Information has been received regarding the events that took place today in the city of al-Raqqa whilst Kurdish people were celebrating Newroz, confirming that live ammunition was fired at unarmed Kurds on 21 March 2010. Two people were killed and several wounded, some seriously according to a surgeon. There is no doubt that the security forces, presumably using the excuse of protecting people and providing security and reassurance, provoked people and then spread chaos and turmoil.
There is no logic to the shooting of unarmed celebrants. Celebrations take place in the open away from the city centres. There is a continuing and deliberate disregard for Kurdish life, as we can see by the killing of many Kurds on 12 March 2004 in Qamishli, and again on the evening of Newroz in 2008 in Qamishli when three young men were killed as they joined others in lighting candles and dancing to music, to celebrate the arrival of Kurdish New Year festival.
What happened today is not an isolated incident in any way, it is symbolic of the malicious, deliberate, planned and vindictive policy of racism against the Kurdish people. There were a number of other examples yesterday but Kurds have been maintaining their peace. A delegation from Kurdish parties were yesterday prevented from laying flowers at the graves of those who died during Newroz in Qamishli in 2008; there were many security patrols; theatres prepared for the celebrations were smashed by bulldozers; tents were broken and confiscated; musicians had their instruments confiscated in Hassaka; people were stopped and searched, and arrested.
It is unacceptable that the Syrian authorities are allowed to continue to behave in this way, committing murder against our people without being meaningfully held accountable by anyone. Therefore, we demand that these crimes against humanity stop immediately, and the perpetrators and instigators of these deeds be held accountable.
Our people will not tolerate any more racist and discriminatory policies, the policies of siege and humiliation at all levels; nor will we accept that Kurds will continue to sit back whilst we are exposed to the death and bloodshed of our children.
Sunday, March 21st, 2010 23:08
Central Media Committee – Kurdish Yekiti Party in Syria
……..
The Kurdish Yekiti Party – Europe Organisation also condemns these killings, and calls on the international community to act immediately in response to its moral and humanitarian responsibility to stop these crimes, and to investigate and punish the organisers of this violence and ethnic cleansing against Kurds.