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Information and liaison bulletin N°425

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www.fikp.org E-mail: [email protected] Information and liaison bulletin Kurdish Institute of Paris Bulletin N° 425 August 2020

• : TWO OFFICERS OF THE IRAQI BORDER GUARDS KILLED BY A TURKISH DRONE

• ROJAVA: KIDNAPPING, TORTURE, RAPE, MURDER... EVIDENCE OF THE CRIMES OF THE TURKISH OCCUPATION FORCES IS ACCUMULATING

• : EXACTIONS AGAINST WOMEN ARE MULTIPLE

• IRAN: MASS TWITTER CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE ASSASSINATION OF KOLBARS, CALL FOR THE ACQUITTAL OF A KURDISH TEACHER

• KURDISH LANGUAGE, PUBLICATIONS

IRAQ: TWO OFFICERS OF THE IRAQI BORDER GUARDS KILLED BY A TURKISH DRONE

ince the reopening of the to the Region from several Health called on cured patients to borders with Iran last countries, while conversely, donate their plasma for patients May, both Iraq and Turkey stopped flights to the developing severe forms of the Kurdistan are Region. Passengers leaving the infection. After more than twenty experiencing a dramatic Region must show a negative cases appeared, two villages in S increase in the figures of COVID test of less than 48 hours district (Dohuk) were placed the pandemic... But both the before boarding. As of 4th August, under total confinement. At the Kurdistan Regional Government the number of coronavirus cases same time, Iraq announced more (KRG) and the Iraqi Government in Iraqi Kurdistan was 14.816 than 5.000 deaths since March, the are caught between health confirmed cases, 574 deaths and beginning of the epidemic: it is the constraints and economic 9.413 recoveries. On the 5th, when highest mortality rate per requirements... On 1st August, the the KRG announced 357 new cases inhabitant in the Arab world. KRG authorised the controlled (including 218 in province) On 11th August, 653 new cases resumption of international flights and 12 deaths, the Ministry of were reported in Kurdistan, the • 2 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 425 • August 2020

highest daily increase ever . The total number of territories, exploited by ISIS’s observed. On the 12th, deaths in the Region at that time terrorists, were continuing, and Suleimaniyeh had 9.500 cases, was 1.074. With the highest that the KRG was also continuing against 7.300 in Erbil and 1.400 in number of cases, Dohuk also had to work towards the Dohuk... The increase continued the lowest number of deaths (46), implementation of Article 140 of on the 13th with 3.841 new which led WHO to congratulate the Iraqi Constitution. But on the infections, while Iraq as a whole the authorities of the province 30th, the Secretary General of the approached 165.000 cases for 5.641 (Kurdistan-24). Pechmergas Ministry, Jabar deaths (Kurdistan-24). On the 14th, Yawar, said that while in 2020 Kurdistan broke a new “record” In this tense sanitary context, there had been nearly 150 ISIS with 667 new cases including 411 discussions continued between the attacks resulting in 650 deaths, in Erbil. The total number of cases KRG and the federal government while general negotiations were was then 20.002, including 8.262 to try to reach a budgetary continuing to reach a three-year hospitalizations. The next day, the agreement, while had budget agreement, there was still figure was almost the same with suspended payments to Erbil from no timetable for the resumption of 658 new cases. The day before, the the federal budget since the end of security talks... (Kurdistan-24) governor of Erbil had attributed April... At the end of the first week Earlier this month, the “White the surge to the lack of compliance of the month, Kurdish Flags”, a terrorist organisation with the barrier measures. parliamentarians announced an partly originating from ISIS, and agreement: in exchange for the also active in the disputed On the 21st, the province of Erbil revenue from the sale of 250.000 territories, broadcast a video lifted travel restrictions with the barrels of oil per day and 50% of showing the beheading of a other provinces by removing the customs revenue, Baghdad would Kurdish man kidnapped in 2019, requirement to obtain prior pay the KRG its share of the and on the 27th, the bodies of two authorisation on the internet, federal budget plus the salaries of young kidnapped the day while maintaining the ban on its civil servants. According to the before by ISIS at a fake checkpoint group tourist travel. Mosques announcement, a KRG delegation were found near … were also allowed to reopen for would visit Baghdad during the Friday prayers, but with week of the 10th to continue the Another point of contention precautionary measures, as were discussions. After mid-week between the KRG and Baghdad restaurants (Rûdaw). On the 24th, statements by both sides concerns the attempts by former the KRG Ministry of Health highlighting their differences, Arab settlers from the time of the announced the highest mortality KRG Prime Minister Masrour Ba’thist regime to return to the since the beginning of the Barzani announced on the 15th region. New incidents occurred in pandemic with 27 deaths and 458 that Baghdad had agreed to a early August, when residents of a new cases. The rapid increase of “partial restoration” of the KRG’s Kurdish village between cases in the province of Dohuk, share of the federal budget: “I am and , Guli Tapa, prevented ahead of Erbil with 199 cases pleased to announce that Baghdad about 15 Arab families from against 127, caused concern has agreed to pay 320 billion entering the village. The Iraqi (Kurdistan-24). On the 25th, the dinars per month [about US$270 federal police intervened. The WHO opened an office in million] as a partial restoration of mayor of Daquq said that there Kurdistan for faster operations our share of the federal budget”, were still unresolved land and a better monitoring of the he said. “We agree on the disputes between and situation. On the same day, the constitutional rights and duties of Kurds in the area, describing the Iraqi Ministry of Health warned of both parties, and the dialogue will Arabs concerned as not belonging a second epidemic wave, with continue” (Kurdistan-24). Indeed, to the “colonising” groups but 4.000 new cases and 77 deaths in many other points of originating from Kirkuk. 24 hours, for a total of 6.596 deaths disagreement remain, from the However, since the takeover of in the country. Here too, the control of border crossings to the these territories on 17th October worrying evolution of the governance of the disputed 2017 by the federal forces, many epidemic situation was attributed territories… Kurds have denounced attempts to the lack of compliance with to “re-Arabise” the area. On the barrier measures. The next day, On the 24th, the KRG Prime 5th, Harem Kamal Agha, deputy the country had 3.837 new cases Minister said in an interview that and vice-president of the PUK and 72 deaths, and on 27th August, the agreement with Baghdad was bloc in the Baghdad parliament, 3.651 new cases and 72 deaths. an interim agreement valid for declared in Rûdaw that Baghdad three months only, and that both was setting up a “new Arabisation On 31st August, Kurdistan Region sides hoped to reach a process” and that in the face of recorded 25 deaths and 591 new comprehensive budget agreement this, UPK and PDK had to "put cases, including 234 from Dohuk, after this period. He added that their differences aside" in order to 169 from Erbil, 115 from discussions on the “security act. For his part, Kamal Kirkuki, a Suleimaniyeh and 30 from vacuum” in the disputed member of the KDP political n° 425 • August 2020 Information and liaison bulletin • 3 •

bureau, said the issue had to be months had hit , where the Ankara to “cease all military resolved at the state level and Yezidi had already been badly hit operations”. On the 13th, Baghdad according to the law and the by ISIS, and the Makhmur refugee announced that it had contacted constitution. The Iraqi presidency camp, Turkey launched multiple its neighbours (notably Egypt, has announced the formation of a strikes in the first week of the Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait) committee comprising both month on the province of and the Arab League "to reach a parliamentarians and members of Suleimaniyeh in the Asos region. common position and force the government to examine the In particular, the Turkish army Turkey to withdraw" its troops problem. announced that it had detected the from Iraq. The same day, as a new presence of the PKK near the town Turkish strike killed three PKK of Mawat, 50 km north of fighters, Ambassador Yildiz In the Kurdistan Region, the Suleimaniyeh, near the Iranian published on Twitter a statement non-payment of civil servants’ border, where crops were burned accusing Iraq of "turning a blind salaries has led to social (Al-Monitor, Rûdaw). On the 7th, eye while members of the terrorist movements for several weeks, and Turkish planes destroyed a vehicle PKK are on its soil" (AFP). The there have been recent near the village of Qamesh next day, like several Arab demonstrations, particularly in (Suleimaniyeh), and on the 10th, countries, France announced its Suleimaniyeh. In the north, in the PJAK, a Kurdish party in Iran condemnation of the Turkish Dohuk, other demonstrations close to the PKK, announced the strike and renewed its support for have started to protest against a death of seven of its fighters and the respect of Iraqi sovereignty military intervention and Turkish two of its supporters in Turkish (Asharq Al-Awsat). On the 17th, the air strikes that have recently strikes using drones. Turkey also PKK announced it had shot down become extremely violent and bombed targets in Dohuk. a Turkish helicopter, which have caused many civilian crashed along the border, as was casualties. The KRG reacted by But this month’s most serious confirmed by the mayor of a banning rallies, cutting off the incident, also on the 7th, occurred nearby village. Also according to Internet and even “putting when a Turkish drone destroyed a the PKK, another aircraft was hit pressure” on journalists, Reporters vehicle carrying two senior ten minutes later and forced to Without Borders said. Based in officers of the Iraqi border guards turn back. The PKK also Kurdistan, the METRO Center for in the (Erbil), who mentioned that one of its Journalist Rights and Advocacy has were killed with their driver. The commanders was killed along recorded 88 violations against 62 attack elicited strong protests from with the two Iraqi officers. As journalists and media in the first Baghdad. The two officers had just Turkey launched new strikes after six months of 2020 and says it has returned from a meeting with these, the Iraqi government, noted a further stiffening since PKK fighters following clashes denouncing them, reacted by June... (AFP) between them and Iraqi forces in banning Turkish citizens from the morning. According to local entering its territory, cancelling all The Turkish military strikes and sources, the meeting targeted by planned official Turkish visits and ground movements launched as the drone had been organised in deploying new border guard units part of Operation “Claw-Tiger” emergency to try to calm tensions. in the North. On the same day, an have indeed taken on increasingly In reaction, Baghdad cancelled the Iraqi delegation including deadly proportions in recent visit of the Turkish Foreign representatives of the KRG arrived weeks. Although the Turkish Minister, scheduled for the 14th, in Washington, ahead of a meeting General Staff claims to be and announced the summoning – between Iraqi Prime Minister targeting the PKK, Turkish for the third time since June – of al-Kadhimi and US President military activities in Iraqi the Turkish ambassador to Donald Trump (WKI). Kurdistan have resulted in dozens Baghdad, Fatih Yildiz. The Iraqi of civilian casualties and forced presidency, for its part, thousands more to be displaced. denounced “a dangerous violation On the 19th, Turkey carried out After strikes in the previous of Iraq’s sovereignty”, calling on new strikes on a village near Akre.

ROJAVA: KIDNAPPING, TORTURE, RAPE, MURDER... EVIDENCE OF THE CRIMES OF THE TURKISH OCCUPATION FORCES IS ACCUMULATING n 30th July, Republican contract between the little-known US oil company, Senator Lindsey Graham Kurdish-dominated Autonomous Delta Crescent Energy. It is no revealed that the US Administration of Northeast coincidence that Graham made the Treasury Department (AANES) of the Party of announcement: he was the one O had authorised a Democratic Unity (PYD) and a who persuaded the American • 4 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 425 • August 2020

president last October to maintain conference that the US would not society organisations based in the American troops east of the benefit from Syrian oil and that AANES, but to no avail. Euphrates, in Hassakah and Deir “[...] the people of North-East Moreover, is blocking Ezzor, “where the oil is”, in the Syria control the oil region; no one almost all progress. This meeting words of Donald Trump else”, adding: “The only thing we is the first since the one in (Kurdistan-24). The agreement have done is to grant a licence to November 2019, which ended provides for the supply of two this company” to escape the without any significant advance. refineries capable of producing sanctions imposed on the regime 20.000 barrels a day, which will (AFP). At the same time, the jihadist meet the needs of the factions used as mercenaries by AANES-administered region On the 26th, Russia, Turkey and Turkey continued their attacks (Syria’s current production is Iran issued a joint statement throughout the month against 60.000 barrels, compared with denouncing the agreement again. Kurdish villages on the borders of 360.000 before the civil war). Such To ease tensions with Russia, an the so-called “security zone” they an agreement would not have AANES delegation led by Ilham control, particularly near Girê Spî. been possible without the State Ahmed visited Moscow the same At the end of July, one civilian Department’s approval, and by day and met several officials was wounded and several houses saying that “reaching an including Foreign Minister Serge damaged, then new attacks hit agreement has taken a little longer Lavrov (WKI). On the ground, Girê Spî on the 13th and on than we had hoped”, Mike tension was palpable throughout the 16th, while Turkish drones Pompeo implied that his the month: on the 17th, a joint wounded two civilians near Ain department had played a role in patrol of the SDF and the US Issa. AANES issued a statement its negotiation. While officially it military killed a Syrian soldier and criticising Russia for not playing is a question of avoiding the risk wounded another near its role as guarantor of the of ISIS regaining control of these when returning fire from Syrian ceasefire with Turkey (WKI). oil fields, it is likely that by thus military. This is only the latest of Furthermore, pro-Turkish groups prohibiting access to the oil fields several recent incidents. At the controlling the Alouk pumping by the Damascus regime and its end of the month, a collision station continued to regularly cut Russian and Iranian allies, the US caused by a Russian column off drinking water to the administration will be able to try injured a GI in a US patrol. Again, inhabitants. On the 14th, the head to impose a military break with this incident followed several of the Hassakah water agency, Iran and its militias in Damascus others. Mahmoud Ukla, accused the (Asharq al-Awsat). “Turkish occupation forces and If the conclusion of this oil their mercenaries [of...] An AANES official called the agreement strengthens the endangering the lives of a million agreement a mark of position of the Autonomous people”. According to a UN “recognition” by the United Administration of Rojava, it still report, the water supply from the States, with “immense political faces international exclusion. plant, which supplies the town of significance”, and it is clear that it Regarding the ongoing peace Hassakah and the Al-Hol camp, puts the Kurdish administration, negotiations under the aegis of the among others, was interrupted at for a while time, in a better UN, Sinam Mohamad complained least 12 times between February position to negotiate its future on the 21st in the National Interest and July. According to the with Damascus. Conversely, the that AANES had not received an agreement negotiated under regime was quick to denounce on invitation for the “Constitutional Russian mediation, in exchange 2nd August an “agreement signed Committee” in Geneva, scheduled for Alouk water, the Kurds by the SDF militia and a US oil for the 24th: “We represent an provide electricity to the territories company to steal Syrian oil [...] important part of Syria and occupied by Turkey, but the with the support of the US should have a say in the future of pro-Turkish factions keep cutting administration”, “an attack on the country” she told. One third of off the water under the pretext of Syrian sovereignty”. The next day, the Committee is appointed by the asking for more electricity. At the as could be expected, Ankara regime, one third by the United same time, Turkey has reduced followed suit, denouncing an Nations and the third one by an the flow of the Euphrates, while “unacceptable” agreement that opposition coalition, supported by the risk of a pandemic requires amounts to “financing terrorism”. Turkey. According to Mohamad, more washing and cleaning... On the 13th, in response to there have indeed been (Kurdistan-24). Finally, after criticism, the US envoy to Syria, discussions between UN interminable negotiations, the Jim Jeffrey, said at a press representatives and several civil Kurds finally retaliated on the 13th n° 425 • August 2020 Information and liaison bulletin • 5 •

by cutting electricity to the deaths were announced in a single by these criminals to be tortured, territories occupied by Turkey. day, on the 7th, in the Jezira raped and sometimes murdered or The latter is clearly trying to use region, bringing the number of to die from their bruises. water to destabilise the AANES cases to 66 with 3 deaths. The Information is difficult to obtain, among the inhabitants (AFP). situation is extremely worrying in as families often remain silent for Damascus accused Ankara on 24th camps such as Al-Hol, where fear of reprisals, and outside of using water as “a weapon members of ISIS are literally observers or journalists are against Syrian civilians”. The UN crammed together and cannot forbidden in the area. However, had warned as early as March apply (or refuse) the distancing the data obtained gives a about serious health measures (Rûdaw). On the 18th, the frightening picture of the consequences. On the 25th, AFP number of confirmed cases situation. The figure of 161 covers published several testimonies of reached 210 with 14 deaths, while cases where the name of the Hassakah inhabitants who, after Damascus announced 1.677 cases victim is known, but local 21 days without water during in the territories under its control associations speak of several August, accused Turkey of (WKI), a number probably very hundred kidnappings. According “strangling” them. underestimated according to the to Kurdistan au Féminin, out of the UN: already at the beginning of 132 cases for which the On the 21st, the Syrian Orthodox August, the deputy director of kidnappers are armed groups or Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem II health for Damascus area belong to the so-called “security Karim declared in an open letter mentioned around 100 deaths per forces” installed by Turkey, 34 are to the UN Secretary General: day and deducted 100. On the 30th, attributed to the military police, 17 “These voluntary cuts in drinking Le Monde accused the regime of to the civil police and 15 to the water are human rights violations. remaining “in denial” after Turkish military police and the [...] This unethical act is especially inter-Syrian peace talks were al-Hamza Division. One female harmful to children, the elderly nearly interrupted on the 24th survivor testified to the almost and the vulnerable, in a country when four members of the systematic rape of the youngest that is already suffering greatly Damascus delegation tested girls: “Many of those abducted from the Covid-19 pandemic. The positive on their arrival in committed suicide and others fact is keeps continuing makes it a Geneva! At that time, there were were killed in cold blood and their crime against humanity” (La Libre 394 confirmed cases in Rojava. An bodies thrown into the forests Belgique). MSF doctor pointed out that out of near the villages of , Al-Bab, the limited number of screening Afrin and Jerablous”. Several In fact, the pandemic, after several tests that are carried out, half of testimonies, some of them months during which the Rojava them come back positive, broadcast on video, corroborate had managed to isolate itself quite indicating a very high each other and refer to the effectively, finally made its way transmission rate. Syria and discovery at the end of May, after into the territory, affecting an Rojava are clearly at risk of a intra-Jihadist clashes in Afrin, of estimated 30 people on 2nd serious crisis. the secret prison where the August. AANES pointed out the al-Hamza Division kept its responsibility of the regime, which Turkey and its Syrian mercenaries victims… it accuses of not having taken the do not limit their abuses against necessary precautionary measures civilians to drone strikes, attacks The US State Department finally with regard to the passengers on villages and water cuts. took alarm at the extreme gravity arriving at Qamishlo airport, Increasingly worrying reports and of the acts described in the which it controls (WKI). In other testimonies are accumulating information received, which is provinces of Syria, many cases about the situation in Afrin and its echoed in a report made public on were indeed found to involve region, which has been controlled 4th August (Operation Inherent travellers returning from the by these groups for the past two Resolve, Lead Inspector General capital... AANES tried to avoid years. As a result of the work of Report to the United States Congress, further spread by restricting travel the Missing Afrin Women Project, April 1, 2020-June 30, 2020, with Iraq and territories controlled which compiles information on (https://media.defense.gov/2020/Aug/ by the regime and then imposing a violations affecting women in 04/2002470215/-1/-1/1/LEAD%20IN 10-day confinement from 31st July, Afrin from media reports or local SPECTOR%20GENERAL%20FOR closing restaurants and banning associations, it can no longer be %20OPERATION%20INHERENT collective prayers in mosques. But ignored that since 2018, at least %20RESOLVE%20APRIL%201,%2 after a first explosion of cases on 161 women and girls, sometimes 02020%20-%20JUNE%2030,%2020 1st August, 12 new cases and 2 very young, have been abducted 20.PDF). • 6 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 425 • August 2020

Significantly, the investigators stolen. On the 15th, the US Rights Organisation of Afrin has were told there was no evidence Commission on International reported that mercenaries have that the “Interim Syrian Religious Freedom (USCIRF), colonised a vast area stretching Government”, the political entity expressed in a tweet its grave from the village of Tirindê in used by Turkey as a cover for its concern about the fate of the central Afrin to the province of occupation, had attempted in any Kurdish Christian teacher Radwan Shêrawa, and during the first way to investigate on those Muhammad, imprisoned by the fortnight of August set up responsible for these despicable pro-Turkish faction Failaq Al-Sham cantonments for them and their acts. But the aforementioned and accused of apostasy: “USCIRF families in several Yezidi villages report also notes that the United calls on Turkey to intervene, to such as Bafîlonê (Shera) and States did not punish these groups order its allies to release Radwan, Afraza (Mabata), after having for their abuses either. Regarding and to prevent them from expelled their inhabitants. In Afrin, the State Department said committing such acts”. USCIRF Jindires, members of the Nureddin that, not being present on the leader Nadine Maenza told Zenki faction sold a whole street to ground, it could not directly Kurdistan-24: “We are concerned Ahrar Al-Sharkiya for US$25.000. confirm information on abuses about these reports of apostasy And besides, the felling of olive against women, but that “many of charges in Afrin. There is further trees and the burning of farmland them appear credible” evidence that the conditions of still goes on… (RojInfo). (Al-Monitor). Meghan Bodette, religious freedom have changed founder of the Missing Afrin drastically in the areas that Turkey Women Project, denounced on has occupied, compared to the The situation is unprecedented: a Kurdistan-24 the fact that not only period when they were governed NATO member country is directly is the international community by the AANES”. The teacher is covering up or carrying out crimes turning a blind eye and remaining facing execution; Failaq Al-Sham, against humanity of the kind ISIS silent on Turkish abuses in Syria, affiliated to the Muslim committed, while using its but that many states continue to Brotherhood so dear to the membership of the Alliance to assist this country militarily as a Turkish president, is already silence its “allies” and continue to member of NATO. involved in multiple abuses in act with impunity. After all the Afrin, such as the assassination of crimes committed on its own The list of Turkish exactions in a Yezidi, Nuri Jammu Omar territory, the Turkish government Syria, however, does not end here. Sharaf, on 13th August, according is now exporting them to the Kurdistan au Féminin reported on to the Syrian Observatory for territories it has conquered. What the 5th a piece of news from Human Rights (SOHR): Sharaf La Libre Belgique wrote this month ANHA that a 16-year-old Kurdish was shot dead for refusing to give about the water cuts East of the teenager, Khalil Nihad Sheikho, money to the members of the Euphrates can also be applied to from Afrin, had been shot and group who had forced his door. all the other abuses we have just wounded by Turkish gendarmes reported: “This is another crime while trying to flee to Turkey. He The Yezidi are still particularly by Turkish President Recep was hospitalised on the Turkish targeted by pro-Turkish jihadist or Tayyip Erdogan around its side in Kilis and died in hospital. Islamist groups, who are thus southern borders for which the When his relatives recovered his fulfilling the programme of West turns a blind eye”. Have we body, they found, as a video demographic change desired by entered a new period of “crime of shows, that his organs had been their Turkish masters. The Human silence”?

