of these weapons. This requires appropriate technical means and experts. At the same time, it is clear what great damage the use of chemical weapons entails. There is sufficient evidence available today to allow all interested parties to carry out the necessary investigations.

The chemical weapons used by the Turkish state are lethal weapons that cause suffocation, burns, impairment of the nervous system, and cauterization and destruction of tissue. In the areas where these weapons are used, all living beings and nature are completely destroyed. In addition, the remnants of these weapons settle in soil, water and plants, massively endangering the health and survival of the local population for years to come.

It is well known that chemical weapons are being used not only against the guerrillas, but also against the local civilian population. As a result of the use of these weapons, the civilian population is already suffering from severe health problems that have now reached extremely worrying levels. Many people in the region have been directly affected by the use of chemical weapons and have therefore tried to visit civilian hospitals in the region. However, they are being prevented from doing so by the KDP and the Turkish state and are instead being treated in secretly established military hospitals. Although all these facts are known, the crimes against humanity committed by the Turkish occupation forces through the use of chemical weapons are still not recognized. This denial and the accompanying silence or open support provide legitimacy to these crimes.

The chemical weapons used by the Turkish occupation forces harm not only the guerrillas but the whole world. Currently, numerous states and organizations have gathered for the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, where they are warning of a ‘red alert and the last chance for humanity’. Their goal is to save humanity from these dangers. But they must be aware of the following: If they are not prepared to recognize the enormous damage to mankind and nature that the Turkish state is causing today through the use of chemical weapons, their extremely important efforts will regrettably have no benefit to mankind.

As the KCK Health Committee, we are reaching out directly to all institutions, organizations, human rights defenders, and environmental and animal rights activists who are committed to securing the future of humanity: Why are you silent?

We would like to take this opportunity to directly address the OPCW, UN, CPT and especially Doctors Without Borders: Why are you silent regarding the genocidal crimes of the Turkish state in Kurdistan and the Middle East? To remain silent on the use of chemical weapons means to become accomplices and supporters of this crime. In particular, we would like to make the following appeal to the OPCW and Doctors Without Borders: We call on you to live up to your tasks, investigate the use of chemical weapons by the Turkish occupation forces in the guerrilla areas of South Kurdistan as soon as possible and without further passing of valuable time and to thus stop this crime.  We would like to emphasize here that we are ready to provide all necessary support and assistance for these efforts.”