EutccAdmin – EUTCC

Dear Sir or Madam,
Please find below our monthly newsletter.
Kind regards Prof. Kariane Westrheim Chairperson

Letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres We hope that you as United Nations Secretary-General will step up your efforts to support the interests of the people in the Makhmour refugee camp and, along with it, find a political solution to the Kurdish question which is crucial for peace in the entire Middle East.

EP Conference

Urgent EUTCC Debate “US – Turkey Relations: The Makhmour Refugee Camp as a Litmus Test in the Context of Human Rights and International Law versus Interest Politics”, 13 June 2021

The speakers:
Nadine Maenza, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, USA
David Phillips, Director of Peace-Building and Human Rights Programme, Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University, USA

Bewar Ünver, Foreign relations committee of Makhmour refugee camp
Kariane Westrheim, EUTCC Chairperson, University of Bergen, Norway
Moderator:
Meghan Bodette, independent researcher focusing on Kurdish issues, USAhttps://youtu.be/bT61Noi5yNo

EUTCC Commentary #5 & #6Written by our Secretary-General Prof. Michael Gunter, Tennesse Technological University on Turkey’s dealing with the Syrian Kurds
#5: This wide-ranging survey of the Kurds in Syria will evaluate the mid-term fall-out of the suddenly announced US withdrawal on October 7, 2019.
http://eutcc.net/?p=764

#6: This Commentary survey’s Turkey’s interaction with Syria’s surprisingly influential Kurds and explores the Turkish-US confrontation over the US support of the Syrian Kurds against ISIS.
http://eutcc.net/?p=767

Statement by HDP Foreign Affairs Commission Co-spokespersons Feleknas Uca & Hişyar Özsoy on Constitutional Court’s decision to accept the indictment seeking the party’s closure
“We once again invite the international democratic community to express solidarity and to act against these unabashed efforts to destroy the HDP and deny the will of millions.”

https://www.hdp.org.tr/en/constitutional-court-accepts-indictment-seeking-hdps-closure/15547/

European Council conclusions on external relations regarding Turkey, 24 June 2021“Rule of law and fundamental rights in Turkey remain a key concern. The targeting of political parties, human rights defenders and media represents major setbacks for human rights and runs counter to Turkey’s obligations to respect democracy, the rule of law and women’s rights. Dialogue on such issues remains an integral part of the EU-Turkey relationship.

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/06/25/european-council-conclusions-on-external-relations-24-june-2021/

EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission Bereich mit Anhängen

Vorschau für YouTube-Video “Urgent EUTCC Debate” ansehen

Letter to United Nations-Secretary General

Dear Mr. Guterres,

On the occasion of the meeting between U.S. President Biden and his Turkish counterpart Erdoğan on the sidelines of the NATO summit and the attack on the Makhmour refugee camp, the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) held an emergency debate on 13 June 2021 entitled “US – Turkey Relations: The Makhmour Refugee Camp as a Litmus Test in the Context of Human Rights and International Law versus Interest Politics”.

Relations between the two politicians seemed strained recently. Already during the election campaign, Biden announced a tougher course against Turkey and called Erdoğan an autocrat. Added to this is the recognition of the Armenian genocide by the U.S. president.

In the context of these tensions, reference was made to Turkey’s invasion of the territory of the Kurdistan Regional Government – Iraq which is contrary to international law. Turkey maintains dozens of military bases there. The Makhmour refugee camp was recently also targeted by Turkish attacks. Nearly 12,000 people who were expelled from the Kurdish areas of Turkey in the 1990s live here. On 5 May 2021, a Turkish drone struck in front of a playground, killing three people. Already a year ago, 3 women were killed in a Turkish attack on the camp.

The following speakers attended the debate, which was moderated by Meghan Bodette, independent researcher focusing on Kurdish issues, USA: Nadine Maenza, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, USA – David Phillips, Director of Peace-Building and Human Rights Programme, Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University, USA – Bewar Ünver, Foreign Relations Committee of Makhmour refugee Camp – Kariane Westrheim, EUTCC Chairperson, University of Bergen, Norway.

Bewar Ünver pointed out the multifaceted effects of the attacks on the camp and criticises the silence of the responsible states and institutions: “We have been attacked on a daily basis, for 4 years, by Turkish drones, targeting civilians in the camp. Psychologically, it has a very bad effect on children, women and society, as it is not known, when and where it will bomb civilians. This is a war crime by Turkey, but all sides are silent and are cooperating against us.”

Kariane Westrheim, who visited the camp for regarding her research three times, referred to the progressive structures in the camp and its political significance: “It is the very mindset Erdogan fear, the democratic self-governing principles that makes the Kurds independent and autonomous, that makes women consciously acting economic and political individuals on an equal footing with, and independent of men.”