TURKEY: ABUSES AGAINST WOMEN ARE ON THE RISE

hile the Turkish groups to a “women’s murdered women were victims government is slaughterhouse”. For example, of their husbands, friends or considering leaving the the platform We Will Stop former companions. Some cases Istanbul Convention Femicide (KCDP) in early August are hardly believable, such as W protecting women’s recorded at least 36 murders of the one of this young Yezidi rights, Turkey is the target of women during July, compared woman kidnapped at 16 years increasing criticism for its to 26 in June, plus 11 old in Shengal (Sinjar, Iraq) inaction in this regard and has “suspicious” deaths. According during the genocide of 2014, and even been compared by some to the group’s report, 92% of the found at the beginning of n° 425 • August 2020 Information and liaison bulletin • 7 •

August, after six years of ordeal, island of Imralı, where the her trial had been totally in the house of a member of ISIS historical PKK leader Abdullah fabricated and was aimed at her in Ankara! Bought on the Öcalan and three co-prisoners work as a lawyer and her internet, Zozan was delivered are incarcerated. While the CPT progressive convictions: thanks to the action of her noted “generally satisfactory” originally from Dersim province, family, refugees in Australia. conditions of detention for the she had defended among others Reduced to slavery, suffering co-detainees, it also stated that it several Kurdish dissidents. On from malnutrition, she had been had “recorded [in the other hunger strike for 238 days to constantly tortured and raped prisons visited] a considerable demand a fair trial, Timtik was (Duvar). number of allegations of transferred to hospital on 30th excessive use of force and/or July after her condition worsened. Such a story speaks volumes physical ill-treatment by police about the complacency of the officers and gendarmes”. The On 27th August, dozens of people current Turkish authorities report “reiterates” the wish that gathered in front of the forensic towards ISIS and anti-women “a clear and firm message of institute where her body had abuses. They do not hesitate to ‘zero tolerance’ of ill-treatment been brought, and rallies were resort to the weapon of rape be sent to all law enforcement also held in front of Turkish themselves, as shown by the officials by the highest political embassies across Europe. The information coming from the level, namely the President of next day, the President of the areas under Turkish occupation the Republic”, who is thus “Conférence des Bâtonniers” in Rojava. But these methods are directly taken to task... The CPT (Conference of the Bar presidents), neither recent nor limited to the also calls upon Ankara to allow Hélène Fontaine, paid homage to occupied territories outside: on visits by relatives and lawyers of him during the organisation’s the 18th, a young Kurdish girl, the detainees of Imralı. Indeed, summer school, saying: “There Ipek Er, kidnapped and raped for most of the hundreds of requests are no borders when you are a twenty days by a Turkish army filed by Öcalan’s lawyers to lawyer”. A member of the sergeant, Musa Orhan, died in meet with their client no longer Progressive Lawyers’ Association Batman hospital after a suicide even receive a response from the (ÇHD), Timtik accompanied his attempt. She left a letter court, and their last request at fellow lawyer, Aytac Ünsal, also a incriminating her torturer and the the end of July was rejected. member of the ÇHD, on hunger Mezopotamya agency has made Their last visit was more than a strike; he is still detained in public the report of the forensic year ago (7th August 2019), and hospital. In February 2020, medical institute attesting to the that of the prisoner’s family six Turkey became the country with rape. Arrested after a complaint months ago (March 2020). The the highest number of from the family, although prisoner had previously imprisoned lawyers: 411 accused of “qualified sexual remained isolated for more than convicted between 2016 and 2020 abuse”, Orhan, who denied eight years... (AFP) according to Arrested Lawyers. everything, was... released six Judges who did not deliver the days after his imprisonment. The The announcement on 27th “right” verdicts are also charged case was made confidential by August by the People’s Law Firm of and imprisoned. order. As for the Batman the death in an Istanbul hospital Prosecutor General, he opened an of Kurdish lawyer Ebru Timtik, In July, a court in Istanbul rejected investigation... against the after 238 days on hunger strike, Timtik’s release despite the fact publisher of the newspaper Jiyan sent shockwaves throughout that the application was Haber, İdris Yayla, for publishing Turkey and internationally. Tried accompanied by medical reports information about the case! in September 2018 along with 18 warning of the risk to his life. This other lawyers including her refusal undoubtedly caused the On the 5th, the Council of younger sister Barkin, Timtik was death of the lawyer. The anger Europe’s Committee for the sentenced to more than 13 years provoked by this preventable Prevention of Torture (CPT) in prison for “membership of a death was all the greater because published a report drawn up terrorist organisation”. During just a few days before, Sergeant following the visit of a the preliminary hearings, the Musa Orhan, previously delegation to Turkey from 6th to judges had initially decided to mentioned, was released six days 17th May 2019. The delegation release the defendants until the after his imprisonment despite visited numerous prisons, police trial, but reversed their decision medical reports establishing his stations and gendarmerie the day after hearing an guilt in the rape of his victim and barracks, including the prison anonymous witness. In reality, then her suicide. • 8 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 425 • August 2020

On the 3rd, a Turkish official Ahmet Davutoğlu, who left the homeland” because he was a warned that the pandemic was AKP to create his own party, the Kurd. The versions of his death likely to be “much worse” in the “Party of the Future”, said: “If are contradictory, falling from a south, i.e. in the Kurdish the Kurds are unhappy, none of window or having a heart regions. Officially, the COVID us can be at peace”. Two days attack. The family of Özçalımlı has already caused 5.765 deaths, later, he received a scathing refused the presence of soldiers but this figure seems to be very response from HDP Co-Chair and the Turkish flag on his underestimated and contested in Pervin Buldan from Bursa, coffin at the funeral. Suspicious particular by the Union of where she was speaking at the deaths of Kurdish conscripts are Chambers of Physicians of party’s “Programme of Struggle frequent; they are presented to Turkey as well as by the Turkish for Democracy”: “Kurdish votes the families as “accidental opposition parties. are not for sale”, she said. deaths” or “suicides”. The “While you do not say a single human rights association The pro-Kurdish opposition is word when Selahattin Demirtas, Mazlum-Der has calculated that still the victim of systematic Figen Yüksekdag, Idris Baluken, 90% of conscript “suicides” repression by the government. Sebahat Tuncel, Gültan Kisanak involve Kurds... In another judicial scandal, the and dozens of other friends of individual who had attacked an mine whom I cannot name all HDP office in Istanbul at the end are imprisoned, while you say After the state flooding of the of July was released on the 10th, nothing to those who run this historic Kurdish town of while the police imprisoned country with administrators, Hasankeyf, another project has several members of the HDP while you have nothing to say to aroused the opposition of the youth. In Van and Urfa, those who have turned this inhabitants of Dersim: the tourist provincial governors again country into a country of development project of the banned political activities such isolation, you come here to talk Munzur springs, which are as marches, meetings and press about the Kurdish question! [...] sacred to the Alevis, with conferences. On the 14th, other The Kurdish votes are not for bridges and car parks. HDP members were arrested, sale. The Kurdish votes are the Indignation was aroused as eight in Hakkari, including the votes of people who are fed up much by the content of the head of the human rights with all your lies and your project as by the fact that it had association IHD for Semdinli, oppressive mentality based on been prepared without any four in Adana, five in Sirnak, an the denial [of their existence]”. consultation. Other victims of HDP official at Aydın and the Buldan also referred to the the attacks on Kurdish culture HDP co-president for Muş, government’s announcement of were the university departments Abdulbari Yiğit. Five other the discovery of natural gas in of Kurmancî or Zazakî language people were also arrested in the Black Sea: “They will make and literature, five of which had Bursa for messages on social new tenders [...] and make the been opened as a result of the networks. On the 18th, the society pay for the cost of these political détente between 2011 former mayor of the district of gas reserves.... Then] they will and 2012 in four provinces with Yenişehir in Diyarbakir, Ibrahim transfer the revenues to their a Kurdish majority. They had Çijek, elected in March 2019 but own companies and to attracted large numbers of prevented from taking up his pro-government companies” students, until the government post, then replaced by a (Bianet). resumed its repression of the pro-AKP administrator, was Kurdish language and culture. arrested. Finally, on the 31st, the But after the collapse of the HDP co-chair for the district of In addition, racist attacks against “peace process” in 2015, the Bağlar in Diyarbakir, Fatma Kurds, but also against all enrollment numbers declined Kavmaz, was imprisoned on “deviant” identities, are dramatically as young Kurds in charges of “membership in a increasing. A young man from Turkey worried about the lack of terrorist organisation”. On the Kars called Osman Özçalımlı, career prospects (Ahval). The 30th, two individuals perpetrated who was doing his military latest blow to these university another attack on an HDP office, service in Izmir, died courses is the recent ban on this time in Ankara (WKI). suspiciously after repeatedly teaching or writing master’s informing his family and friends theses in Kurmancî or Zazakî: On the 22nd, during a visit to that he was threatened and the Turkish language is being Van, former Prime Minister accused of being a “traitor to the imposed everywhere. n° 425 • August 2020 Information and liaison bulletin • 9 •

IRAN: MASS TWITTER CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE KILLING OF KOLBARS, CALL FOR THE ACQUITTAL OF A KURDISH TEACHER

he Covid-19 pandemic President Rouhani again blamed At the beginning of August, has continued to spread the Iranians for their negligence, human rights activists in Iran for in Iran although the but it could be argued that by the first time launched a Twitter authorities continue to hiding the seriousness of the campaign in support of kolbars, try to conceal its extent. situation from them, the regime those Kurdish porters who risk Tst On 1 August, according to the has hardly encouraged them to be their lives to transport goods People’s Mojahedin Organization cautious... Against the advice of between Iran and Iraq. The of Iran (PMOI) estimates, the health officials, Rouhani also regime’s repressive forces do not virus killed more than 80.700 reiterated the need to maintain hesitate to shoot them, even people in 347 cities across the Moharram’s mourning though most of them are country. Among the regional ceremonies, even if it meant unarmed. In 2019 alone, at least 76 figures on that date were: 3.205 reducing the number of were killed and 176 wounded, and new cases in Lorestan, 2.412 in participants, while admitting that between 2015 and 2019 there were Western Azerbaijan and 1.600 in the epidemic “could continue for 368 killed and 595 wounded, 77% Kurdistan. By the 9th, the another six months or even a of them shot dead... The trigger number of deaths calculated by year” (NCRI). for this campaign was two events. the PMOI had risen to more than Firstly, the announcement on 30th 85.500 in 373 cities, compared to On 24th August, an appeal signed July of the death of a young kolbar, an official figure of only 14.400. by many academics, including Vazir Mohammadi, shot dead Various officials admitted at that linguist Noam Chomsky and near Nowsud (Kermanshah) when time that the health system was sociologist Ismail Beşikçi, called his group was ambushed by overwhelmed, particularly the for the annulment of Zara border guards. Then, the previous intensive care units. For Mohammadi’s conviction and her Twitter campaign, launched on example, Minou Mehraz, from outright acquittal. Co-founder of 14th July with the hashtag “Don’t the scientific committee of the the Nojin cultural association, kill” to denounce the confirmation National Coronavirus Control Mohammadi, accused of of the death sentences of three Centre, told the IRNA agency constituting a “danger to national young protesters from the that Khomeiny hospital was security”, was sentenced on 14th November demonstrations, had receiving 120 coronavirus July to ten years in prison by an been a huge success with more patients a day. The next day, the “Islamic Revolutionary Court” for than 10 million re-tweets. The BBC published data obtained teaching the Kurdish language to activists therefore decided to from an anonymous source close children. Based on several articles devote the next campaign to to the Ministry of Health, which of the Iranian constitution, the kolbars. In addition, the Hengaw gave a death toll of 42.000. This petition also calls for an end to organisation reported on 1st is still probably an Iran’s discriminatory policy August that six new kolbars had underestimate as it takes in against languages other than been killed and 14 others injured accounts the number of deaths Persian. The text first notes that in Iran in July. in hospital only. Moreover, BBC the “Islamic Revolutionary data from the 10th placed the Courts” are in no way Launched on Twitter on the 2nd at first case on January 22nd, almost constitutional, since according to 9.30 pm with the hashtag “Don’t one month before the “official” Article 61 of the Constitution, “the kill kolbars”, the campaign start of the epidemic. As a result, judicial power is exercised by the generated more than 120.000 all the single-digit numbers of Public Courts of Justice”. On the messages in two days. It should be deaths published by Tehran up other hand, Article 15 explicitly noted that an identical campaign to the end of February became authorises the teaching of on the sukhtbars of Baluchistan, the difficult to accept... The non-Persian local languages. This counterparts of the Kurdish credibility of the PMOI makes the verdict against kolbars, was launched at the same estimates, which are based on Mohammadi “a clear example of time. the compilation of various the Islamic Republic’s policy of provincial data that are duplicity towards non-Persian Despite the campaign, the killings themselves published, was thus languages since the Islamic unfortunately continued. On the strengthened. Revolution of 1979” (Kurdistan-24). 4th, another porter was shot and • 10 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 425 • August 2020

another wounded on the 7th, again “collusion” against the Islamic “undermining national security” near Nowsud. Many horses and Republic. In , five and “assistance to a Kurdish loads were also confiscated. On activists received prison sentences opposition party”. In Piranshahr, the 13th, a 17-year-old kolbar was of two months to a year for two Kurds arrested last April, killed near Marivan, another in “cooperation with a political Nawed Mohamadi and Khalid Piranshahr, and a third on the 15th party” against the state. Among Mohamadi, were sentenced to in an attack on a group near them, Tariq Rahimpour received a seven years in prison for Bradost in which two others were one-year firm and four years “espionage for the benefit of injured. On the same day, two suspended sentence. In addition, enemy states”. On the 5th, three businessmen working with kolbars the KMMK Human Rights Kurds from Dalahu (Kermanshah) were killed when their vehicle was Association of Kurdistan reported were arrested. On the 9th, a ambushed by Iranian soldiers near that Etelaat (Iranian Intelligence) 17-year-old Kurdish man, Parsa Zanjan. The list unfortunately was putting pressure on the Rostami, was arrested in Paveh: continues until the end of the family of activist Afsheen according to KMMK, being a month, with eight other porters Islamullah, resident in the United member of a Kurdish opposition injured in the last week of August, States but imprisoned during his party, he was arrested on his four more in Nowsud, four more last visit to his family in July and return to Iran. In Saqqez, five in Chaldiran, Piranshahr and held incommunicado since then Kurds, including three Sardasht. Finally, three traders (WKI). environmentalists, were arrested, using the services of kolbars were as well as a lawyer protesting arrested in Marivan (WKI). In On May 3rd, Amnesty International against his client’s death sentence addition, the authorities do not issued an alert requesting urgent (WKI). hesitate to repress any support for action regarding the Kurdish the kolbars. For example, a group prisoner Arsalan Khodkam. During the second week of of 10 activists who had gathered Sentenced to death on 14th July August, several new arrests took peacefully in front of the office of 2018 after a trial lasting just 30 place, one person in Saqqez and the governor of Baneh in minutes based on confessions one in Oshnavieh on the 12th by September 2017 to protest against obtained under torture, Khodkam the Etelaat, another in Bokan. In the killing of kolbars by border might be executed at any time. A Sanandaj, the court confirmed the guards were sentenced to a total native of Urumieh, he was five-year sentence imposed on of 30 months in prison, 250 lashes convicted of “spying” for the environmental activist Hajar and a fine of 250 million tomans PDKI, a political party that he said Saedi. According to KMMK, this [€10,600] (CSDHI, Radio Farda). he left in the 1980s before joining sentence is to be carried out in six the pasdaran as a years, and the convicted woman At the same time, the Iranian non-commissioned officer. must until then report every four regime continued its state Tortured, he only signed a months to the local Etelaat office. terrorism by using drones and confession written for him when In Tehran, the Kurdish political artillery to strike on 3rd August at his wife and son were in turn prisoner Arash Nasri, arrested in targets belonging to opposition threatened with torture. Amnesty March 2019, was sentenced to 17 Iranian Kurdish parties in reports that he denies any years in prison for “bearing arms Kurdistan of Iraq. According to espionage, admitting that he once against the state” and “illegal Rûdaw, the PDKI’s pechmergas informed a relative of his wife that travel”. In the last week of the command, located near the the pasdaran were preparing month, eight new Kurdish border, was hit but suffered no actions against peaceful activists were arrested: four Kurds casualties. Six weeks ago, Iranian demonstrators in Baneh in April from Sardasht on the 27th, accused artillery had already struck the 2018 (Rûdaw). of “assisting Kurdish opposition border region of Haji Omran in parties”, a man from Javanrud coordination with Turkish drones. In Kamyaran, the death sentence and two Christian Kurds from of Hayder Qurbani, pronounced Sardasht on the 29th. KMMK also Inside Iran, the campaign of in October 2015 for “armed reported the kidnapping of repression against all Kurdish struggle against the Islamic Khabat Kafakhari in Sanandaj by political activity also continued Republic” was confirmed on the unknown persons allegedly with imprisonments and 4th. Qurbani is accused of belonging to the Security Services, convictions. Early this month participating in an attack against who had contacted him before. trade union activist Bakhtyar the pasdaran. In Urumieh, Kurdish Three other Kurds were also Rahimi was sentenced in Marivan activist Hamid Abdi was arrested, two in Marivan and one to two years in prison for sentenced to 15 years in prison for in Baneh (WKI). n° 425 • August 2020 Information and liaison bulletin • 11 •

On the 12th, activist Nasrin sentence was reduced to six years. reservoirs, which irrigate many Sotoudeh announced in a letter to Released in September 2018 after plots of land and provide work for her lawyer that she was going on three years in prison, she was hundreds of farmers. On the 23rd, hunger strike to protest against re-arrested in June 2019 (MEMO - several of them said they feared a “the injustice and illegal Monitor). disaster, as the water level had conditions to which political been dropping for almost a week. prisoners are subjected” in Iran, The head of the Dams directorate conditions made worse by the At the end of the month, several of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, Akram coronavirus epidemic. Arrested in Kurdish farmers in Iraq sounded Ahmed, told Rudaw that a water September 2010 for taking part in the alarm after Iran interrupted shortage could affect 90.000 the mass protests following the the flow of the Little Zab and people in the region, not only 2009 presidential elections, Sirwan rivers when it launched a farmers, but also owners of fish Sotoudeh was sentenced to 11 major irrigation project in its farms, of which there are years in prison for “insulting the western provinces. These rivers hundreds and which demand a lot Supreme Leader” before her feed the Dokan and Derbandikhan of water.

KURDISH LANGUAGE, PUBLICATIONS

— The Kurdish language will soon — Recently published But the suffering of Yezidi be available on Microsoft The human rights organisation children did not always end with Translator. Amnesty International has just their release, says the Amnesty Indeed, on 20 August, Microsoft published a 57-page report (in report: many of them discovered announced that it would quickly English) entitled Legacy of Terror, that their home communities, add the two Kurdish dialects, The Plight of Yezidi Child Survivors starting with their own families, were not ready to accept what Kurmancî (Kurmandji) and of Isis: "Legacy of Terror, The they had experienced. As for the Soranî, to its Microsoft Translator Plight of Yezidi Child Survivors of children born to Yezidi captives of service. These two dialects are Isis", which gives an account of jihadi fathers, the report explicitly already available or will soon be the terrible condition of the states that “they have been largely available in the Microsoft Translator children who were abducted and denied a place in the Yezidi application, in MS Office and in imprisoned by ISIS in August community” following the the Bing translation service. 2014. Amnesty’s report details how decision of the Yezidi Supreme Microsoft has also indicated that these children remain deeply Council to reject them on the basis users of Azure Cognitive Services traumatised by what they that their parents are not both Translator will have translation experienced. They suffered Yezidi. Moreover, the report between these dialects and more indoctrination, sexual abuse, notes, Iraqi law “provides that a child of an unknown or Muslim than 70 languages in their torture and malnutrition, slavery... father must be registered as a applications, websites and other Boys were forcibly incorporated Muslim”, which makes it even tools. In particular, this new into the army of the “Caliphate” more difficult for him to be availability paves the way for while girls were “married”, also accepted in the community... easier Kurdish localizations for by force, to jihadist fighters. All of Some mothers were forced to websites. them had to drop out of school to abandon their child in order to follow the “teaching” of the return to their family, while others Kurmancî is already available jihadists, who forced them to made the opposite choice: to keep since February 2016 in Google abandon their faith for Islam and their child and live outside the translator. To date, Soranî is still their language, Kurmancî community. Some feel reduced to not there, but Kurdish volunteers Kurdish, for . Nearly 10,000 suicide. As an Amnesty official told the Irish Times, “these women have announced that they are men and children were murdered were enslaved, tortured and working to have it included. and 7,000 women abducted. More subjected to sexual violence. They Gradually, the different Kurdish than 70 mass graves were found should not continue to be dialects are becoming more visible after the retreat of the jihadist punished”. online, which in turn makes it organisation. The UN has easier for Kurdish speakers to use recognised ISIS’s treatment of the the Internet. Yezidi as genocide. Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

1 August, 2020

US Politically Recognizes Kurdish-led Administration

S President Donald Trump’s approval for an UAmerican company to sign an agreement with the head of the on oil investment in northeast Syria is a political step for “recognition” of a Kur- dish self-administration in the region, a Syrian Kurdish official said.

The official considered that the US move would contribute to encouraging the Syrian Kur- dish-controlled city of Qamishli to move further away from Da- mascus.

The agreement has a huge po- litical significance,” he said, considering it as a “recognition” A US military vehicle near an oil well in northeastern Syria. AFP file photo of the Kurdish administration.

It also limits concerns on a Euphrates after he announced und 60,000 bpd. Before the latest sanctions on the Syrian possible surprise US pullout a partial troop withdrawal from war that erupted in 2011, the regime to pressure Damascus from east of the Euphrates,” Syria last year. country produced 360,000 and Moscow to accept several the official added. bpd. conditions, including “stopping Trump said in October that a support for terrorism and cut- Republican US Senator Lind- small number of US troops The US has expressed deter- ting military ties with Iran and sey Graham told the Senate on would remain in the area of mination to stop both Damas- its militias.” Thursday in the presence of Syria “where they have the oil,” cus and Moscow from Secretary of State Mike Pom- a reference to oilfields in the controlling oil reserves in nort- Other conditions include stop- peo that SDF General Com- Kurdish-controlled region. heastern Syria. ping aggression on neighbo- mander Mazloum Abdi ring countries, giving up informed him during a phone Oil is secured,” he said. About 300 men working for a weapons of mass destruction, conversation that the SDF has Kremlin-linked Russian private implementing UN Security Co- signed the deal with the Ame- A few days later, Defense Sec- military firm were killed in US uncil Resolution 2254 to allow rican oil company. retary Mark Esper said: “We airstrikes in February 2018 for the voluntary return of are now taking some actions... near the Syrian town of Khas- Syrian refugees and holding In response, Pompeo noted to strengthen our position at ham. accountable those responsible that “the deal took a little longer Deir Ezzor, to ensure that we for war crimes. than we had hoped.” can deny ISIS access to the oil "I can promise you that the 300 fields.” Russians who were in Syria The new oil agreement is ex- «We are now in implementa- and who took action that threa- pected to anger Turkey, which tion,” he said. Under the new oil deal with the tened America who are no lon- rejects the formation of a Kur- Asharq Al-Awsat learned that SDF, the United States was ger on this planet understand dish entity in northern Syria. Abdi confirmed to Graham that going to supply two refineries that, too," Pompeo told the Se- Damascus is also expected to the deal was made by Delta to the area of the Euphrates to nate Foreign Relations Com- express reservations on the Crescent Energy LLC. produce around 20,000 barrels mittee on Thursday. deal because it would worsen of oil per day and satisfy part of its economic crisis and would Graham had played a huge the oil-rich region’s needs. Analysts believe that the give Kurds the upper hand in role in convincing Trump to Trump administration wants to any negotiations between keep US troops east of the Currently Syria produces aro- use the oil deal in addition to its them and the Assad regime.

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 1 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

1 Août 2020

TURQUIE. Une femme yézidie sauvée à Ankara

ne femme yézidie qui a rasoir sur le corps et a des été enlevée à l’âge de problèmes dus à la malnutri- U16 ans lors du massacre tion. (Via Duvar) de 2014 à Şengal par l’Etat is- lamique, a été retrouvée dans Il y a déjà eu d’enfants yézidis une maison à Ankara / Sincan. retrouvés en Turquie et il y a La femme, qui était gardée probablement d’autres enfants comme esclave dans la mai- et femmes yézidis tenus par son d’un membre de DAECH, des islamistes en Turquie a été achetée et sauvée par après qu’ils ont été capturés à ses proches. Shengal, dans le nord de l’Irak.

Zozan K. (22 ans), qui était re- Le 3 août 2014, il y a six ans, tenue prisonnière dans une DAECH (l’Etat islamique -EI) a maison du district de Sincan à commis un génocide et un fé- Ankara, a pu être libéré grâce minicide à Shengal en mas- aux efforts de ses proches ré- sacrant des milliers de Kurdes fugiés en Australie. Zozan K. a yézidis et en capturant des mil- été achetée sur internet ame- liers femmes et enfants réduits histoire, mais les plus impor- quie qui menace les Yézidis née à Ankara il y a 10 mois. à l’esclavage. Un génocide tants des massacres des Yézi- dans la tradition héritée de Zozan a subi le viol systémati- qu’ils qualifient de « 74e fer- dis ont été commis par les l’empire ottoman et découvrir que, elle porte des brûlures de man (décret) » car ils ont été Ottomans à partir du seizième des esclave yazidis en Turquie cigarettes et des coupures de persécutés tout au long de leur siècle. Aujourd’hui, c’est la Tur- n’est pas un hasard.

1 Août 2020

L'attaque de la Turquie contre les Kurdes en Syrie trahit ceux qui se battent contre Daech - et meurent

es États-Unis sauvent militant de l'État islamique de- L'assaut militaire turc, qui est basé en Turquie - qui est en des Kurdes comme moi puis 2014 et contrôlent la par- soutenu par certaines forces conflit avec Ankara depuis au Len Irak. Maintenant, tie la plus pacifique et rebelles syriennes ayant des cours des trois dernières dé- Trump nous laisse massacrer démocratique de la Syrie, con- liens douteux avec les groupes cennies et lancé des attaques au Rojava. nue sous le nom de Rojava, terroristes al-Qaïda et Jabhat dans des villes comme Istan- Par Erevan Saeed, ancien cor- depuis le début de sa guerre al-Nusra, a déjà déplacé plus bul. Mais il n'y a jamais eu d'at- respondant de la Maison civile en 2011. Néanmoins, de 130 000 Kurdes, Arabes, taque depuis les territoires Blanche pour Kurdish Rudaw Trump a tacitement donné son Yézidis et chrétiens et tué au sous contrôle kurde en Syrie TV feu vert à Erdogan pour lancer moins 38 civils et blessé des vers la Turquie. Au contraire, le une invasion militaire contre centaines plus. Rojava a été une zone tampon L'appel téléphonique du 6 oc- les Kurdes, qui a commencé empêchant les combattants tobre entre le président Donald quelques jours plus tard. Ankara a déclaré cette guerre extrémistes de lancer des atta- Trump et le président turc aux Kurdes sous prétexte de ques en Turquie et, à plus Recep Tayyip Erdogan a pro- Mes compatriotes kurdes et «problèmes de sécurité» le grande échelle, dans les pays voqué une catastrophe pour moi sommes choqués par l'in- long de sa frontière avec la européens. les Kurdes du nord de la Syrie. différence de l'administration Syrie, affirmant que les com- Les Kurdes sont les alliés les Trump envers son partenaire le battants kurdes des YPG en Pour des Kurdes comme moi, plus puissants des États-Unis plus fiable dans la lutte contre Syrie sont liés au Parti des tra- regarder les images d'enfants dans la lutte contre le groupe l'Etat islamique. vailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) kurdes tués, blessés et dépla-

2 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

cés à la suite du fait que Trump ce qui nous a incités à retour- ses et des organes directeurs, culturelles de coexistence pa- donne à Erdogan une main ner en Iran. L'année suivante, mais ont combattu aux côtés cifique, de liberté, de droits des libre n'est pas seulement déc- nous sommes revenus dans le des forces américaines dans la femmes et de démocratie sont hirant et profondément déce- cadre d'une amnistie générale lutte contre l'Etat islamique. Le étroitement alignées; par con- vant, c'est aussi choquant. offerte par l'Irak à ceux qui ava- Rojava a eu ses lacunes, no- séquent, les États-Unis et les Mes compatriotes kurdes et ient fui. Mais encore une fois, tamment une élite qui monopo- pays démocratiques nous pro- moi sommes choqués par l'in- ce fut un court séjour. lise le pouvoir politique et limite différence de l'administration la liberté de la presse. Mais il tégeraient au minimum de la Trump envers son partenaire le Pendant la guerre du Golfe en était en passe d'être une autre Turquie, qui a longtemps voulu plus fiable dans la lutte contre 1991, les Kurdes d'Irak se sont réussite américaine au cœur neutraliser le pouvoir des Kur- l'Etat islamique. Et nous som- soulevés contre Hussein, libé- du Moyen-Orient. des. mes choqués par son indiffé- rant les régions dominées par rence à abandonner l'histoire les Kurdes du pays tandis que Malheureusement, l'agression Bien que nous ayons créé des la plus réussie des États-Unis la coalition dirigée par les militaire de la Turquie risque enclaves autonomes ou semi- dans le quartier le plus anti- États-Unis a chassé l'armée non seulement de détruire le autonomes, les 30 millions de américain du monde - un Was- irakienne du Koweït. Cepen- modèle de gouvernement dé- Kurdes répartis au Moyen-Ori- hington a consacré tant de dant, les représailles du gou- mocratique pour la Syrie que ent n'ont pas leur propre État, ressources à la protection et à vernement irakien et sa les Kurdes ont établi, mais l'éducation au cours des trois tentative de reprendre les terri- aussi d'annuler tous les gains manquant ainsi de souverai- dernières années. toires kurdes une fois que les réalisés contre Daech. Depuis neté et de droit de légitime dé- États-Unis ont conclu un ces- 2014, plus de 11 000 Kurdes fense contre les pays dans J'ai moi-même vécu les sez-le-feu avec Hussein ont en Syrie ont donné leur vie lesquels ils résident. Les Kur- mêmes scènes terrifiantes que déclenché un exode massif de dans cet effort, ainsi que la des peuvent pardonner le fait nous assistons en Syrie - de Kurdes vers l'Iran, ma famille lutte contre l'extrémisme isla- qu'ils n'ont pas leur propre carnage et de destruction, de parmi eux, et une grave crise mique en Irak. Cela a empêché pays, et même pardonner les personnes fuyant la violence à humanitaire similaire à ce qui de nombreuses victimes amé- trahisons de l'Occident; Les pied pour se mettre en sécurité se passe en Syrie actuelle- ricaines, car les États-Unis ont Kurdes voient ce dernier dans les montagnes voisines - ment. principalement fourni une for- comme Trump - plutôt que lorsque ma propre famille a été mation et un soutien matériel attaquée en Irak. En effet, cette La crise humanitaire a incité la pendant que les Kurdes se comme Amérique - étant délo- expérience de persécution vio- France, la Grande-Bretagne et rendaient sur les lignes de yal, car la décision n'a pas ré- lente est courante chez les les États-Unis à lancer l'Opéra- front. sulté d'un processus de Kurdes de Syrie, d'Irak, de Tur- tion Provider Confort pour délibération par l'équipe de sé- quie et d'Iran, tous des endroits établir une zone d'exclusion Dans ma ville natale de Ha- curité nationale du Pentagone où les Kurdes ont été divisés aérienne au-dessus de la ré- labja, selon des ONG que j'ai et de la Maison Blanche. Au de force et rendus apatrides gion du Kurdistan irakien plus rencontrées lors d'une visite là- lieu de cela, cela semble pro- depuis que les puissances eu- tard dans l'année. La zone bas, plus de 50 combattants venir du comportement impul- ropéennes après la Première d'exclusion aérienne nous a kurdes ont perdu la vie en dé- sif et erratique du président Guerre mondiale ont tracé les permis, pour la première fois fendant notre liberté, y compris contre les conseils de ses frontières des nations moder- dans l'histoire moderne, de certains de mes amis d'école nes du Moyen-Orient. Mais construire une enclave pacifi- dont les affiches sont accroc- propres collaborateurs. dans le cas des Kurdes iraki- que dans le nord de l'Iraq avec hées à la porte de la ville en ce ens, contrairement à ce qui ar- un gouvernement démocrati- moment même. Parmi les Mais rien ne justifie de garder rive à nos frères syriens, les que qui fonctionne. Pendant la quelque 2 millions de Kurdes le silence sur la crise humani- États-Unis au cours des trois guerre d'Irak en 2003, les Kur- du Rojava, presque toutes les taire en cours créée par An- dernières décennies nous ont des ont poursuivi le processus familles ont perdu ou connu kara qui nous tue et nous aidés à échapper à l'effusion de mise en place d'une démoc- quelqu'un qui est décédé en déplace. Le président des de sang. ratie autonome dans le nord du combattant les extrémistes. États-Unis a la responsabilité pays. Il s'agit sans doute du d'empêcher la Turquie de mas- À l’âge de 11 ans, en 1991, je seul cas de construction de Les Kurdes de Syrie se sont sacrer les mêmes Kurdes qui suis déjà devenu réfugié pour l'État réussi aux États-Unis de- lancés dans la lutte contre la troisième fois. Nous avions puis l'Allemagne et le Japon. l'Etat islamique, car elle cons- ont aidé Washington à vaincre fui vers l'Iran en 1987 avec des tituait une menace non seule- l'Etat islamique et à faire du millions d'autres Kurdes fuyant De même, dans le nord-est de ment pour leur existence mais monde un endroit plus sûr pour les attaques brutales du dirige- la Syrie, avec des ressources pour leur mode de vie. Ils sa- tout le monde. ant irakien . très limitées et un embargo vaient que s'allier aux États- Ma famille a payé le régime ira- économique sévère de la part Unis contre l'extrémisme Yerevan Saeed est chercheur kien pour garantir notre retour du régime Assad et de la Tur- islamique dans cet environne- associé au Middle East Rese- en toute sécurité l'année sui- quie, mais avec l'aide des ment perfide signifierait que arch Institute et titulaire d'un vante, seulement pour subir États-Unis, les Kurdes ont s'ils étaient abandonnés, ces doctorat. candidat à l'École l'attaque chimique de 1988 établi une démocratie de rep- Kurdes seraient massacrés par dans ma ville natale de Ha- résentation diversifiée fondée la Turquie et d'autres puissan- d'analyse et de résolution des labja. Mon grand-père et quel- sur l'égalité des sexes. Les ces régionales. Les Kurdes ne conflits de George Mason. Il que deux douzaines de femmes kurdes ne sont pas l’ont pas fait par naïveté mais était auparavant correspon- membres de ma famille élargie seulement entrées sur le par une conviction profondé- dant à la Maison Blanche pour figuraient parmi les 5 000 tués, marché du travail des entrepri- ment ancrée que nos valeurs Kurdish Rudaw TV.

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 3 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

1 August 2020

Iran: Coronavirus Update, Over 80,700 Deaths, August 1, 2020, 6:00 PM CEST he People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran T(PMOI-MEK) announced this afternoon, August 1, 2020, that Coronavirus has taken the lives of more than 80,700 in 347 cities across Iran. The death toll in various prov- inces include: 6,063 in Khora- san Razavi, 5,695 in Khuzestan, 3,740 in Mazanda- ran, 3,628 in Isfahan, 3,205 in Lorestan, 2,496 in Sistan and Baluchistan, 2,490 in Alborz, 2,412 in West Azerbaijan, 2,355 in East Azerbaijan, 2,162 in GOlestan, 2,110 in Fars, 2,070 in Hamadan, 1,600 in View pictures in App save up to 80% data.Iran: Coronavirus Update, Over 80,700 Deaths, August 1, 2020 Kurdistan, 1,197 in North Kho- rasan, 890 in Bushehr, 855 in Markazi, and 522 in Charma- hal and Bakhtiari. This is in addition to reports ob- tained from other provinces.

2 August 2020

Turkey becoming ‘slaughterhouse for women’ as femicides continue to rise S ITS government faces Mass protests have taken place ac- one beaten to death and another out of the Istanbul Convention, with growing criticism over plans ross the country, triggered by the kill- pushed out of a building. pressure being exerted by conserva- Ato withdraw from the Istanbul ing of 27-year-old Kurdish student tive and Islamist elements of society Convention, Turkey has been ac- Pinar Gultekin last month. Her “As long as it is not uncovered why that believe the treaty undermines cused of becoming “a slaughter- former partner has been arrested and by whom women are murdered, family values. house for women,” with at least 36 and charged with her murder. perpetrators are not prosecuted and femicides reported last month. there are no deterrent penalties, pre- The government has been accused Women’s organisations and the vention measures are not imple- of waging “war on women” with The We Will Stop Femicide Platform Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) mented, the extent of violence structural discrimination at all levels (KCDP) documented at least 36 have led demands for Turkey not to against women will continue to of society. murders of women in July, a rise pull out of the Istanbul Convention, grow," KCDP said in a statement. from 26 reported in June, with 11 a 2011 Council of Europe treaty that In a bid to silence women, the HDP more found dead “in suspicious cir- obliges signatories to tackle gender- Turkey does not collate figures on co-chair system, which guarantees cumstances.” based crime, provide protection and femicide but, according to KCDP, at sex equality in all structures of the services for women and ensure that least 474 women were murdered in party, has been banned as an act of According to the group’s report, perpetrators are prosecuted. 2019. The researchers’ figures are “terrorism.” which draws on police statistics and considered to be a conservative press reports, 92 per cent of the vic- KCDP’s July report shows that at total, with one Turkish commentator Women’s organisations and individ- tims were killed by husbands, friends least 50 per cent of the victims were reporting to the Star that 59 women uals have been targeted by security and former partners. killed in their own homes and had actually been murdered in the services with at least 54 detained in KCDP said that in 18 cases it had another 17 per cent on the street. last 10 days. “Turkey is becoming a raids last month. not been established why the Six women were killed by their slaughterhouse for women,” they women were murdered, which the fathers, sons or other male relatives. said. group warned was “a consequence It is estimated that 3,000 women of the concealment of violence Of those killed, 24 women were The ruling Justice & Development have been murdered since the AKP against women and femicide.” shot, five stabbed, three strangled, Party (AKP) is considering pulling came to power in 2002.

4 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

2 août 2020

Damas dénonce un accord pétrolier entre les Kurdes et une compagnie américaine

amas a condamné di- Ni l'administration semi-auto- entre des voleurs qui volent et Interrogé par M. Graham lors manche Damas a con- nome kurde ni les Forces dé- des voleurs qui achètent», y de cette audience, le chef de la Ddamné dimanche un mocratiques syriennes (FDS) voyant «une atteinte à la sou- diplomatie américaine Mike accord conclu entre une com- n'ont communiqué sur ce dos- veraineté syrienne». Le com- Pompeo a confirmé le soutien pagnie pétrolière américaine et sier, alors qu'à Washington, muniqué fustige également de Washington. «L'accord a l'administration semi-auto- des responsables ont confirmé «l'approche américaine hostile pris plus longtemps que ce que nome kurde dans le nord-est un accord «pour moderniser à la Syrie: le vol des richesses nous espérions, nous en som- de la Syrie morcelée par la gu- les champs pétroliers du nord- du peuple syrien et l'entrave mes maintenant à sa mise en erre, dénonçant un «vol» et est syrien» sans plus de déta- des efforts de l'Etat à la re- oeuvre. Il peut être très puis- une atteinte à la souveraineté ils. construction». sant», a-t-il ajouté. du pays. La guerre meurtrière qui dé- Le ministère des Affaires étran- Jeudi, lors d'une audience au vaste la Syrie depuis 2011 a L'immense majorité des gères syrien a dénoncé un Congrès américain à Washing- coûté des dizaines de milliards champs pétroliers, dans l'Est et «accord signé par la milice des ton, le sénateur Lindsey Gra- de dollars au secteur des le nord-est du pays, échappent FDS et une compagnie pétro- ham a assuré avoir évoqué hydrocarbures. Les combats toujours à Damas. Ils sont con- lière américaine pour voler le l'accord avec le commandant ont parfois ravagé les infras- trôlés essentiellement par les pétrole syrien (...) avec le sou- en chef des FDS, Mazloum tructures, cibles des convoiti- Kurdes - soutenus par des tien de l'administration améri- Abdi. «Apparemment ils ont ses des différents belligérants. troupes américaines sur place caine», dans un communiqué signé un accord avec une com- Avant le conflit, la production - qui en ont fait la principale so- cité par l'agence officielle pagnie pétrolière américaine de pétrole brut syrien atteignait urce de revenus de leur admi- Sana. pour moderniser les champs près de 400.000 barils par jour. nistration semi-autonome. pétroliers du nord-est syrien», Aujourd'hui, elle s'est effon- Le texte dénonce «un accord a-t-il dit. drée.