Nadine Maenza referred to the links between Turkey and ISIS and Turkey’s attitudes towards Kurds and religious minorities especially in Northeast Syria. She also points out the contradictions of US policy: “The State Department seems keeping nation states allies heavy. So what Turkey is doing right now in Iraq and Syria against ethnic and religious minorities and local autonomist governments just does not raise to the level of lesser offenses against nation states”.

David Phillips underlined the importance of coordinated international actions, addressing the US and the European institutions, against Turkey “to make them know to pay a significant prize if they ignores the international order”.

Based on this, the EU Turkey Civic Commission calls upon the United Nations

to fulfil their obligations to the Makhmour camp
to implement their own regulations based on the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 protocol for the protection of the camp
to impose sanctions against Turkey for violating international law and committing war crimes
to put pressure on the Kurdistan Regional Government to lift the embargo on the refugee camp

In times of the pandemic this is even more important. In this context, you have repeatedly referred to the precarious situation of refugees and the need for peaceful conflict resolution. We fully endorse these demands.

We hope that you as United Nations Secretary-General will step up your efforts to support the interests of the people in the Makhmour refugee camp and, along with it, find a political solution to the Kurdish question which is crucial for peace in the entire Middle East.

Yours respectfully,

Prof. Kariane Westrheim
EUTCC Chairperson

Dersim Dagdeviren
EUTCC Board

EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission

Turkey’s dealing with the Syrian Kurds (Part II)

Michael Gunter

Executive Summary:

This Commentary survey’s Turkey’s interaction with Syria’s surprisingly influential Kurds and explores the Turkish-US confrontation over the US support of the Syrian Kurds against ISIS. It concludes that the Biden administration will likely continue to implement the limited, but effective role his predecessors Trump and Obama had carried out, but that the ultimate fate of Syria and its embattled Kurds remains unclear.

Commentary-6_Gunter_Turkeys-dealing-with-the-Syrian-Kurds_part_II Download

Turkey’s dealing with the Syrian Kurds (Part I)

Michael Gunter

Executive Summary:

This wide-ranging survey of the Kurds in Syria will evaluate the mid-term fall-out of the suddenly announced US withdrawal on October 7, 2019. It concludes that 1. The US dishonorably deserted its Syrian Kurdish ally, 2. Alienated future allies who would no longer trust it, 3. Allowed some of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) prisoners incarcerated by YPG guards to escape and potentially revive the genocidal jihadist organization, 4. Rewarded Turkish aggression, 5. Handed the murderous, but badly taxed Assad regime new life, 6. Facilitated Iran’s drive to the Mediterranean and potential threat to Israel, and, maybe most of all, 7. Empowered Russia as the ultimate arbitrator of the Syrian imbroglio to the detriment of the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Commentary-5_Gunter_Turkeys-dealing-with-the-Syrian-Kurds_part-IDownload

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please find below our monthly newsletter.
Kind regards Dersim Dağdeviren EUTCC board member

Statement on Turkish army’s military offensive against the territory of KRG40 days ago, the Turkish Armed Forces launched another large-scale military offensive against the territory of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) – Iraq. As EUTCC, we strongly condemn this military offensive and occupation, which is contrary to international law.
http://eutcc.net/?p=747

European Parliament resolution of 19 May 2021 on the 2019-2020 Commission Reports on Turkey
The European Parliament strongly condemns the Turkish military interventions in Syria, which constitute grave violations of international law and risk undermining the stability and security of the region as a whole; calls on the Government of Turkey to end its illegal occupation of northern Syria and Afrin and to withdraw its military and paramilitary proxy forces; reiterates that security concerns cannot justify unilateral military action in a foreign country; recalls that there can be no sustainable military solution to the Idlib issue, but only a political one; expresses great concern about and strongly condemns the transfer of fighters and mercenaries from jihadist groups located in northern Syria to Libya and to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh; calls on the Turkish authorities to create the right conditions for displaced communities within Syria to return to their homes and allow them to do so.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0243_EN.html

EUTCC Commentaries #4By David L Phillips, Director of Peace-Building and Human Rights Programme, Columbia UniversityExecutive Summary: President Joe Biden recognized atrocities committed against Armenians as the Armenian Genocide in his statement on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day (24 April 2021). The statement represents a watershed moment in US-Turkey relations. President Tayyip Erdogan can address US and international concerns prior to the Biden-Erdogan summit on the margin of June’s NATO meeting, or he can double down and intensify repression against Turkey’s ethnic and religious minorities. Erdogan’s course will define international relations prior to the centennial of the founding of the Turkish republic in 2023.

Commentaries #4

Male Violence Monitoring Report May
Violence against women | May 2021

▶️ 18 women killed

▶️ 13 women harassed

▶️ 67 women subjected to violence

▶️ 9 women raped
https://m.bianet.org/english/women/245089-men-kill-18-women-in-may

EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission

Author: EutccAdmin

EP Conference

Commentaries #6

Commentaries #5