2 août 2020 Mort suspecte d’un soldat kurde accusé d’être un « traître à la patrie » n jeune Kurde originaire mort suite à une crise cardia- de Kars a été retrouvé que alors que selon le départe- Umort lors de son service ment médico-légal d’Izmir, militaire obligatoire à Özçalımlı est tombé du troi- İzmir/Aliağa. Sa famille parle sième étage d’une section de d’un meurtre raciste car Özça- la prison… lımlı aurait été menacé par Déclarations contradictoires d’autres soldats qui l’accusa- concernant la mort d’Ozçalimli ient d’être un « traître à la pat- rie ». Osman Özçalımlı de la pro- vince de Kars effectuait un ser- Le père d’Osman Özçalımlı a vice militaire de courte durée déclaré que son fils lui avait té- pour l’armée turque dans une léphoné deux fois et qu’il lui prison d’Izmir. Le samedi avait dit qu’il était menacé par matin, il y a été retrouvé mort d’autres soldats qui l’accusa- de manière suspecte. Il y a des ient d’être un traître à la patrie déclarations contradictoires car il était kurde. été enterré dans son village de leur enfant. sur les circonstances de sa Kocaköy (Naxçîvan) à mort. Selon les autorités de sé- Osman Özçalımlı effectuait Kars/Digor. Sa famille a refusé Le père d’Özçalımlı a déclaré curité de Digor, Özçalımlı au- son service militaire obligatoire la présence des soldats et le que les autorités turques leur rait eu une crise cardiaque à la prison d’İzmir/Aliağa. Il a drapeau turc sur le cercueil de avaient dit que leur enfant était alors qu’il était en service à la

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prison de haute sécurité neur du district de Digor, le ne devais pas m’inquiéter. Le tombé du troisième. J’ai rap- d’Aliağa à Izmir vendredi soir. chef de la police et le chef du lendemain matin, on m’a dit pelé l’agent Ahmet. Il m’a dit Son corps a été retrouvé à cinq commandement de la police qu’Osman était mort. » qu’Osman s’était évanoui et heures du matin. Selon le dé- militaire du district. Özçalımlı avait été transporté à l’hôpital. partement médico-légal d’Iz- avait immédiatement fait savoir Après la conversation entre Il ne pouvait pas me dire de mir, Özçalımlı est tombé du qu’il ne pouvait croire la théorie Özçalımlı et les hauts fonction- quel hôpital il s’agirait. » troisième étage d’une section de la crise cardiaque, comme naires de Digor, ils ont mani- de la prison. Osman lui avait répété à plusi- festement changé de Dans l’armée turque, il y a tou- eurs reprises lors d’appels té- déclaration. Soudainement, le jours des «décès accidentels» Les proches du défunt ne cro- léphoniques dans les deux gouverneur du district a déc- suspects de soldats ou des ient à aucune des deux versi- jours précédant la découverte laré qu’Osman Özçalımlı aurait «maladies» aux conséquences ons. «Un jour avant sa mort, de son corps qu’il avait reçu pu en principe mourir d’autre mortelles. Cependant, la déc- Osman m’a appelé et m’a dit des menaces de mort. « Il a dit chose. «Un lieutenant, qui laration officielle la plus cou- qu’il était menacé en raison de qu’il était victime de discrimina- nous a également rendu visite, rante dans les cas de décès son identité kurde», a déclaré tion, qu’ils l’ont traité de « tra- a déclaré qu’Osman aurait pu douteux est le «suicide». Selon Ahmet Özçalımlı, le père du ître à son pays ». J’ai ensuite se cogner la tête. À ce mo- une étude de l’Association soldat décédé. appelé la prison et parlé à un ment-là, nous avions déjà mo- pour les droits humains et la sergent d’état-major nommé bilisé nos proches à Izmir et solidarité avec les opprimés La nouvelle de la mort de son Abdullah. Je lui ai dit le con- dans les environs, qui sont (Mazlum-Der), 90% des cons- fils lui a été personnellement tenu de la conversation avec allés à la médecine légale. On crits qui se seraient suicidés rapportée hier par le gouver- mon fils et il a répondu que je leur a dit que mon fils était sont des Kurdes.

August 3, 2020 By Zhelwan Z. Wali

Kurdish villagers, resettled Arab families clash in Kirkuk disputed territory

lashes erupted south of hawsh for Arabs relocated from Kirkuk between Kurdish elsewhere in Iraq in the 1990s Cvillagers and more than a on Guli Tapa land belonging to dozen Arab families who once Kurdish villagers, Shkur said. lived in the area over claims of Following the collapse of the land ownership in the volatile re- Baath regime in 2003, the resett- gion, a local Kurdish official said led Arabs were returned to their on Saturday. areas of origin further south in Iraq, with land returned to the The clash took place in Guli original Kurdish inhabitants, he Tapa, a village located between added, according to Article 140 Daquq in Kirkuk province and of the Iraqi Constitution - desig- in Salahaddin ned to resolve disputes of terri- province, Mala Karim Shkur, a tory claimed by Iraq's various Patriotic Union of Kurdistan ethnic and religious groups. (PUK) official told Rudaw. The area is disputed by the govern- Graphic: Maps4news, Sarkawt Mohammed / Rudaw "They have now come back and ments of the Kurdistan Region want to once again invade the and Iraq. Kurdish farmlands," Shkur said. with a group of Arab families Daquq mayor Luis Sheikh Fandi "We will move to this village to "Nearly 15 Arab resettled fami- stood in the distance. An Iraqi fe- denied that there were any support the Kurdish inhabitants lies who have broken into a vil- deral police vehicle is stood bet- armed clashes taking place bet- and farmers and will not allow lage located between Daquq ween the two crowds, while their ween Kurds and Arabs in the the resettled Arabs once again to and Tuz Khurmatu were confron- personnel is seen moving villa- area, but he did say that "there return to this region." ted by the Kurdish inhabitants of gers back. Dawoodi calls on the are land ownership issues in the area," Shkur, based in Tuz Kurds to stop throwing stones at Daquq which has remained un- However, since since federal for- Khurmatu, told Rudaw. the Arab families because there resolved between Kurds, Arabs ces took control of disputed ter- Footage captured by Kurdish are women and children among and the Iraqi government." ritories including Kirkuk on local Araz Dawoodi appears to them. Gunfire can be heard, but As part of its Arabization policy, October 16, 2017, Kurdish locals show a crowd of Kurdish villa- it is unclear from the footage Saddam Hussein's Baath regime have alleged that a "re-Arabiza- gers carrying sticks and stones, where the fire is coming from. constructed a village called Ma- tion" of the area is underway.

6 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 3, 2020

Libya score-settling moves closer to Turkey’s borders

urkey’s intervention in tain its armed insurgency aga- the Libyan war is driving inst Ankara. Tits adversaries to reta- liate beyond Libya in conflict In Syria, Cairo’s ties with the zones along Turkey’s own bor- Kurds are not based on a dual ders. agenda, unlike the Saudis, urkey's regional rivals are whose agenda overlaps to a going beyond Libya as they certain extent with that of the respond to the scale-tipping United States. Since the Turkish military intervention in overthrow of the Muslim Brot- the North African country. Ha- herhood government in 2013, ving declared a red line at Sirte Cairo has steered clear of a re- and al-Jufra on the Libyan batt- gime-change agenda in Syria. lefield, Egypt and its partners Unlike in Libya, it has pursued are stepping up efforts to im- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Libyan Prime Minister a more individual approach Fayez al-Sarraj (L) hold a joint press conference at the Presidential pede Turkey on the diplomatic that allows it to add military and Complex in Ankara on June 4, 2020. Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via front as well as in Syria and Getty Images. intelligence dimensions to its Iraq. relationship with Damascus. Tellingly, Egyptians were ab- While forging closer ties with course of events. Ample signs League while working connec- sent from a delegation of Damascus, Egypt has at the have already emerged that the tions with Kurdish actors. It has Saudi, Emirati and Jordanian same time focused on the Egypt-Emirati-Saudi axis is fol- allowed the Kurdish-led Syrian military officials that met with Syrian Kurds, following in the lowing a strategy to contain Democratic Forces to open an SDF leaders in northeast Syria steps of the United Arab Emi- and distract Turkey in conflict office in Cairo, facilitated dialo- in May 2018. rates and Saudi Arabia. Accor- zones in its proximity. The gue between the Kurds and ding to Turkey’s state-run moves the three countries Cairo-based Syrian oppositio- Of note, Egypt’s intelligence Anadolu news agency, Egypt have been making and the ties nists and sought to be a bridge chief, Abbas Kamel, has step- has now sent troops to , they seek to develop are lar- between the Kurds and Da- ped up contacts with Arab co- the rebel-held province where gely a response to Turkey and mascus. unterparts across the region. In Turkey has built up a military despite some gaps and discor- February, he visited eastern presence to keep the Syrian dance, they have complemen- Last fall, SDF commander Libya, Tunisia and Algeria in army from advancing. Citing ted each other in terms of Mazlum Abdi — also known as what was reportedly an effort “reliable military sources,” Ana- purpose. Mazlum Kobane — publicly to enhance intelligence colla- dolu reported July 30 that hailed Cairo’s criticism of Tur- boration against growing Tur- about 150 Egyptian soldiers, Egypt’s efforts to hinder Turkey key’s Operation Peace Spring kish influence in the region. In arriving via the military airport began several years ago, with that targeted Kurdish fighters early March, Kamel traveled to in , had been deployed to Ankara’s patronage of the east of the Euphrates. The of- Damascus, where he met with front lines in Khan al-Asal in Muslim Brotherhood underl- fensive had a major diplomatic Mamlouk — vice president the western countryside of ying the bad blood between the blowback for Ankara, with Ri- since last year — to discuss and around Saraqib in two. In November 2016, for yadh, Abu Dhabi and Cairo re- “the war on terrorism in Syria” southern Idlib, armed with light instance, the Lebanese news- ceiving SDF representatives. as well as regional develop- weapons and coordinating with paper As-Safir claimed that The delegations that went to ments, according to local Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Egypt had dispatched 18 heli- Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were re- media reports. Visiting Damas- Guard Corps and Iran-backed copter pilots to help the Syrian portedly headed by Kobane cus at the same time was a se- militias. army and planned a larger mi- himself. nior delegation from eastern litary deployment down the Libya that signed dozens of Kamal Amer, chair of the Egyp- road. The report followed a visit Even more remarkably, Egypt protocols with the Syrian go- tian Parliament’s Defense and to Cairo by Syria’s intelligence has vocally slammed Turkey’s vernment and reopened the National Security Committee, chief, Ali Mamlouk, the previ- ongoing military operations in Libyan Embassy in the city. denied the report and the ous month. Once the intelli- northern Iraq and sought to The ground for the visit was Syrian Observatory of Human gence chiefs of two key players make use of Baghdad’s laid by Egypt and the Libyans Rights said its local sources in the Middle East take the unease to boost bilateral ties spoke of cooperation against had failed to confirm the dep- stage, it's clear that overt or co- and draw Iraq into the Arab fold Ankara’s “expansionist” ambiti- loyment. vert cooperation is in the cards. as much as possible. Turkey’s ons in the region. The veracity of the report may operations target the outlawed be disputed, but such Egyptian For quite some time, Egypt has Kurdistan Workers Party On July 21, Egyptian President assistance to Damascus would been trying to lay the ground (PKK), which has long used Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had a hardly be a surprise, given the for Syria’s return to the Arab bases in Iraqi Kurdistan to sus- phone call with the Saudi king,

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followed by a flurry of Saudi Egyptian-led war in the co- The risk of a Turkish-Egyptian Turkey’s borders, primarily diplomatic activity in the region. untry. faceoff in Sirte may be frozen through ties with the Kurds. Up Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal for now, but the tensions are until the 1998 Adana accord, bin Farhan traveled to Algeria, Sisi and the king spoke a day taking on new dimensions as which averted the threat of Tur- Tunisia and Morocco after a after the Egyptian Parliament Turkey becomes the target of a July 27 visit to Cairo, where he authorized a cross-border mili- containment strategy of sorts. kish military action against reaffirmed Saudi support for tary deployment on “a western The maneuvers of the Egypt- Syria for harboring the PKK, Egypt in the Libyan turmoil. In front” — a reference to Libya Emirati-Saudi axis could even- regional issues linked to Tur- tually fail to change the sum, Riyadh is trying to — to counter “criminal armed key’s internal dynamics were of strengthen Egypt’s hand in militias and foreign terrorist multi-factor equilibrium in little interest to other Arab ac- Libya and weaken the Turkey- elements,” after Cairo’s June 6 Libya, but the trio might create Qatar axis, but is cautious not appeal for a cease-fire and ne- serious troubles for Ankara by tors. This policy is gradually to appear to be encouraging an gotiations in Libya fell through. edging into restive areas along changing.

3 août 2020 ROJAVA. Une première usine de produits alimentaires inaugurée à Kobanê

’administration autonome denrées alimentaires dont les du Rojava dirigée par les habitants de la région avaient LKurdes a inauguré juillet besoin. dernier la première usine de « Nous travaillons avec tous produits alimentaires dans le nos efforts pour réaliser des canton de Kobanê, dans le progrès dans le domaine éco- nord du pays. nomique afin de trouver un équilibre entre l’offre et la de- Le gouvernement syrien, sous mande, et nous cherchons le contrôle complet du parti avec le temps à exporter des Baas, a interdit les usines et denrées alimentaires hors de les universités dans le nord à la région. » prédominance kurde du pays depuis 1960, jusqu’au déclenc- La jeune ouvrière Fatima Bou- hement de la guerre civile syri- zan a exprimé sa joie face à enne en 2011 et la mise en l’ouverture de l’usine. place de l’administration diri- gée par les Kurdes. ran Omar a déclaré à que la illeurs de l’usine et la popula- «Ce projet est une étape vers création de l’usine était une ré- tion», a-t-il poursuivi. le progrès et la prospérité, car L’Autorité économique de l’ad- ponse à la crise économique et il profite grandement aux trava- ministration autonome de la à l’énorme hausse des prix des Il a ajouté que le but de l’usine illeurs d’ici qui avaient un be- Syrie du Nord et de l’Est a ou- denrées alimentaires dans la n’est pas de faire des profits, soin urgent de travail», a-t-elle vert une usine de produits ali- région, en particulier après l’ef- mais de bénéficier des resso- déclaré. mentaires appelée Khairat fondrement de la monnaie lo- urces de la région et d’attein- Al-Furat dans le village de cale. dre l’autosuffisance. Pendant environ cinq décen- Qena, à l’ouest de Kobani. nies, le nord de la Syrie a man- «Nous avons ouvert cette La plupart des travailleurs ont qué de projets économiques L’usine qui emploie environ 60 usine pour alléger le fardeau déclaré qu’ils étaient heureux répondant aux besoins de la ouvriers, dont la plupart sont des résidents, qui ont du mal à d’avoir un esprit de coopéra- population. Actuellement, l’Ad- des femmes est une coopéra- acheter des produits coûteux tion dans leur travail et un sens ministration autonome travaille tive appartenant au secteur sur le marché», a-t-il déclaré. des responsabilités dans leur sur des projets de sécurité et public et fabrique de la confi- devoir humain de contribuer et de stabilité pour débarrasser la ture, de la mélasse, de la «Malgré la courte période qui de soutenir l’économie de la région des cellules de l’EI et purée de tomates et de poiv- s’est écoulée depuis l’ouver- région. des groupes terroristes, ce qui rons, en plus d’épices. ture de l’usine, il est devenu Amina Ali, une ouvrière de signifie que les projets écono- clair pour nous qu’elle a un l’usine, a déclaré qu’elle s’était miques peuvent parfois être Le directeur de l’usine Kame- grand avantage pour les trava- jointe au travail pour fournir les une priorité de second rang.

8 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 3, 2020

Iranians Protest Killing Of Kurdish Porters By Border Guards ranian social media users pus- remely dangerous terrain in re- hed the hashtag created in turn for a small fee. Many get ca- Isupport of Kurdish tansborder ught in snowstorms in the porters (kolbar) to the top of tren- treacherous mountain paths and ding hashtags in Persian on others are shot by border guards Sunday. and patrols.

During the so-called "Twitters- The practice developed as torm" Sunday evening tweets small-scale, cross-border trans- with the hashtag "Don't Kill Kol- port of goods to evade import- bars" were retweeted more than export restrictions and customs 100,000. duties, but after decades it is Kolbar -- transborder porter who is employed to carry goods on their part of the local life and eco- backs across the Iran-Iraq border -- carrying his load across western The Twitter storm or protest by nomy. Some have coined the Iranian mountains. hashtags was spurred by seve- term "human mules" for the kol- call "systematic killing of kolbars" cision to uphold the death sen- ral new reports about the killing bars. followed an online campaign on tences issued against three of Kurdish porters by border gu- Many Children Working As Por- July 14 with the young men for anti-government ards in the mountainous border ters Die On Iran-Iraq Border "Don't Kill" hashtag in response protests in December 2017 and areas of Iran's Kordestan and to the confirmation of death sen- January 2019. West Azarbaijan provinces ac- Human rights organizations say tences against three young men ross from Iraq. According to authorization of the border-gu- arrested at anti-go vernment pro- Iranian authorities defend the Hengaw, a Kurdish human rights ards to shoot-on-sight has led to tests last November. border guards' killing of kolbars organization, 6 kolbars were the death of 79 kolbars and in- by resorting to the accusation of shot dead and 14 others were jury of 66 others in 2019. In De- The hashtag in Persian trended smuggling. Critics, however, say wounded by Iranian border gu- cember, Hengaw said in the on Twitter and posts with the many kolbars engage in the dan- ards in July. same year twenty-one adoles- gerous profession due to the ex- cents and children working as hashtag were used more than ten million times and the campa- tensive poverty and very high Thousands of impoverished porters had died from soldiers’ ign attracted global attention. unemployment rates in the regi- Kurds engage in the deadly bullets or cold weather. ons where the discriminated trade of carrying massive loads The hashtag was again used to against Kurdish-speaking popu- on their backs across the border The Twitter campaign against protest to the Supreme Court de- lation is in majority. with Iraqi Kurdistan through ext- what human rights organizations

August 3, 2020 Iran strikes Kurdish opposition party base in Kurdistan Region territory nmanned Iranian drones The unmanned drones targeted Since 2016, a number of the Ira- out letting their animals graze are and artillery shells struck a our bases with missiles causing nian Kurdish parties including the stuck." Unumber of bases belon- no casualties," said official Kawa PDKI have transferred their ging to a Kurdish opposition Bahrami. bases from populated areas of brahim Nadir, a cowherder who group in Erbil province on Mon- the Kurdistan Region to the bor- had put his animals out to pas- day, an official affiliated with the der with Iran. The Kurdistan Re- ture in Barbzin, told Rudaw via te- group confirmed, with no casu- Monday's shelling comes six gional Government (KRG) has lephone that he saw "Iranian alties reported. weeks after both Iranian artillery called on armed Iranian Kurdish artillery shells hit a [KDPI's] The strikes hit the mountainous and Turkish drones struck Erbil opposition groups not to launch base." Barbzin area of Erbil, close to the province's Haji Omaran district attacks against neighboring co- Kurdistan Region-Iran border, the bordering Iran – just days after untries from Kurdistan Region "I saw a vehicle leaving the base. head of the Kurdistan Peshmerga Turkey launched its continuing air territory. I'm not sure if it was rushing out Command – affiliated with the and ground campaign on suspec- the injured or not," Nadir said. Kurdistan Democratic Party of ted Kurdistan Workers' Party Local civilian Fakhir Taha told "We're safe and sound, but sca- Iran (KDPI) armed opposition (PKK) bases within Kurdistan Re- Rudaw via telephone that "a red of the artillery shelling. We're group – told Rudaw. gion borders. number of cowherders who are stuck in hiding," he added.

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 9 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 3, 2020 By Vladimir DanilovN

Kurds Rebuild Ties with Washington to Even the Score with Ankara and Damascus

he cultural identity of the aratism with money from the illegal the backbone of which is formed Middle East where peoples After Saddam Hussein was de- Syrian oil trade from crude ex- by the Kurdish People’s Protection Tlived for century without posed by the Americans in 2005, tracted east of the Euphrates. Units. On July 30, US Senator statehood has given the Kurds a an autonomous Kurdistan Region Since May, the United States has Lindsey Graham reported that po- particularly strong incentive to was established in Iraq, and Amer- been accelerating the transfer of litical representatives of the Syrian carry on their struggle for inde- ican political scientists drafted a military personnel and weapons to Kurds signed a deal with an Amer- pendence over the last few dec- new constitution for a “free Iraq”, the region under the control of the ican oil company to modernize oil ades, and American political which assigned the presidential Democratic Union Party (PYD), a fields in parts in the northeast of strategists have taken full advan- post to a Kurd. Since then, the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan the Syrian Arab Republic that are tage of this. That is why the Kurds has had to be an Workers Party (PKK), and has under the control of the predomi- have been designated a place on ethnic Kurd under the new power- been stepping up its work to nantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic the map to establish their own in- sharing deal, although Kurds only create infrastructure for a Kurdish Forces in order to strengthen busi- dependent state of Kurdistan in make up 16 % of the population in state, whose administrative center ness ties with Washington. America’s plans for the Greater Iraq. chosen by the Kurds is the town of Middle East (MENA), which would Tabqa under Kurdish control, 40 While this was going on, the serve as a new Washington-con- After President Barack Obama km west of . That is why the leaders of the Syrian Democratic trolled ally with a population of 30 sent US troops into Syria in 2015, Pentagon has begun actively Forces (SDF) comprised of Kurd- million, and would owe its exis- the Kurds served as reliable allies transferring military personnel, ish paramilitary groups hired lob- tence to the United States. Yet for the United States in this coun- weapons and military equipment byists in Washington in order to being able to rely on US-funded try for some time, devoted to their from Iraqi territory to the al-Hasa- guarantee better protection from Kurdish armed groups to deal with cause in the fight against DAESH kah Governorate controlled by the the Turkish Army Forces during regional security issues would be in the Levant. The US supplied the PYD. US forces are transferring their “Claw-Eagle” military opera- just one of the tasks the White Kurds with weapons and training, armored vehicles accompanied by tion, and to avoid falling under the House plans to allocate to this and used them in the war against drones across the border at Bara “Caesar Act”, which came into Kurdish state, given that the Kurds DAESH. (Iraq) and al-Hawl (Syria) to the force in America in the summer, have proven they are capable in airbase in Tal Baydar. The US mil- prohibiting all relations with official combat and have demonstrated However, the Kurds have been be- itary have also brought convoys of Damascus. According to the For- their commitment to achieving mil- trayed time and time again oil and gas specialists from Ca- eign Lobby Report this is what mo- itary objectives. The state could throughout history as pawns in a nada, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to tivated Kurdish leaders to sign a also be used to maintain a favor- game of political chess played by northern Syria, who plan to maxi- contract with prominent lawyer able power balance in the Middle the “great powers”, and history has mize oil production, which will put Ayal Frank and his company AF East from Washington’s point of repeated itself. All too often, the Washington’s plans into practice, International to secure lobbying for view, between Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Kurds have been left to do most of enabling a “Greater Kurdistan” to their interests in Congress and in and part of the Kurds’ historical the hard work, only to find that the be established on Syrian, Iraqi, the administration of President homeland in east Transcaucasia next move will seal an inescapable Iranian and Turkish territory. There Donald Trump. The deal re- between the Kur and Araxes fate, and they are to be offered up have been numerous reports pub- portedly includes consulting serv- rivers, where they have lived for as a sacrifice with checkmate. This lished by various media outlets, as ices, drawing up a plan for centuries. is exactly what has now happened well as satellite imagery from the interaction with government following Trump’s decision to with- Russian Ministry of Defense, agencies and the media in the In order to go about seizing Syrian draw US troops and leave the which show Americans engaging United States, as well as organiz- and Iraqi territory where Kurdistan Kurds to be torn asunder by Tur- in oil production on Syrian territory ing meetings and events with gov- could be established in the future key in Syria and Iraq. and the oil being subsequently ernment officials and journalists. without violating international law, taken away on tank trucks for ex- the US used their fight against However, the Kurds do objectively port, which indicate that the United The question remains whether DAESH (banned in Russia), which have a very important and “well- States is plundering Syria’s natural these actions taken by the SDF had taken the entire geo-cultural oiled” tool, which they are now resources on a mass scale to strengthen ties with Wash- historical region traditionally inhab- able to use as leverage in the cur- through industrial mining in re- ington and the robbing of the ited by the Kurds in the Levant. rent situation to try and win back gions of the country that have Syrian people by United States Washington planned to sustain the Washington’s affection. It is no se- been taken illegally. will strengthen the authority of Kurdish–Turkish conflict between cret that Syria’s oil and gas re- this Kurdish alliance, in a coun- the Republic of Turkey and various serves have fueled the prolonged The United States began drafting try where the Kurds expect to Kurdish insurgent groups fighting conflict in this country. And the re- a special coordinating unit in Syria continue to live, even if it to gain independence for Northern gions with oil and gas reserves to guard the oil fields east of the means continuing to endure Kurdistan in Eastern and South- have recently passed from the Euphrates river, which included the illegal US military pres- eastern Turkey. Washington must hands of terrorists to the Kurds. ethnic Arab fighters from the Syr- ence. Or will we witness Wash- surely have its own “Kurdish plan” ian Democratic Forces (SDF), an ington abandoning its Kurdish for Iran like Turkey’s, where Kurds Given these circumstances, recent alliance in the allies yet again, once they make up 9% of the country’s pop- US operations in Syria have fo- composed primarily of Kurdish, have completed the task of ulation. cused on stimulating Kurdish sep- Arab, and Assyrian/Syriac militias, helping America plunder

10 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

4 août 2020

Intolérable agression de la communauté arménienne es événements d'une ext- Les appels au meurtre contre les jectif est de peser sur les décisi- ens, aux kurdes, aux arméniens rême gravité se sont pro- Arméniens et la négation du gé- ons de la France par l'intermédi- ainsi qu'aux minorités religieu- Dduits le 24 juillet à Decines nocide deviennent désormais, aire du Parti Egalité Justice ses. (Rhône) alors que la commu- par leur récurrence, intolérables. (PEJ), officine de l'AKP en nauté arménienne s'était ras- Ces exactions sont clairement France. Le Parti communiste français semblée pacifiquement pour nourries par l'extrémisme de la condamne ces violences et de- dénoncer la brutale agression politique de R.T.Erdogan qui at- Les organisateurs de ces violen- mande au gouvernement de militaire de l'Arménie par l'Azer- tise en Turquie mais également ces n'en sont pas à leur coup mettre un terme au déchaine- baïdjan. dans une partie de la diaspora d'essai. Ils ont, voici plusieurs ment d'agressivité de ces grou- un nationalisme exacerbé. mois, tenté d'empêcher une réu- pes factieux. Les responsables Un groupe fasciste turc lourde- nion publique de l'association doivent être poursuivis pour les ment armé, s'inspirant des mét- L'ambassade de Turquie à Paris France-Kurdistan. La multiplica- dégradations commises, les vio- hodes des Loups Gris et des coordonne ces opérations, en- tion des incidents montre qu'un lences armées et la négation du djihadistes s'en est pris violem- courage la violence des associa- palier a été franchi. R.T.Erdogan génocide arménien. De plus, le ment aux manifestants et aux tions locales turques tente d'exporter en France la vio- PCF exige la dissolution du Parti forces de l'ordre qui s'interposa- enregimentées sous la bannière lence inouïe qu'il fait subir aux Egalité et Justice (PEJ). ient. du dictateur d'Ankara. Leur ob- démocrates, aux assyro-chaldé-

4 août 2020 Le Rojava menacé par une vague d’infections dues au COVID19

usqu’à présent, les Kur- du Nord et de l’Est, estime que Damas de ne pas contribuer à Nous voulons maintenir la des du Rojava avaient le gouvernement syrien a une la lutte contre la pandémie. À stratégie d’isolement jusqu’à Jréussi à faire face au co- responsabilité : « Le virus est cette époque, même les con- ce que plus aucune infection ronavirus en fermant leurs introduit et propagé par les trôles antivirus effectués par locale ne soit détectée », a dé- frontières et en imposant des voyageurs [venus par avion à les équipes de prévention de la claré Mistefa. mesures de quarantaine Qamishlo, dont l’aéroport est pandémie du gouvernement strictes. Maintenant, une sous contrôle du régime syr- autonome avaient été sabotés Pas de soutien de l’OMS vague d’infection redoutable ien]. Nous avons déployé des et les personnes entrant à semble avoir atteint la Syrie du efforts considérables pour met- Damas avaient été littérale- L’administration autonome du Nord et de l’Est. Mais ni l’OMS tre en œuvre des concepts de ment kidnappées par des em- nord et de l’est de la Syrie n’at- ni l’ONU ne semblent vouloir sécurité susceptibles de fournir ployés de l’aéroport afin de ne tend pas de soutien de l’Orga- venir en aide au Rojava. une protection suffisante con- pas être mises en quarantaine. nisation mondiale de la santé tre le virus Covid-19. Cepen- (OMS) dans la lutte contre le La Syrie du Nord et de l’Est a dant, l’exploitant de l’aéroport Actuellement, on estime qu’il y coronavirus. « Après la rév- jusqu’à présent bien maîtrisé la national continue de se mont- a 30 cas d’infection dans le olution du Rojava, les hôpitaux pandémie du coronavirus rer peu soucieux de prévenir la nord et l’est de la Syrie (au 2 de la région ont été équipés de grâce à des restrictions pour propagation du virus. Nos en- août). La plupart des per- matériel médical. Mais depuis éviter la propagation du virus. quêtes ont montré que tous les sonnes infectées vivent dans le début de la pandémie, au- Pendant des mois, les régions patients chez lesquels nous la région de Cizîrê, mais des cune aide de l’OMS n’est arri- autonomes ont réussi à avons détecté le coronavirus infections ont également été vée dans nos régions. Il n’y a s’isoler, des frontières large- ces dernières semaines ont détectées à Raqqa et Deir ez- de toute façon pas d’aide du ment fermées et des con- été infectés chez des voy- Zor. « L’essentiel est mainten- gouvernement syrien pour les ditions de quarantaine strictes ageurs vivant dans les zones ant d’empêcher le virus de se régions autonomes, car la dis- ont protégé la région du virus. du régime. » propager au-delà des zones tribution de l’aide humanitaire Mais maintenant, la vague d’in- touchées. Cependant, nous ne est coordonnée par les Nations fection tant redoutée semble L’administration autonome pouvons y parvenir qu’en pre- Unies et l’OMS via Damas et le avoir atteint la Syrie du Nord et avait déjà critiqué en avril que nant des mesures strictes. En régime omet largement le nord de l’Est. l’aéroport de Qamishlo était tant que comité de santé, nous et l’est de la Syrie. « L’OMS Ciwan Mistefa, coprésident du une faiblesse majeure dans les avons donc décidé de réintro- devrait fournir une aide directe Comité de la santé de l’admin- mesures de prévention contre duire des couvre-feux stricts si elle veut soutenir notre pop- istration autonome de la Syrie le coronavirus et accusé dans toute la région de Cizîrê. ulation », a déclaré Mistefa.

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 11 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 4, 2020

Tortured Kurdish prisoner ‘at risk of execution’ in Iran: Amnesty nother Kurd convicted cording to Amnesty, the pris- of espionage based on oner vehemently denies the Aa confession obtained accusations, saying he left the through torture in Iran is facing group in the eighties and was execution, Amnesty Inter- accused of the crime after national has warned. being in contact with his wife’s relative, who is a member of The human rights group issued the opposition group, on Insta- a call for urgent action on Mon- gram. day to halt the execution of Ar- salan Khodkam, who was “On one occasion, Arsalan sentenced to death on July 14, Khodkam had informed his rel- 2018, “after a grossly unfair ative, a member of the KDPI, trial that lasted about 30 mi- that the Revolutionary Guards Arslan Khodram was sentenced to death on July 14, 2018. Photo : Hen- gaw nutes and relied on “confes- were preparing to send forces sions” he says were obtained to crush a series of peaceful Following his arrest in , various charges including ad- under torture.” Relatives were anti-establishment strikes and Arsalan Khodkam withstood vocating for democracy and told in May that Khodkam protests in Baneh, Kurdistan days of physical torture, but promoting the rights of women, could be executed at any time, province, which started in April signed the self-incriminating workers, and ethnic minorities. Amnesty said. 2018,” reads the sample letter statements that the inter- for Amnesty’s campaign which rogators had prepared after Khodkam, a 47-year-old from urges for his conviction and they subjected him to psycho- Ethnic minority groups includ- Urmia, West Azerbaijan prov- death sentence to be quashed. logical torture by detaining his ing Kurds and Azeris are dis- ince, is accused of "spying” for wife on 28 April 2018 for two proportionately detained and the Kurdish Democratic Party Khodkam claims to not have days and threatening to harm more harshly sentenced for of Iran (KDPI), an armed oppo- shared any other sensitive in- her and their son,” adds the acts of political dissidence, ac- sition group based in Iraq's formation on the IRGC or its letter. cording to a July 2019 report Kurdistan Region, while work- activities, but signed a confes- from the United Nations Spe- ing for Iran's Islamic Rev- sion admitting to having done Tens of thousands of political cial Rapporteur on human olutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) so after enduring torture and prisoners are jailed in Iran over rights in Iran. as a low-ranking officer.Ac- threats to his family.

August 4, 2020

Yazidi children still traumatised by ordeal at hands of Isis

raqi Yazidi children kid- child soldiers and girls to began in early August 2014 in were established by Turkish napped by Islamic State six “marry” Islamic State fighters. villages in the of and Syrian Kurdish fighters, Iyears ago remain deeply Children were denied school- north-western Iraq. In re- who escorted the Yazidis to traumatised by their ordeal, ing and compelled to abandon sponse 50,000 Yazidis fled into Syria. Amnesty International has their Yazidi faith by adopting the Sinjar mountains where said. Islam, and to speak Arabic they were besieged without Some 10,000 Yazidi men and rather than their native Kurd- food or water. boys were murdered and 7,000 In a 57-page report, Legacy of ish. women and girls abducted. Terror, The Plight of Yezidi The UN has branded as geno- While Turkish Kurdish fighters More than 70 mass graves Child Survivors of Isis, Am- cide Islamic State’s seizure attempted to counter the Is- have been found in the region. nesty says nearly 2,000 Yazidi and treatment of Iraq’s ethnic lamic State offensive, Iraqi children suffered indoctrina- Kurdish Yazidis, who practice army helicopters dropped “Many child survivors have re- tion, rape, torture, starvation, an ancient monotheistic reli- supplies to the Yazidis. Then turned from [Islamic State] cap- and slavery at the hands of the gion. US president Barack Obama tivity with debilitating long-term terror group. The massacre of Yazidis by Is- ordered air-strikes on Islamic injuries, illnesses or physical Boys were forced to serve as lamic State, also known as Isis, State fighters. Safe corridors impairments. The most com-

12 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

mon mental health conditions Yazidi families are often forced experienced by these children to endure an isolated exis- include post-traumatic stress, tence. anxiety and depression. Symp- toms and behaviours often dis- “Many find that their families played include aggression, are not willing to acknowledge flashbacks, nightmares, with- what they have experienced in drawal from social situations, captivity or even deny it alto- and severe mood swings,” the gether.”. Amnesty report states. Children fathered by Islamic “Survivors of horrific crimes, State members have “largely these children now face a leg- been denied a place in the Ya- acy of terror. Their physical and zidi community”, it adds, due to mental health must be a prior- rejection by the Yazidi Su- Displaced children from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from for- ces loyal to the Islamic State. “Many child survivors have returned from ity in the years ahead if they preme Spiritual Council on the captivity with debilitating long-term injuries, illnesses or physical impair- are to fully reintegrate into their basis that they do not have two ments,” according to an Amnesty report. Photograph: Rodi Said/Reuters families and community,” said Yazidi parents. Amnesty’s response deputy di- apart from their community; a separations to be prevented, rector Matt Wells. few have threatened suicide. and opportunities for inter- Furthermore, Iraqi law “man- national resettlement provided. He urged the Iraqi government dates that a child of an ‘un- “These women were enslaved, and international community to known’ or Muslim father must tortured and subjected to sex- Although 350,000 Yazidis live provide the children with the be registered as Muslim,” Am- ual violence,” Mr Wells said. in camps for the displaced in “support they desperately need nesty reports. “They should not suffer any northern Iraq, they cannot re- to rebuild their lives as part of further punishment.” turn to their villages. Iraqi mili- the Yazidi community’s future”. Some women have been tiamen and Islamic State Live apart forced to abandon their chil- fighters continue to clash and dren in order to return to their He called for mothers and chil- Turkish war planes bomb Kurd- The report says that former Isis families; some have chosen to dren to remain together, future ish positions. child soldiers returned to their keep their children and live

August 5, 2020 Hiwa Shilani COVID-19: Kurdistan announces 357 new cases; medical clinics to reopen

urdistan Region’s Mi- The total number of individu- from the virus,” the health mi- hin the borders of Erbil pro- nistry of Health anno- als infected with the virus nistry’s statement read, cal- vince and because of the he- Kunced on Tuesday since its outbreak in the re- ling on them to visit plasma alth situation and the needs over 350 new cases of the gion has reached 15,173, in- donation clinics exactly 28 of people, the Operations coronavirus, 12 deaths, and cluding 586 deaths and 5,036 days after their infection had Room has decided in consul- categorized 138 patients as patients currently receiving been confirmed. tation with the Ministry of He- having recovered over the medical care. alth and the Ministry of previous 24 hours. At the same time, the Erbil Interior to reopen them.” On Tuesday evening, the mi- Operations Room charged The health ministry mentio- nistry urged those who have with managing the provincial The coronavirus has infected ned in its daily statement that recovered from the coronavi- response to combat the pan- more than 18.4 million people it had carried out 2,762 tests rus to donate their blood demic issued a decision that worldwide and killed nearly in the past 24 hours. Accor- plasma to help save others allowed the reopening of cli- ding to the most recent go- now in serious condition. nics and other medical facili- 700,000 according to govern- vernment information, 357 of ties that had been previously ment-reported data compiled those tests came back posi- “One of the treatment lines closed, but that they must fol- by Johns Hopkins University. tive: 218 in Erbil province, 83 for patients with the COVID- low strict health regulations. The actual figures could be in , 56 in Sulaimani, 19 virus is taking blood dramatically higher due to in- and none in Halabja. plasma of infected people “Regarding clinics, medical sufficient testing capabilities after they have recovered centers, and complexes wit- or underreporting.

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 13 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

10 août 2020 Elizabeth Hagedorn

Iran : Une campagne de défense des Koulbars se répand sur Twitter

a campagne « vant dans les régions frontaliè- sonnes, ce qui signifie que le Mais alors que ces meurtres #Don’t_Kill_Kulbars » res de l’Iran. » nombre de décès a augmenté et ces décès, liés aux vies L(Ne tuez pas les Koul- de 8 % en une année. dangereuses et à leur travail, bars) a été lancée le di- Encouragés par l’énorme suc- se poursuivent, les respon- manche 2 août 2020. Au cès de la récente campagne Les mêmes statistiques révè- sables gouvernementaux font moment de la rédaction du #Do_Not_Execute (elle est lent que 50 Koulbars ont été très peu de choses pour amé- présent document, le hashtag devenue le hashtag le plus po- tués et 144 blessés après liorer la situation, en s’occu- a été utilisé 122 000 fois et a pulaire pendant deux heures à avoir été abattus par des gar- pant des décès et des fait a été diffusé sur Twitter. la fin du mois de juillet, et elle des-frontières iraniens, soit 77 blessures de manière très sé- a été postée plus de 10 milli- % des personnes que les lective, voire pas du tout. En Les militants de la société ci- ons de fois sur Twitter), les mi- chiffres analysent. Un Koulbar fait, ils communiquent souvent vile ont attiré l’attention sur les litants iraniens ont créé a été tué par une mine terres- des informations trompeuses Koulbars kurdes, qui sont per- #Don’t_Kill_Kulbars pour infor- tre que les forces de sécurité et peu concluantes sur les Ko- sécutés, privés de leurs droits mer le monde sur la commu- iraniennes avaient posée, et ulbars et leur situation. S’ils et même tués juste pour avoir nauté et la discrimination dont 11 ont été blessés et handica- signalent leur mort, ce sont les essayé de gagner leur vie. les Koulbars sont victimes. La pés à vie par des mines. Sept histoires de gelures et de chu- campagne a démarré à des 50 morts étaient des en- Rien qu’en 2019, au moins 76 21h30, heure iranienne, le di- fants. tes tragiques des précipices Koulbars kurdes ont été tués manche 2 août, et elle a été de montagne dont les gens et 176 blessés. Farhad Khos- twittée plus de 122 000 fois Plusieurs Koulbars sont morts entendent parler, et non les ravi était l’un d’entre eux. jusqu’à présent, le hashtag le de catastrophes naturelles ou tirs délibérés des gardes-fron- plus populaire en Iran. d’accidents dus au terrain en tières. Le jeudi 30 juillet, la nouvelle 2019, dont des avalanches et est apparue que Vazir Mo- En même temps, la campagne des chutes de montagnes. Pourtant, ce n’est pas seule- hammadi, un jeune Koulbar #Do_Not_Kill_ Soukhtbars a Vingt-trois Koulbars sont ment ce déni et ces déclarati- kurde, avait été tué dans la également été lancée. Elle a morts de gelures, dont un en- ons hypocrites qui posent zone frontalière de Nosud à permis de sensibiliser les so- fant, et 19 autres ont souffert problème aux Koulbars. Tout Kermanshah. Cela a été une ukhtbars, ces personnes de de graves gelures. Deux Koul- soutien de leur part est sancti- nouvelle choquante, mais pas l’ethnie baloutche qui trans- bars ont été tués dans des ac- onné. Ils sont persécutés s’ils inattendue. Tous ceux qui sui- portent des marchandises en cidents de la route ; deux protestent contre la façon dont vent la situation critique des voiture ou en moto à travers la autres ont été blessés dans ils sont traités, y compris si Koulbars, ces hommes kurdes frontière iranienne avec le Pa- les mêmes accidents. Les vic- des familles se plaignent que qui transportent des marchan- kistan. Comme les Koulbars times étaient originaires des leurs proches se font tirer des- dises à travers la frontière kurdes, les soukhtbars peu- provinces de l’Azerbaïdjan oc- sus par des agents iraniens. entre l’Iran et l’Irak, savent à vent parfois être pris pour cible cidental, du Kurdistan et du quel point ils risquent leur vie, par les gardes-frontières, qui Kermanshah, respectivement. Le 2 juillet, un groupe de 10 et pour très peu d’argent. Et la leur tirent dessus et les tuent militants civils de Baneh a été situation semble s’aggraver. parfois. L’organisation des droits hu- condamné à un total de 30 mains Hengaw a rapporté le mois de prison, 250 coups de Depuis des années, les grou- Il n’existe pas de statistiques samedi 1er août que six Koul- fouet et une amende de 250 pes de défense des droits hu- précises concernant les victi- bars ont été tués et 14 autres millions de tomans [10 600 mains font état des Koulbars mes des soukhtbar, mais il blessés en Iran au mois de ju- euros]. Ils ont été punis pour et de la discrimination dont ils existe un décompte des Koul- illet. Parmi ceux-ci, cinq ont sont victimes. Ahmed Sha- bars tués ces dernières an- été tués et onze ont été bles- s’être rassemblés pacifique- heed, ancien rapporteur spé- nées. Au cours de la période sés par des gardes-frontières ment devant le bureau du gou- cial des Nations unies sur la de cinq ans allant de 2015 à iraniens qui leur ont tiré des- verneur de Baneh en situation des droits humains 2019, un total de 368 Koulbars sus. En juin, sept Koulbars ont septembre 2017 en protesta- en Iran, a décrit la dure discri- ont été tués et 595 blessés. été tués par les tirs directs des tion contre le meurtre de Koul- mination dont ils sont victimes gardes-frontières iraniens, et bars par les gardes-frontières. dans son compte-rendu an- Pour la seule année 2019, au 17 autres ont été blessés. Actuellement, ils ont été libé- nuel du 3 mars 2012, qui fait moins 76 Koulbars kurdes ont rés sous caution, mais on s’at- état du « massacre systémati- été tués et 176 blessés. En tend à ce qu’ils doivent purger que des Koulbars kurdes vi- 2018, le total était de 231 per- Le déni iranien leur peine.

14 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

5 août 2020 Par Pierre Barbancey

La France veut livrer un Kurde à Erdogan

ehmet Yalcin avait pré- féré l’exil à un procès Men Turquie, où toute opposition est réprimée. Il ob- serve une grève de la faim au centre de rétention de Borde- aux.

Arrestation de Mehmet Yalcin le 31 juillet devant le tribunal administratif de Bordeaux. Il est aujourd’hui menacé d’ex- pulsion.

Mehmet Yalcin reverra-t-il ses enfants, âgés respectivement de 2, 4 et 6 ans, scolarisés en Arrestation de Mehmet Yalcin le 31 juillet devant le tribunal administratif de Bordeaux. Il est aujourd’hui menacé France ? Si rien n’est fait d’ici de l’expulsion. au 28 août, date donnée par l’administration française pour son expulsion du territoire et sion contre les droits et les li- tants kurdes sont le fait des... puis menotté dans le cadre son renvoi en Turquie, la ré- bertés civiles. Des procès qui services turcs. Des dizaines d’une « mesure d’éloigne- ponse est non. Si cela se pro- se terminent immanquable- d’entre eux ont ainsi été arrê- ment ». C’est-à-dire une expul- duisait, il serait « accueilli » à ment par de lourdes condam- tés, accusés de récolter des sion vers la Turquie. l’aéroport d’Istanbul par les sbi- nations. C’est pourquoi fonds pour le PKK sans qu’au- res de la police d’Erdogan, Mehmet Yalcin, à ce moment- cune preuve réelle n’ait jamais La préfecture de Gironde a dont on sait le sort qu’ils ré- là, a choisi la voie de l’exil et été apportée. déjà pris contact avec le con- servent à tous les opposants arrive en France, à Bordeaux, sulat turc Mehmet Yalcin a été démocrates, et notamment les en 2006. Ses demandes C’est ce qui est arrivé à Meh- placé au centre de rétention de Kurdes ; prison, torture et, sou- d’asile, déposées à plusieurs met Yalcin. S’il revendique son Bordeaux, victime d’une con- vent, disparition pure et simple. reprises, sont rejetées par l’Of- militantisme, celui-ci est pacifi- vocation déloyale puisqu’on ne fice français de protection des que et respectueux de la dé- lui a donné aucun motif. Un démocrate prônant un dia- réfugiés et apatrides (Ofpra), le mocratie. Il nie toute logue pacifique Originaire de la contraignant à une vie incer- appartenance au PKK. Au Il s’y est pourtant rendu. Mais, ville de Varto, au Kurdistan taine mais soutenu par la com- terme d’un long procès, il est fi- pour la préfecture de Gironde, turc, Mehmet Yalcin n’a jamais munauté kurde vivant en nalement condamné en janvier qui a déjà pris contact avec le caché son engagement pour France. C’est donc tout natu- 2019 par la cour d’appel de consulat turc, Yalcin « n’allè- les droits de son peuple, mili- rellement qu’il participe à des Paris à deux ans de prison, gue pas être exposé à des pei- tant dans des organisations initiatives de solidarité et à des dont un avec sursis. Il bénéfi- nes ou traitements contraires à kurdes prônant une solution manifestations. cie d’un aménagement de la convention européenne des démocratique et le dialogue. peine avec le port d’un bracelet droits de l’homme en cas de électronique. Mais sa nouvelle retour dans son pays d’ori- Lorsque l’on voit que des dé- Il ignorait certainement que, demande auprès de l’Ofpra est gine ». C’est pourtant bien putés du Parti démocratique depuis 2011, les accords sécu- rejetée, cette fois à cause de la pour cela qu’il l’a quitté ! des peuples sont aujourd’hui ritaires entre la France et la condamnation en France ! emprisonnés, on peut imaginer Turquie sont étroits. Ils visent Mehmet Yalcin a entamé une comment la gendarmerie tur- officiellement à lutter « contre grève de la faim. Une action que traite de simples activistes. le terrorisme du PKK », le Parti Le 24 juillet 2020, sa peine se forte et déterminée, l’interven- Il avait d’ailleurs été lui-même des travailleurs du Kurdistan, termine. Lorsqu’on lui retire le tion d’élus nationaux peut en- incarcéré en 2005 puis libéré selon les termes du ministre bracelet, on lui signifie une core empêcher la France de en attente de son procès ins- français de l’intérieur Claude convocation à l’hôtel de police -honteusement- livrer un dé- truit pour fait de propagande Guéant. Outre le fait que le de Bordeaux pour « notification mocrate au dictateur de la Tur- en faveur d’une organisation PKK n’a jamais entrepris la d’une décision préfectorale », quie, pays qui n’a plus rien terroriste. Ce qui, dans la Tur- moindre action violente dans a expliqué la Cimade à l’Huma- d’un État de droit. quie d’Erdogan, désigne toute l’Hexagone, toutes les accusa- nité. Il s’y rend le 28 juillet et se structure dénonçant la répres- tions portées contre des mili- voit immédiatement interpellé

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 15 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 5, 2020

State Department remains concerned by Turkey’s proxy fighters in northern Syria

he State Department re- mains concerned by Tcredible reports of human rights abuses com- mitted by Turkish-backed fighters in parts of northeast Syria seized during military op- erations against US-allied Kurdish fighters, according to a new inspector general's report.

The State Department has re- ceived reports of “arbitrary de- tentions, extrajudicial killings, seizure of and resettlement of new populations in private properties, the repeated and deliberate shutting off of water access to half a million civil- ians, and transfer of arbitrarily- detained Syrians across an international border into Tur- key,” according to the Lead In- The statue of Kawa, the blacksmith who is a central figure in a Kurdish legend about the new year celebration spector General report on of Nowruz, is seen April 26, 2018, after Ankara-backed forces destroyed it following the capture of the northern Operation Inherent Resolve, Syrian enclave of Afrin from Kurdish fighters. Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images. the operational name for the US fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The re- rights abuses or violations of ings. The roadside execution of ethnic city embroiled in vio- port released Tuesday covers the law of armed conflict." prominent female Kurdish pol- lence since Turkey and allied the period of April 1 to June 30. itician Hevrin Khalaf, which rebels seized control in March Turkey’s military campaign was blamed on the hard-line 2018, is of particular concern “We have reiterated our expec- against Kurdish fighters Ahrar al-Sharqiya faction, to the State Department. tation that Turkey, and the Syr- launched in October, which fol- prompted widespread condem- Rights organizations accuse ian opposition, investigate lowed President Donald nation. The Syrian National rebels in Afrin of abducting alleged violations and abuses Trump's surprise decision to Army condemned the killing of hundreds of women and girls, and promote accountability pull troops out of northeast Khalaf and eight other civilians at least 150 of whom have where appropriate,” the State Syria, garnered widespread and said it would investigate. been identified. Yazda, a group Department said. criticism over the myriad rights advocating for the long-perse- abuses reportedly committed cuted religious Yazidi minority, by the Syrian proxy fighters The new report noted that the says nearly 80% of the Yazidi The State Department told in- Ankara deployed to carry out United States has not sanc- religious sites in Syria have vestigators it had no evidence its ground offensive. tioned any of the Turkey-allied been looted by, desecrated, or that the Syrian Interim Govern- groups for abuses. If certain destroyed by the fighters, in- ment, a political body that op- The Turkey-supported Syrian criteria are met, the Trump ad- cluding 18 sites in Afrin. erates in Turkish-controlled National Army, which consists ministration has the authority to areas of northern Syria, "has of both moderate Syrian rebels do so under the executive consistently arrested, prose- who once fought the regime order used in October to briefly With no presence on the cuted, or otherwise held ac- and more extreme factions, sanction Turkey over its incur- ground, the State Department countable any [Turkish- was implicated in a series of sion. said it could not confirm the re- supported opposition group] disturbing videos documenting ports but said “many appear to members implicated in human torture and extrajudicial kill- The situation in Afrin, a multi- be credible.”

16 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

5 août 2020

Un hôpital turc vole les organes d’un enfant kurde tué par l’armée turque à Afrin

undi, les gendarmes ton d’Afrin occupé, avec trois turcs ont blessé par balle balles à la frontière turco-syri- Lun adolescent kurde de enne dans le district de Shera 16 ans près de la frontière tur- alors qu’il tentait d’échapper à que, dans le canton d’Afrin oc- la barbaries des mercenaires cupé, et l’ont emmené à de l’occupation turque qui ont l’hôpital de Kilis. Après que ses envahi Afrin en 2018. organes ont été volés, ils ont envoyé le corps de l’adoles- Adolescent blessé a ensuite cent dans un sac à sa famille. été hospitalisé à Kilis, en Tur- quie. Plus tard, ses organes Des sources d’Afrin ont con- ont été volés et son corps a été firmé au journaliste d’ANHA remis à ses proches. que la gendarmerie turque a Des séquences vidéo filmées montrent que ses organes ont tué lundi Khalil Nihad Sheikho au moment où les proches de été volés. du village de Farkan, du can- l’enfant ont reçu son corps

5 août 2020

Le Conseil de l’Europe "exhorte" Ankara à autoriser les visites à Öcalan et ses codétenus

e Conseil de l’Europe plète du régime de détention le personnel" pénitentiaire. gendarmes". "exhorte" les autorités appliqué aux détenus con- Lturques à autoriser les damnés à la réclusion à per- Le service de santé de la pri- Parmi de nombreuses autres visites des familles et des pétuité aggravée" et à réviser son a laissé "une fois de plus, recommandations, le CPT avocats des détenus de l’île- sa législation en ce sens. une impression favorable" à "réitère" ainsi son souhait prison d’Imrali (nord-ouest de la délégation du CPT qui s’est qu’un "message clair et ferme la Turquie) parmi lesquels le Dans son rapport, le CPT "se rendue du 6 au 17 mai 2019 de +tolérance zéro+ des mau- chef historique du Parti des félicite" toutefois que le 2 mai en Turquie, le Comité esti- vais traitements soit adressé travailleurs du Kurdistan 2019, Abdullah Öcalan ait mant que "les conditions ma- à tous les responsables de (PKK) Abdullah Öcalan, dans "obtenu la première visite de térielles de détention sont l’application des lois par le un rapport publié mercredi. deux de ses avocats depuis restées globalement satisfai- plus haut niveau politique, à juillet 2011", précisant que, santes pour tous les détenus" savoir le Président de la Ré- Le Comité européen pour la selon les autorités turques, d’Imrali. publique" turc. prévention de la torture (CPT) "des visites d’avocats ont du Conseil appelle Ankara "à également eu lieu les 22 mai, Toujours selon le rapport, la Figure de la rébellion kurde prendre les mesures néces- 12 juin, 18 juin et 7 août délégation qui s’était égale- en Turquie, Abdullah Öcalan, saires pour garantir que tous 2019". Mais il déplore que de- ment rendue dans de nom- 72 ans, a été capturé le 15 les détenus de la prison d’Im- puis lors, "toutes les deman- breuses autres prisons, février 1999, puis condamné rali puissent effectivement, des (...) aient apparemment commissariats de police et à mort le 29 juin 1999 pour s’ils le souhaitent, recevoir la été rejetées". casernes de gendarmerie à trahison et tentative de diviser visite de leurs parents et avo- travers le pays a en revanche le pays. Sa condamnation a cats". Outre le leader du PKK, la pri- "enregistré un nombre consi- toutefois été commuée en son de haute sécurité d’Imrali dérable d’allégations de reco- 2002 en réclusion à perpé- Le Comité exhorte également abrite trois autres prisonniers urs excessif à la force et/ou tuité après l’abolition de la une nouvelle fois la Turquie "à qui, selon le CPT, ont "indiqué de mauvais traitements physi- peine de mort. procéder à une révision com- être traités correctement par ques par des policiers et des

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 17 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 6, 2020

Kurdish student numbers dwindle as Turkey's crackdown curtails opportunities

urdish language depart- ments in Turkey mush- Kroomed with the so-called Kurdish opening but they are now struggling to attract stu- dents since the Turkish govern- ment reversed its stance and began cracking down on the Kurdish movement.

In the summer of 2009, the rul- ing Justice and Development Party (AKP) launched the so- called Kurdish opening to ad- dress the long-running grievances of Turkey’s Kurdish minority, which is struggling for greater cultural rights and lim- ited regional autonomy.

The process evolved into the peace process in 2013 to end But numbers have now dropped "We thought we would live in a When the courses were first the decades-long conflict with dramatically since the peace freer and more peaceful country launched, classes were at full the Kurdistan Workers' Party process broke down in 2015, and the political pressure would capacity with an average of 60 (PKK), which launched an because prospective students be over and the bans would be students per class. armed separatist insurrection in have realised that their career lifted. But the process fell victim 1984, and has since changed its options have been severely cur- to politics, and the restrictive But, the number of students per objectives to focus on Kurdish tailed. mentality still continues," he class has typically dwindled to rights rather than independence. said. around 10, even though the en- "Our department was opened trance requirements for those The government's efforts com- during the peace process; We Since the breakdown of the departments were significantly prised a constitutional amend- were actually the fruits of it,” peace process in 2015, Kurdish lowered, according to Eylem ment allowing Kurdish language Hasan Filitoğlu, a Kurdish lan- art centres, Kurdish language Süleymanoğlu, a senior student classes to be taught in schools. guage and literature graduate associations and many more in- at Bingöl University Kurdish The use of Kurdish in public was from Bingöl University, told stitutions have been closed by Language and Literature, said. banned by the military admin- Ahval. “[But] when we gradu- the government. Kurdish names istration following the 1980 coup ated, the peace process broke were removed from public parks "When I first began the depart- in Turkey, and it was decriminal- down and nobody even looked and streets, and public bill- ment, the fourth grades were ised in 1991. back at us." boards have been turned solely some 60 people. Forty-five to Turkish. people started during my term, Five literature and language de- Another graduate, Sabri Külter, but now there are 20 people. partments on Kurdish and the has worked at several jobs but Almost all Kurdish media outlets And, there are only 11 freshmen Zaza language, spoken by an nothing related to his education. – even a Kurdish children’s at the department," ethnic group related to Kurds, Now, he puts food on the table channel – have been shut down. Süleymanoğlu said. were opened between 2011 and as a construction worker. Kurdish civil society organisa- 2012 in four majority-Kurdish tions were closed by the govern- Yet, she still has hope. southeastern provinces. "I wanted to study gastronomy ment for allegedly supporting and then I heard that the Kurd- terrorist groups. "Whether I was appointed or not Thousands of young Kurds, who ish Language and Literature De- as a teacher when I graduate, I wanted to receive their educa- partment had opened. I was After young Kurds saw that always dreamed of teaching tion in Kurdish and learn their young and excited, and I saw Kurdish language graduates Kurdish in front of the black- mother tongue in an academic this as an opportunity," Külter failed to find employment related board,” she said. “I still dream of setting, applied to those depart- told Ahval. to their education, the number of it, I am still hopeful." ments. applicants has fallen severely.

18 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 5, 2020

COVID-19: Iraq reports over 2,800 new cases, 77 fatalities

raq's Ministry of Health and Thus, while Iraq has slightly Environment announced on more coronavirus deaths than IWednesday that it had Egypt, which has the second- recorded over 2,800 new coro- largest number of such deaths navirus cases for the second among Arab countries, Iraq has day in a row, as well as more over twice as many per capita. than 75 fatalities in the past 24 hours. The start of the rise in Iraqi Per a ministry statement, cases follows on the reopening health workers had conducted in mid-May of Iraq’s borders 16,531 coronavirus tests during with Iran, the original epicenter the same period, raising the of the disease in the Middle total number of such tests to East. 1,076,150 given since the start A World Health Organization (WHO) volunteer assists a child in wearing of the pandemic. a facemask effectively in Baghdad as part of a widespread anti-corona- Read More: COVID-19 spikes virus awareness campaign. (Photo: WHO) again in Iran, with regional im- The total number of cases rose plications by 2,834 to reach 137,556, ac- Egypt is the second highest could be dramatically higher Arab country in terms of fatal- due to insufficient testing capa- cording to the ministry. The As coronavirus cases continue ministry also reported 77 new ities that have recorded 4, 912 bilities or underreporting. to rise on a daily basis, Iraqi au- deaths, bringing the total fatal- deaths so far, according to gov- thorities have intensified their ities to 5,094. ernment-reported data com- Taking the size of the pop- piled by Johns Hopkins ulation of each country into ac- efforts to spread awareness of On Tuesday, Iraq became the University, which shows that count, those figures become the disease and the measures Arab-majority nation with the the coronavirus has infected stark. The population of Iraq is required to counter it through overall highest deaths rates more than 18.6 million people nearly 40 million, while the pop- various public channels, includ- from the disease as it sur- worldwide and killed over ulation of Egypt is nearly 100 ing broadcast and social passed 5,000. 700,000. The actual figures million—over twice as much. media.

August 5, 2020 By Hiwa Shilani COVID-19: Kurdistan announces more than 400 daily infections n Wednesday, Kurdistan hours, with 404 of them coming lion IQD (roughly $833,000) from that the recent increase in cases Region’s Ministry of Health back positive. According to the the emergency budget allocated to across the district was due to "the O404 new infections, 11 de- most recent government data, 218 confront the coronavirus in Duhok recent easing of the movement aths with the Coronavirus in the of these cases were in Erbil pro- province." between the district and the pro- region within the past 24 hours. vince, 101 in Duhok, 64 in Sulai- vinces, individuals entering the city mani, and 21 in Halabja. Until According to the KRG figures, through illegal means, and the lack Since the outbreak of the virus in recent weeks, Sulaimani was the Duhok has so far seen 801 indivi- of citizens' commitment to health the autonomous region in March, province within the Kurdistan Re- duals contract the highly-contagi- regulations." 15,577 people in total have been gion most affected by the corona- ous disease, six of whom have infected. Of these, 597 have died virus, but Erbil and Duhok have died. Local health authorities in the Also on Wednesday, Iraq's federal and 526 patients remain in medi- since surpassed it. province's district of Aqra recently Ministry of Health and Environ- cal care facilities where they are Earlier on Wednesday, the health quarantined two villages after ment in Baghdad announced that receiving treatment. ministry also announced, "Prime more than 20 cases surfaced it had recorded over 2,800 new co- The health ministry’s daily state- Minister of the Kurdistan Regional there. ronavirus cases for the second ment mentioned that it had con- Government (KRG), Masrour Bar- day in a row, as well as more than ducted 2,296 tests in the last 24 zani, decided to allocate one bil- Aqra official Sabah Zuhair stated 75 fatalities in the past 24 hours.

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 19 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 5, 2020

US company obtains waiver to develop oil fields in northeast Syria

he US Treasury Depart- The news site also reported, Politico reported on Monday Therefore, Abed Hamed al- ment has extended a “Cain is a lawyer with U.S. law that Delta Crescent Energy Mehbash, the co-chair of Twaiver allowing a little- firm Kilpatrick Townshend, has been in talks with the AANES, was quoted by the known American company, which he rejoined following a Kurds for more than a year but local North Press news agency Delta Crescent Energy, to de- four year stint as U.S. ambas- only received a license from saying that the administration velop oil fields in northeastern sador to Denmark. He appears the Treasury Department’s Of- is still studying requests by Syria. to be instrumental in securing fice of Foreign Assets Control “many Russian and American political support in Washington. for the work in April, citing a companies to operate in north Sen. Lindsey Graham (R, Reese is the founder of the se- State Department official and a and east Syria.” South Carolina) first revealed curity firm TigerSwan, which Syrian source familiar with the on July 30 that the Kurdish-led has held contracts in Iraq.” discussions. “The companies requested to Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the partner of the anti- TigerSwan, however, also held After US President Donald invest in the service sector in ISIS Coalition in northeast previous contracts in north- Trump decided last year to the region,” he added. Syria, had signed a deal with a eastern Syria. withdraw US forces from north- US company to modernize oil- east Syria following a phone Thomas McClure, a Syria- fields there. The New Yorker reported in conversation with Turkish based researcher at the Ro- 2018 that TigerSwan, a private President Recep Tayyip Erdo- java Information Center, told Graham’s remarks came dur- military contractor out of North gan, Graham played a key role Kurdistan 24 that this silence ing testimony from Secretary of Carolina, provided security for in convincing Trump to keep seems to indicate that they State Mike Pompeo before the demining activities in Raqqa troops there in order prevent were not expecting this news Senate Foreign Relations conducted by Tetra Tech, a the oil fields from falling into to be made public right now Committee on the State De- construction and engineering the hands of Iran or the Islamic fearing possible repercussions partment’s budget for the next firm based in California. State. from Damascus or Turkey. fiscal year. As a result, there are still US Pompeo affirmed his support According to the company troops in the Hasakah and Deir However, he underlined that for the oil agreement and website, Tetra Tech has al-Zor, which contain the ma- the potential deal should not be seemed to suggest that the cleared areas of more than “7 jority of Syria’s oil resources made to sound bigger than it State Department had played a million square meters in and even as the US withdrew from truly is, saying, “It’s a small key role in arranging it. “We around urban communities, in- areas surrounding Kobani, deal for two refineries to be are,” Pompeo replied, and Gra- cluding Manbij, Tabqah, and Manbij, and Raqqa. ham responded, “That would Raqqah” since 2016. As a re- made for a small portion of the be a great way to help every- sult, it has been able to de- Nevertheless, neither the SDF region’s oil to be processed, body in northeastern Syria.” velop local contacts in nor the Autonomous Admin- and potentially be transferred northeastern Syria since these istration of North and East of out of northeast Syria. This is “The deal took a little longer cities were liberated from the Syria (AANES) has confirmed what is being talked about than we had hoped,” Pompeo Islamic State by the SDF. that any agreement has been here.” added, implying that the State made. They were also reluc- Department had been involved Moreover, Reese told the tant to make any comments to Nevertheless, he added that it in arranging it. Washington Examiner as long the press on the deal due to could mark the beginning of a ago as October that he and his the potential regional backlash. more constructive approach Al Monitor confirmed earlier two partners had filed an appli- from the United States towards this week that it involved the cation to the federal govern- The Syrian government quickly the oil question in northeastern largely unknown US company ment for a plan that would be a condemned the deal on Sun- Syria after several years of the Delta Crescent Energy. Iraq Oil US-led effort to develop oil day as an attempt to “steal Syr- “great inconsistency” of putting Report has written that Delta fields for the benefit of the ian oil.” Turkey did the same on pressure on the local admin- Crescent is led by a mix of Kurds and Sunni Arab tribes in the following day, claiming it istration not to sell oil to the former diplomats and US mili- the area, as well as the United would advance the “separatist Syrian regime while at the tary veterans: John Dorrier, Jim States. agenda” of the SDF. same time restricting them Reese, and James Cain. from selling oil abroad through He argued this could also at- Both governments fear that Dorrier is the founder and tract President Trump’s sup- any such deal could give more US sanctions. former chief executive of Gulf- port for an eastern security recognition to the Syrian Kurds sands Petroleum, which had a zone and address his “con- that so far have received lim- “So it could be that this deal is contract in northeast Syria until cerns that the U.S. gets noth- ited recognition for their sac- the first tentative step towards it had to stop operations due to ing out of the Middle East apart rifices and defeat of the Islamic the more healthy balanced re- EU sanctions against the Syr- from lost lives and depleted State in northern Syria and lationship, which could bring ian regime, according to Iraq treasure.” have been excluded from the great benefits for northeast Oil Report. Geneva peace talks. Syria.”

20 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 6, 2020

Pentagon watchdog says US could sanction Turkish proxies for rights abuses in Syria

lthough the US State De- partment received sev- Aeral reports of human rights abuses committed by Turkish-backed groups, it did not sanction them despite having the authority to do so, a Pen- tagon watchdog said on Tues- day.

Turkey occupied the towns of Tal Abyad and Serekaniye in Oc- tober 2019 after a major offen- sive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Turkish-backed Syr- ian National Army (SNA) groups took control of Afrin in March A Turkey-backed Syrian fighter loots a shop after they captured the centre of Afrin canton in Syrian Kurdistan 2018 and have been accused of (Rojava) from US-backed Kurdish forces, March 18, 2018. (Photo: AFP) multiple human rights abuses. A Pentagon Inspector General evidence the Syrian Interim Gov- sented in international negotia- She added that these actions (IG) report covering the second ernment – that supposedly con- tions,” Meghan Bodette, an inde- “warrant sanctions, even if the quarter of 2020 (April 1, 2020 – trols these rebel groups – or the pendent researcher, and founder perpetrator is a NATO ally.” June 30, 2020) said the US De- Turkish government that controls of the “Missing Afrin Women partment of State (DoS) re- the area have taken credible ac- Project” that so far has doc- Sinam Mohamed, the represen- mained concerned over reports tions to hold accountable crimes umented over 150 cases of tative of the Syrian Democratic of abuses by Turkish-backed committed by these groups, the women that have disappeared or Council (SDC) in Washington groups this quarter, among them report said. have been kidnapped under DC, who is originally from Afrin, “arbitrary detentions, extrajudi- Turkish rule in Afrin. said the US could do more to cial killings, seizure of and reset- Only one 19-year-old fighter has “There is widespread impunity hold Turkish-backed groups ac- tlement of new populations in been imprisoned for a series of for rights violations targeting countable. private properties, the repeated high-profile abuses, it added. women, Kurds, and religious mi- She suggested a neutral com- and deliberate shutting off of norities in Afrin. Turkey will not mittee be created with support water access to half a million civ- Furthermore, the Pentagon hold SNA () from the US to investigate “vio- ilians, and transfer of arbitrarily- watchdog said the US has not groups accountable for these lations in Afrin to hold groups ac- detained Syrians across an sanctioned any of these Turkish- crimes because Erdogan’s gov- countable for their crimes, international border into Turkey.” backed groups involved in crimes ernment targets the same com- including killing, theft, [and] the “although the Executive Order on munities within Turkey—often kidnapping of women.” The DoS also stated its concern Syria-related Sanctions provides with the same brutal tactics.” regarding reports of human rights authority to do so if certain criteria Mohamed also said the people abuses in Afrin, “including des- are met, according to the DoS.” The US Commission on Inter- of Afrin should be compensated ecration of several Yezidi shrines, national Religious Freedom (US- “for all the losses” and that the kidnapping for ransom of Yezidi This raises questions that the CIRF) Commissioner, Nadine return of displaced people back and Kurdish women, and looting US State Department may have Maenza, told Kurdistan 24 that to their homes is ensured. and vandalizing of homes and ar- refrained from sanctioning these during a USCIRF Congressional chaeological sites.” groups so not to placate NATO- Hearing in June, they heard a “Where are they? Are they dead ally Turkey. testimony that documented or still in prison?” Mohamed said The US State Department con- human rights violations including about the fate of kidnapped tinued to raise these alleged vio- “The international community murder, kidnap, rape, and forced women from Afrin. lations with Turkey and to press has refused to hold Turkey or af- religious conversions in areas for credible and transparent in- filiated armed groups account- Turkey and its allies occupy. “These groups will not bring any vestigations of the allegations able. In fact, many states still peace and stability to Syria or and for those responsible to be provide direct military to Turkey “Genocide Watch has even any other region they control. On held accountable. through NATO, and the Syrian called the actions of Turkey and the contrary, they only create Interim Government, which over- its allies war crimes and crimes chaos and fear wherever they However, so far, there was no sees the SNA, is still repre- against humanity.” are among civilians.”

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August 6, 2020

In Europe for years, Kurdish activists at risk of deportation to Iran

urdish activist and asy- lum seeker Chiya KQaderi faces deporta- tion to Iran from Norway. (Photo: Hengaw) ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A human rights watchdog has reported that two Kurdish ac- tivists and asylum seekers, both residents of Scandana- vian nations, are at risk of being deported to Iran where either would be highly likely to face political persecution.

Chiya Qaderi, born 1991, has been living in Denmark for 12 years and has never even been to Iran, a report by rights group Hengaw claimed on Tuesday. He was re- Kurdish activist and asylum seeker Chiya Qaderi faces deportation to Iran from Norway. (Photo: Hengaw) portedly born to Iranian-Kurd- ish parents on Mount Qandil in the Kurdistan Region of died as a fighter for the oppo- against Iranian Kurds with in detention facilities. Iraq at the base of an armed sition Iranian Kurdistan Dem- connections to opposition According to a separate re- group that opposes the Ira- ocratic Party (PDKI). groups. port by the rights monitor, Ira- nian government. The second individual has Haidarpour also called on nian forces have arrested been an asylum seeker in human rights organizations to over 50 Kurds in July alone. He also has never held an Denmark since 2015 and come to his aid and prevent Authorities have detained 47 Iranian nationality identifica- was denied refugee status his deportation. of them on charges of politi- tion card, the rights monitor two years ago, the rights cal activism and connections added. watchdog said. He has since Hengaw claims it has with opposition groups. The been reportedly living in a recorded several instances of rest are civil rights and reli- Norwegian police, following a camp for rejected applicants. Kurdish activists being de- gious freedom activists. court order, went to Qaderi’s Danish authorities have told ported back to Iran from Eu- place of residence on June him that he is to be deported ropean countries. Iranian Executions, which Amnesty 31 to detain him. Hengaw back to Iran, the report security forces allegedly International says Tehran is said he had refused to go added. killed one deportee under tor- increasingly using as “a with the officers who gave ture, the group said, and mul- weapon of repression,” have him two weeks to appeal the Mohammed Haidarpour, 35, tiple others have either been also increased. The United court ruling to deport him to who was born in the Kurdish- sentenced to prison or their Nations rights experts con- Iran. majority western region of fate is unclear. demned as “unlawful” one of Iran, told Hengaw that he is the killings, which it said, Should the legal authorities currently in “physical and These two cases come as “took place in secret after an reject the man’s appeal, mental distress.” He said, ho- the Iranian government has enforced disappearance.” Qaderi would be sent to Iran, wever, that Danish authorities intensified a crackdown cam- where he could face “serious had assured him he would be paign against Kurdish activ- At least ten death sentences consequences” from the in “no danger” if and when he ists in recent months, against Kurdish prisoners Tehran government. His returns to Iran. Such a claim imprisoning minority rights were implemented in July. mother, according to the re- is highly questionable, given advocates by the dozens, Two were political activists port, is a refugee in Norway Tehran's history of arrests even as the new coronavirus and the rest were convicted as well. His father, however, and human rights abuses disease continues to spread of premeditated murder.

22 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 5, 2020

Kurdish leaders, public warn of fresh wave of Arabization, land occupation in Kirkuk

ays after Kurdish vil- Parliament from the PUK bloc, lagers engaged in confirmed to Rudaw. Dclashes with Arab fam- Zuhair Ali, the head of Kirkuk’s ilies over land ownership Agriculture Department, says claims in the disputed territo- the Iraqi Justice Ministry has ries of Kirkuk and Salahaddin started reviewing past land provinces, a senior Patriotic ownership documents, con- Union of Kurdistan (PUK) tracts and deeds, and will once leader warned of a new wave again register them. of Arabization, urging Kurdish leadership to halt the phenom- The mayor of the district of enon. Daquq where the land dispute emerged described the Arabs "Step by step, the resettled as the indigenous inhabitants Arabs are being returned to the of the area. bulk of the disputed territories," Kurdish farmers armed with sticks during Sunday’s land dispute. Photo: Harem Kamal Agha, an MP Rudaw TV "The Arabs are indegenous and deputy head of the PUK people from Kirkuk and their bloc in Iraqi parliament, told were moved into the disputed took control of disputed territo- identification cards are from Rudaw, describing the move areas of Kirkuk largely be- ries including Kirkuk on Oc- Daquq," Luis Sheikh Fandi, as a "fresh plan" and "a new tween 1970 and 1978. The tober 16, 2017, Kurdish locals mayor of Daquq, told Rudaw, Arabization process" by Bagh- Arabization of the province has have alleged that a process of adding that they possess the dad. historically been a flashpoint "re-arabization" is underway in "land ownership deeds". between Baghdad and the the area. The PUK MP urged his party's Kurds. Nazim Shamari, deputy head leadership and that of the A senior KDP official echoed of the Arab Front in Kirkuk, Kurdistan Democratic Party Following the collapse of the the sentiment that the volatile claims however that "these (KDP) to cast their differences Baath regime in 2003, the re- region was headed towards a Arabs are not the resettled aside and halt the demo- settled Arabs were returned to "dangerous explosion" in the Arabs and they carry Kirkuk graphic change. their areas of origin further wake of the return of the reset- residency and identification south in Iraq, with land re- tled Arabs, but warned that cards." Clashes erupted Sunday south turned to the original Kurdish such disputes should be re- of Kirkuk between Kurdish vil- inhabitants, according to Article solved on a state-level. He says both sides - Kurds and lagers and more than a dozen 140 of the Iraqi Constitution - Arabs - should at least reach Arab families who once lived in designed to resolve disputes of "We are calling on the Region's "an intermediate solution". the area over claims of land territory claimed by Iraq's var- government and the federal ownership in the volatile re- ious ethnic and religious government to tackle this issue "Let the court do the work and gion. groups. according to law and the con- farmers show their land own- stitution and that it should not ership documents. Whoever The dispute took place in Guli Lands that had been confis- be left to this and that group, or can prove the ownership Tapa, a village located be- cated from Kurds and Turkmen this and that party to solve," should keep the land," he tween Daquq in Kirkuk prov- were returned, while the Arabs said Kamal Kirkuki, a KDP po- added. ince and Tuz Khurmatu in who had been resettled were litburo member. Salahaddin province. given financial compensation. The land ownership dispute According to figures provided In an effort to resolve land and the alleged return of reset- As part of its Arabization policy, by Kirkuk's Agriculture Depart- ownership disputes between tled Arabs has angered many Saddam Hussein's Baath re- ment, more than 1.2 million du- various ethnic groups in Kirkuk in the Kurdistan Region. gime constructed a village nams of agricultural land were province, the Iraqi Presidency called Mahawsh for Arabs relo- returned to their owners who announced the formation of a "This is a continuation of Sad- cated from elsewhere in Iraq in were mostly Kurds, along with committee made up of govern- dam Hussein's Arabization pro- the 1990s on Guli Tapa land some Turkmen after 2003. ment and parliament represen- cess," Salam Fatih, a retired belonging to Kurdish villagers. tatives on Monday, Jamal government employee in Sulai- Arabs from elsewhere in Iraq However, since federal forces Shukur, a member of the Iraqi mani, told Rudaw.

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August 06, 2020

2 SDF killed in clashes with armed tribes in eastern Syria: commander

wo members of the Syr- Tensions between the Arab US representatives also met A new Pentagon report said ian Democratic Forces population of Deir ez-Zor and with a group of tribal leaders that most Arabs in SDF-held T(SDF) were killed in the Kurdish-dominated civilian and dignitaries from Deir ez- areas give the Kurdish-led clashes with armed tribal men and military leaders have sim- Zor, according to the Obser- force “passive support” as a mered for months, but rarely vatory. in Syria’s eastern province of “preferred alternative to ISIS Deir ez-Zor after an Arab tribal turn violent. or the Syrian regime,” but that leader was assassinated by The US Embassy in Damas- unknown gunmen, exacerbat- The Sheikh was with another cus, closed since the Syrian power-sharing between Kurds ing ethnic tensions in the re- leader of the Agaidat tribe in uprising in 2011, condemned and Arabs “remains imbal- gion, according to a top Deir ez-Zor, Sheikh Ibrahim the assassination of the tribal anced.” commander of the Kurdish-led Khalil Jeidan al-Hifl, when leader: “The United States force. they were attacked in al-Hu- condemns the attack on The SDF and its civilian wing waij on August 2. The Sheikh Sheikh Mutsher Hamud Jei- the Syrian Democratic Coun- The towns of Ziban, al-Shu- was killed and his companion dan al-Hifl and Sheikh Ibrahim cil (SDC) have “made limited hail, and al-Huwaij in eastern was injured. Their driver was Khalil Jeidan al-Hifl, two prom- efforts to incorporate Arab mil- Deir ez-Zor have seen days of also killed. inent members of the Agaidat itary and civil leaders into their unrest after an Arab tribal tribe. We offer our sincerest ranks,” stated the report sum- leader, Sheikh Mutsher The SDF condemned the inci- condolences to the Agaidat Hamud Jeidan al-Hifl, was dent as a “terrorist” attack and tribe and the family of Sheikh marizing Coalition operations killed by unknown gunmen. blamed ISIS. In recent raids, Mutsher, who was killed in the between April and June, 2020. Security is a problem for the the SDF arrested seven attack, as well as to the family region that is under SDF con- people suspected of being be- of his driver who was also “[L]ocal Arabs occupy posi- trol, but borders regime areas hind a number of attacks and killed. We hope that Sheikh tions on SDF and SDC-asso- and is a hotspot of Islamic kidnappings in the province. Ibrahim makes a speedy re- ciated military and civilian State (ISIS) activity. Conflict monitor Syrian Obser- covery and that the perpe- institutions, but they lack vatory for Human Rights trators are brought to justice.” equal influence and feel ex- Locals and members of the (SOHR) said six “civilians” cluded from military and polit- Agaidat tribe, of which the were among those arrested The civilian administration of Sheikh was a prominent by the SDF in al-Shuhail, “in- Rojava, the Autonomous Ad- ical decision-making leader, protested his death on cluding a family of five ministration of North and East processes,” the reported Tuesday. The demonstrations people.” Syria (NES), said the Sheikh added, highlighting the ethnic began peaceful but turned vi- was killed to stir up tensions imbalance in Deir ez-Zor prov- olent as they were joined by A military delegation of the between Kurds and Arabs. It ince. people carrying weapons and SDF, Kurdish security (Asay- was a “cowardly terrorist act clashed with the SDF. esh), and the Global Coalition that targets the lives of Syr- Worsening economic con- against ISIS visited the de- ians to achieve malicious ditions, increased ISIS activ- A top SDF commander in the ceased Sheikh’s family, the goals and agendas to create ity, and uncertainty over the province told Rudaw English Rojava Information Center discord between the compo- Coalition’s mission are con- on Thursday that two (RIC), a local observatory nents and accelerate some members of their force were group, reported on Thursday entities hostile to the project of tributing to falling popular sup- killed. The commander, who that SDF, citing an unnamed administration,” read an NES port for the SDF, according to spoke on the condition of an- source who was present at statement. the Pentagon. onymity, explained that the the meeting. armed people who engaged SDF officials, commanders, Kurdish leaders have made with the SDF were not civil- "SDF & Coalition said they and media have accused the public outreach to Arab com- ians or protesters but “sab- would try their hardest to Syrian regime, Russians, and munities, hosting a clan forum oteurs.” catch the killer, and [the tribe] Turkish-backed groups of en- last year and meetings with agreed to this … The Aqadat couraging unrest in the oil-rich tribal leaders. An SDF vehicle was blown up [Agaidat] tribe's people have province and trying to create as well, Ahmad Abu Khawla, agreed to stand off for a disunity between Kurds and commander of the SDF-linked month. If the killer still isn't Arabs. Adnan Afrini, SDF com- Deir ez-Zor Military Council found, maybe they will start mander in Deir ez-Zor de- told SDF-affiliated Hawar protesting again," said the SDF lacks equality between clined to comment on the News Agency (ANHA). source. Kurds, Arabs: Pentagon Pentagon report.

24 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 6, 2020

US Firm Secures Oil Deal with US-Backed Forces in Syria U.S. company has re- we’re in implementation,” Pom- and depend on the United Ahed al-Hendi, a Syrian affairs portedly reached a deal peo said. States today,” he said. analyst based in Washington, Awith Kurdish-led au- Syrian Democratic Forces US soldiers stand at an oil field said the oil deal will improve the thorities in northeast Syria to (SDF), a major U.S. partner in in the countryside of al-Qahta- lives of Syrians living in the develop and export crude oil in the fight against Islamic State, niyah town in Syria's northeast- northeast and that the U.S. areas under their control in the controls much of the oil-rich re- ern Hasakeh province near decision to invest in Syria’s oil war-torn country. gion. the… is part of its post-IS stabilization efforts. A senior official at the Kurdish- Following a partial U.S. troop US soldiers stand at an oil field led Autonomous Administration withdrawal from northeast Syria in the countryside of al-Qahta- “Syria’s heavy crude oil is ex- in Northeast Syria said the deal in October 2019, President niyah town in Syria's northeast- pensive to produce, and it’s not was approved by the U.S. gov- Donald Trump said he was ern Hasakeh province near the much to begin with,” he told ernment. keeping some forces there “to Turkish border, on Aug. 4, 2020. VOA, “so apparently the U.S. is secure the oil.” not after the oil revenue in “As per the deal, a refinery will Objections northeast Syria.” be built in northeast Syria with The U.S. has imposed several a cost of $150 million,” the sanctions targeting companies The Syrian government, which Most oil fields in Syria have Kurdish official told VOA on the that deliver or finance fuel ship- does not recognize the SDF-led been largely nonoperational condition of anonymity. ments of Syrian oil for Syrian entity in the northeast, con- since 2011 because of the on- President Bashar al-Assad's re- demned the deal, describing it going war. Before the conflict, “The company will explore [for] gime. as stealing Syria’s oil. Syria produced around 380,000 oil in three locations in north- barrels of crude oil per day. east Syria, including Rumeilan, But the American company in- “Syria considers this agreement Tel Hamees and Tel Brak,” the volved in the northeast Syria null and void and has no legal A US armoured vehicle drives official added. deal has reportedly received an effect. And it warns again that past an oil field in the country- exemption from the U.S. Treas- such despicable acts express side of al-Qahtaniyah town in Delta Crescent Energy LLC is ury Department’s Office of For- the approach of those client mi- Syria's northeastern Hasa- reportedly involved in the deal. eign Assets Control to operate litias which have accepted to be keh… VOA could not reach the com- in Syria. a cheap puppet in the hands of A US armoured vehicle drives pany for comment. the U.S. occupation,” Syria’s past an oil field in the country- Risky for the Kurds Foreign Ministry said Sunday. side of al-Qahtaniyah town in ‘Modernizing’ oil fields Syria's northeastern Hasakeh Joshua Landis, director of the Turkey, which views Syrian province near the Turkish bor- Details about the agreement Center for Middle East Studies Kurdish fighters as terrorists, der, on Aug. 4, 2020. first emerged last week from at the University of Oklahoma, also criticized the deal. U.S. Secretary of State Mike said “it is good to see the U.S. In the SDF-held region, about Pompeo during a congressional actually invest in improving the “We deeply regret the U.S. sup- 30,000 barrels are now being hearing. region if, in fact, this is what the port to this step, disregarding produced per day, according to contract means.” international law, violating terri- local sources. The oil is mostly Secretary of State Mike Pom- torial integrity, unity and sov- refined in primitive ways that peo speaks during a news con- Landis, however, believes the ereignty of Syria, as well as cause environmental pollution ference at the State deal has “no legal underpinning being considered within the and health concerns for the Department in Washington, and no regional support, not scope of financing terrorism,” local population. Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. … from Turkey, Damascus, Iraq or Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said Secretary of State Mike Pom- Russia.” in a statement Monday. “Having American companies peo speaks during a news con- involved in the oil sector will ference at the State He added, “The Kurds are too Iran, a staunch supporter of the certainly help in building mod- Department in Washington, weak to sustain their control Syrian government, described ern refineries that are suitable Aug. 5, 2020. without U.S. military support, the deal as “a violation of Syrian for the Syrian oil,” Hendi said, which will not be offered indefi- sovereignty.” noting that “much-needed oil Pompeo, who was questioned nitely. When the U.S. pulls out derivatives will then be avail- about it by U.S. Sen. Lindsey of Syria, as I suspect it will do in “This is yet another step by [the able at acceptable prices.” Graham, said the U.S. govern- the coming years, it will aban- US] to plunder Syria’s natural ment backs the deal, noting that don the collaborative elite that it resources,” Iran’s foreign mini- Hendi added that improving the it will modernize the oil fields in is now assembling in Northeast stry spokesman Abbas Mousavi oil sector in Syria would be “a northeast Syria. Syria,” Landis told VOA. “This said in a statement Tuesday. major factor for stability before The deal took a little longer ... will come at a tremendous cost a political transition takes place than we had hoped, and now to those being asked to trust Stabilization efforts in the country.”

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6 August, 2020 Karwan Faidhi Dri Rojava sees coronavirus spike as it struggles to impose preventative measures

urdish authorities in rus and 48 deaths in areas northeast Syria (Rojava) under its control, though the Kreported 12 new cases actual numbers are likely much of COVID-19 and two deaths higher. on Friday, bringing the total number of cases to nearly 70 “There has been a massive and the death toll to three. The spread among cities,” the spike of cases comes as health ministry said, AFP re- people are not following meas- ported, while in the provinces ures to prevent spread of the the government lacks the ca- virus. The situation is espe- pacity for widespread testing. cially concerning in crowded camps sheltering displaced After nine years of war, Syria’s persons and alleged sup- healthcare sector is battered. porters or members of the Is- A young boy rides a bicycle in front of closes shops in Qamishli, northe- Hospitals, which in rebel-held lamic State (ISIS). astern Syria during a lockdown imposed by local authorities due to sur- areas have been deliberately ging cases of infections by yhe novel coronavirous, on Aust 8, 2020. targeted in bombings, are filling The 12 new cases reported on Photo: Delil Souleiman/ AFP up with coronavirus patients. Friday were all in the Jazeera Region, the northeastern cor- Kurdistan Region months ago for 14 days, it’s not the same Sanctions imposed against the ner bordering Turkey and the and five donated through the as keeping people inside a nor- regime of President Bashar al- Kurdistan Region that is the a few mal house. We hope no cases Assad are contributing to epicenter of the virus in Ro- days ago. will happen, since the camp is spread of the virus, a group of java, co-chair of the health already isolated. However, we United Nations experts said in board Jwan Mustafa said. Along with the five PCR de- will try to put more strict proce- a statement on Thursday. vices, the Kurdish Red Cres- dures and more training in the The new cases bring the total cent said they also had 500 camp,” added the doctor. "Sanctions that were imposed number to 66 and the death toll coronavirus kits, enough for in the name of delivering to three, according to Mustafa. 25,000 tests. The World Health There were reports that health human rights are in fact killing Organization (WHO) has also workers in al-Hol had tested people and depriving them of The first two cases were donated medical aid. positive for COVID-19. AFP re- fundamental rights, including recorded in April, but they re- ported on Thursday that nine the rights to health, to food and covered and the region ap- Rojava is home to hundreds of health workers from the Kurd- to life itself," said Alena Dou- peared to be virus-free until thousands of displaced people, ish Red Crescent have tested han, special rapporteur on the late July when a new wave of mostly ISIS-affiliated women positive, including three new negative impact of unilateral infection occurred, possibly and children, as well as fam- cases on August 3, citing David coercive measures on the en- brought by travelers from Da- ilies displaced by conflict else- Swanson, a spokesman for the joyment of human rights. mascus. where in the country, living in UN’s humanitarian office camps. (OCHA). Sanctions on nations like Syria Rojava authorities imposed a and Iran “should be lifted – or 10-day lockdown, beginning The camps are very crowded. Health official Mustafa on Fri- at a minimum eased – so July 31, the first day of the A doctor inside al-Hol camp, day denied there were new people can get basics like soap Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday. housing thousands of ISIS-af- cases within the Kurdish Red and disinfectants to stay They also ordered the closure filiated women and children, Crescent staff. healthy, and so that hospitals of popular gathering spots like told Rojava Information Center can get ventilators and other cafes, sports halls, and swim- (RIC) on July 28 that it is “im- The general population of Ro- equipment to keep people ming pools. Collective prayers possible” to impose social dis- java is also not adhering to pre- alive,” she said. at mosques were also banned. tancing rules because of the ventative measures. The high Later they announced more large numbers of people and costs of face masks, latex Syria “is at the edge of a se- measures, banning traffic as their refusal to follow corona in- gloves, and disinfectants vere uncontrolled outbreak of well. structions. means most people cannot af- the pandemic,” predicted the ford them, Rudaw TV reported London School of Economics While the number of cases in “People live very close to each from Qamishli. Many people and Political Science (LSE) in Rojava is small, authorities are other, social distancing is not are also indifferent to the threat a report published this week. worried that their limited health possible. Tents are very close, of the virus. resources will not be able to and the people living here visit Because of limited measures cope with widespread con- each other continuously,” said Economic hardship coupled imposed to contain the virus, tagion. They have 11 polymer- the doctor who did not want to with limited health resources LSE predicts around 2 million ase chain reaction (PCR) be identified. could spell a disaster for the active cases by the end of Au- devices for testing for corona- whole country. gust if action to prevent the virus: six provided by Nechir- “Also, it’s difficult to force The Syrian regime has con- spread of COVID-19 is not van Barzani president of people to stay inside their tent firmed 999 cases of coronavi- taken.

26 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 8, 2020

For the Turkish government, Kurdish Art and Culture is a threat

“I know many Kurdish artists. could potentially be sponsors for They had to hide their identity as artists) are willing to speak out Kurds. And many people and defend Kurdish art. Ahmed wouldn’t even mention their real himself has recently faced a city. They’d say “I’m from Istan- brazen attempt at plagiarism by bul”, or they’d lose the possibility another Turkish artist by the to do shows in big cities like name of “Mehmet Yucel”. It is Izmir. Many adapted to the gov- clear based on the image that ernment. People would change several paintings have been co- their subjects to be closer to pied to a large extent. However, Turkish culture. Many people in when faced with such hostility Diyarbakir struggle to have from the Turkish art community, shows because of politics and and a government that is more also because we don’t have sup- interested in keeping non-Turk- Kurdish art by Lukman Ahmad www.lukmanahmad.net port for the Kurdish art com- ish identities weak as opposed munity.” These are the words of to promoting the cultural diver- Lukman Ahmed, a prominent fling freedom of speech. Despite before being re-open. sity found within its borders, how Kurdish artist, originally based in initially relaxing restrictions, ever is an artist, even one as promi- South-Eastern Turkey, and now since the renewed conflict with The government of Turkey has nent as Ahmed, to secure and working for Voice of America in the Kurdistan WorkerS’ Party always used the same excuse protect the rights to his own Washington D.C. Ahmed spent (PKK) began again in 2015, re- as motivation for all of these ac- work? much of his artistic career in his pression has come back in a tions, against Kurdish television native of Rojava, the Kurdish re- harsh way. In majority-Kurdish channels, artists, journalists, etc. The Turkish government does gion in Syria, as well as the areas, the AKP has fired or ar- That reasoning is that all of them not only consider the militant re- Kurdish region in Iraq and Tur- rested over 80 mayors that were were either directly working for sistance of the PKK as being a key. Like many other Kurdish art- democratically elected and re- or sympathizing with the PKK. “terrorist” threat to Turkey. It is ists, Ahmed uses his art to placed them with appointees Erdogan’s government con- also the efforts by Kurds to de- express his identity as a Kurd, as loyal to the ruling party. Further- stantly reminds the world that his velop their own, independent others, such as the famed singer more, over 80 percent of munic- state has no problem with Kurds, civil society organizations, from Ahmet Kaya, sought to do as ipal staff in these areas that but only with terrorists. However, the Kurdish Institute of Istanbul, well. However, his words show promoted the teaching of the it is difficult to perceive how a to the Azadiya Welat news chan- how difficult this is for a Kurdish Kurdish language, along with children’s cartoon show could, nel, and even to the HDP politi- artist inside Turkey, both due to other minority languages, have 80% of municipal language cal party, that represents Kurdish direct state opposition, and the been fired. Statues of prominent teachers, as well as artists ex- and minority interests in Turkey’s prevailing view within Turkish so- Kurdish heroic figures have pressing their identity can be Grand National Assembly. When ciety that Kurdish expression, been removed, streets renamed, connected to terrorism. Lukman a country develops its identity dissent, and freedom is a path to and some artists jailed for paint- Ahmed said “ A few times in Is- around an authoritarian ethno- the division of the Turkish state, ings perceived as opposing the tanbul people would say “this is nationalism, such as Turkey, or which its founder, Mustafa view of the government. more politics than art”. I said that Assad’s Syrian Arab Republic, Kemal Ataturk, sought so des- politics is part of our life and you Or Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist perately to avoid after the col- Kurds have faced extensive cul- have to be a witness to that. All Iraq, it cannot allow challenges lapse of the Ottoman Empire. tural repression throughout their of it is covered by the Turkish to this status quo.The idea of history. Up until 1991, the official government’s political umbrella”. Assad’s Syria is a united, Arabic With the current leadership of government policy was to deny It appears that this umbrella country that emphasizes this President Erdogan and his Jus- the existence of Kurds, referring seeks to cover all of society Arab identity. If the existence of tice and Development Party to them as “Mountain Turks”. within the borders of the Repub- a separate, non-Arab ethnic and (AKP), Turkey has shifted to- Kurdish language use in public lic of Turkey, from journalism, to cultural identity is admitted to wards a Neo-Ottoman and Is- life was banned for many years, education, and to art, in order to exist by a regime that stakes its lamist identity, not only seeking and today continues to be cen- more fully dominate public life. entire identity and existence on to crush its perceived enemies sored, with Kurdish language With the government so op- Arab nationalism, and if this within its own borders, but also courses being forbidden from posed to Kurdish expressions of group is allowed to develop its seeking to revise borders and re- being taught. The only Kurdish- culture, it is difficult for Kurdish own cultural and political civil so- gain influence in former Ottoman language newspaper in Turkey, artists such as Ahmed to find ciety organizations, it will inher- territories. Part of this transfor- Azadiya Welat, was closed in legal protection for their art as ently become less dependent on mation of the Turkish state is 2016. Even Zarok TV, a Kurdish well. Neither the state nor many the regime. strictly controlling cultural ex- channel that played cartoons for prominent members of the Turk- pression and art, and thereby sti- children, was briefly shut down ish artistic community (who The same can be said for Tur-

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key, where Mustafa Kemal Ata- Nevertheless, in some regards, by different ethnic and religious tonomous civil society for its re- turk moved towards Turkish na- there is still reason to be optimis- minorities around the world to spective ethnic or religious iden- tionalism, away from the tic. In many ways, the situation express themselves and protest tity. The institutes, schools, Islamism of the Ottoman Empire. for Kurds in Turkey is still not at their conditions since time im- television networks, eventually The integrity of the Turkish state nearly as drastic as it once was. memorial. The Kurds within Tur- help to further expand and pro- was emphasized as essential, According to Abdullah Keskin, key, and also those that find mote an identity, to a point where and this has only been ex- who is the leader of Avesta, Tur- themselves within the borders of panded upon by President Erdo- key’s largest Kurdish-language Syria, Iraq, and Iran, are no dif- authoritarian regimes will gan and his Neo-Ottoman publisher, his company pub- ferent. Individuals such as Luk- brazenly censor, shut down, and ambitions within the region. It is lished more Kurdish-language man Ahmed and Abdullah arrest those involved with such this mindset that has led to any books in 2016 than the entire Keskin have used art to show activities. It is essential that the discussions or attempts at au- Kurdish community in Turkey their respective governments, as Kurds of all four parts of Kurd- tonomy and/or independence by was able to publish in the first 60 well as the world, that their iden- istan, but especially Turkey, con- the Kurdish minority to be years following the establish- tity is real and that their people tinue to express themselves as harshly cracked down upon. At ment of the Turkish Republic. do exist. Art and culture are cru- Kurdish people in the arts and the end of 2016, on December Recent actions though, are “a cial in terms of their use as forms culture, in order to keep their lan- 31st, 94 associations, including kind of coup against Kurdish lan- of protest, the ability of art and the Kurdish Institute of Istanbul, guage and culture” according to culture to keep an identity alive guage, culture, stories, etc alive were shut down due to allega- him. through language, stories, etc, and able to resist the repression tions regarding “connections to a and also in terms of the ability of of those who would keep them terrorist organization”. Overall, culture has been used art and culture to create an au- censored.

9 Aût 2020 Pierre Filiu Le centenaire de la reconnaissance internationale du Kurdistan

e traité de Sèvres, im- tan » (KTC) émerge en 1918 posé à l’empire ottoman en alternative nationaliste à un Lle 10 août 1920, établis- tel leadership traditionnel, sait un Kurdistan autonome, compromis avec les pires cri- prélude à un éventuel Etat in- mes du régime ottoman. Le dépendant. représentant du KTC à Paris, Cela fait aujourd’hui un siècle Chérif Pacha, est lui-même un que le Kurdistan a été reconnu ancien diplomate ottoman, qui par les puissances européen- a dénoncé dès 1915 le géno- nes. Cette légitimation interna- cide arménien. Il négocie avec tionale participait d’un véritable la délégation arménienne à la démantèlement du territoire Conférence de paix de Paris le turc par le traité signé à Sèv- tracé des frontières à venir res, le 10 août 1920. Le diktat entre une Arménie et un Kur- alors imposé à l’Empire otto- distan indépendants. man continue de nourrir la po- litique revancharde et les Ce tracé est repris dans le ambitions régionales de la Tur- traité de Sèvres, qui établit une quie actuelle, ainsi que vient Arménie bel et bien indépen- de le mettre en lumière un pas- dante, mais ne reconnaît qu’un sionnant dossier du « Monde statut d’ « autonomie locale », dont la carte ci-dessus est pour les régions où domine tirée. La dimension kurde de l’élément kurde, situées à l’est cet héritage historique mérite de l’Euphrate et au sud de la aussi d’être étudiée en tant Le sultan Abdulhamid II, au ers pour réprimer les populati- frontière méridionale de l’Ar- que telle, car elle continue de pouvoir de 1876 à 1909, avait ons arméniennes. Cette colla- ménie ». Une telle autonomie, peser sur les évolutions du maté les derniers soulève- boration de supplétifs kurdes mise en oeuvre sous l’égide de Moyen-Orient. ments kurdes, mais en contre- s’est aggravée lors du géno- la France, de la Grande-Bre- partie d’un recrutement de ces cide arménien de 1915-17 et tagne et de l’Italie, devra com- DES FRONTIERES TRA- tribus dans une cavalerie « ha- de l’extermination des Assyri- porter des garanties pour les CEES ENTRE KURDES ET midienne », dévouée au seul ens d’Anatolie. Le « Comité minorités non-kurdes, au pre- ARMENIENS souverain, qui l’utilisait volonti- pour le relèvement du Kurdis- mier rang desquelles les Ass-

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yriens. Au bout d’un délai d’un manya. Ces deux entités kur- systématique, qui réduit les kurde » voit le jour à Mahabad, an, la majorité de la population des finissent néanmoins pas Kurdes à n’être plus que des « dans le nord-ouest de l’Iran, kurde pourra revendiquer son tomber sous les coups du cen- Turcs des montagnes », en- avec le soutien de militants indépendance auprès de la tralisme persan, d’une part, et traîne différents soulèvements venus d’Irak, dénommés alors Société des Nations (SDN), du mandat britannique sur dans le Sud-est du pays, écra- peshmergas (ceux qui vont au une revendication qui, si elle l’Irak, d’autre part. sés l’un après l’autre. devant de la mort). est entérinée par la SDN, devra être pleinement recon- Le caractère léonin du traité de L’HERITAGE AMBIGU DE nue par l’Etat turc. La SDN Sèvres provoque un sursaut SEVRES Cette première manifestation vient par ailleurs de confier à la nationaliste autour de Mustafa de solidarité kurde, par-delà France et à la Grande-Bre- Kemal, le futur Atatürk (le père Les Kurdes étaient divisés en les frontières, sera pourtant tagne des « mandats » sur la des Turcs). Les accords pas- 1920 sur le projet d’un Kurdis- loin d’être la règle: durant les Syrie, pour la première, et sur sés en 1921 entre Ankara, la tan autonome sur une partie décennies suivantes, des Kur- l’Irak, pour la seconde. nouvelle capitale turque, et seulement des territoires majo- des d’Irak se rallieront souvent Moscou, Paris et Rome, per- ritairement kurdes. Mais ils au pouvoir en place à Téhéran DES ENTITES KURDES EXC- mettent à Kemal de concentrer sont aujourd’hui unanimes à pour mener leur lutte contre LUES DU NOUVEAU KUR- contre la Grèce sa campagne dénoncer la « trahison » des Bagdad, alors que des Kurdes DISTAN militaire, victorieuse en 1922. puissances européennes qui, d’Iran effectueront le choix in- Ce Kurdistan, dont l’autonomie La Turquie consolide ses fron- après les avoir soutenus à verse, quitte à s’opposer aux peut déboucher sur l’indépen- tières avec l’URSS, qui ab- Sèvres, les ont abandonnés à peshmergas du pays voisin. dance, n’inclut pourtant pas sorbe une « république Lausanne. Ils y voient la confir- Aujourd’hui encore, le Parti dé- deux entités où des chefs sé- d’Arménie » désormais soviéti- mation de leur tragique isole- mocratique du Kurdistan paratistes imposent alors une sée, et avec la Syrie, où elle ment international, résumé par (PDK), qui domine le gouver- administration kurde. Il s’agit abandonne la guérilla nationa- un adage devenu fameux: « nement autonome du nord de d’abord d’Ismail Agha, dit liste face à la France (la résis- Les seuls amis des Kurdes l’Irak, tolère les raids menés Simko, qui contrôle, de 1918 à tance anticoloniale est alors sont les montagnes ». La réa- sur son territoire par l’armée 1922, un territoire largement menée par le Kurde Ibrahim lité est pourtant, en 1920-23, turque contre les maquis du kurde dans le nord-ouest de Hanano, qui se considère que les entités kurdes de Parti des travailleurs du Kurdis- l’Empire perse. Plus ambitieux Syrien avant tout). Le traité de Perse et d’Irak n’ont bénéficié tan (PKK), né en Turquie en encore est Mahmoud Barzanji, Sèvres est abrogé, en 1923, d’aucun soutien des Kurdes 1978. Dans de telles conditi- qui se soulève en 1919 contre au profit du traité de Lausanne d’Anatolie, dont une partie ons, la référence au traité les Britanniques dans le nord qui consacre Kemal et sa Ré- s’est d’ailleurs ralliée à Mustafa mort-né de Sèvres est plutôt de l’Irak. Malgré la répression publique turque. Le grand récit Kemal, dans l’espoir, vite déçu, de l’ordre de l’incantatoire. Et de cette première insurrection, national associe dès lors en d’une alliance turco-kurde sur ce centenaire de la reconnais- il parvient à établir, en 1922, un Turquie les revendications kur- le modèle « hamidien ». Il fa- sance internationale du Kurdis- « royaume du Kurdistan », des au « complot » de Sèvres. udra attendre 1946 pour tan risque fort d’être bien peu avec pour capitale Sulay- La politique de turquification qu’une éphémère « république célébré.

August 10, 2020

Analysis | A century-old treaty haunts the Mediterranean

ant smart analysis of factory southwest of Paris to Britain and France marked out and Kurds would be granted the most important carve up the Ottoman Empire. separate zones of colonial in- their own enclaves, while the Wnews in your inbox The Treaty of Sèvres, signed fluence from the deserts of Ottomans were left with a hu- every weekday, along with Aug. 10, 1920, concluded Arabia to the Black Sea, moti- miliating rump state in the Ana- other global reads, interesting months of fitful negotiations vated not least by their desire tolian hinterland. ideas and opinions to know? among the victors of World for lucrative oil concessions. Sign up for the Today’s World- War I and paved the way for Greece and Italy secured their The blueprint set out by the View newsletter. the remaking of the modern own holdings in what’s now treaty had a lasting legacy, in Middle East. It imposed terms western and southern Turkey, part prefiguring the borders Turkish President Tayyip Erdo- on the defeated Ottomans including retaining control over and political futures of coun- gan attends Friday prayers at widely seen as even more pu- myriad Aegean islands. Istan- tries like Israel, Syria, Lebanon Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque nitive than the measures dic- bul, once the capital of a trans- and Iraq. But it’s not remem- in Istanbul on Friday. (Pres- tated to by the Treaty continental imperial bered in the West as much as, idential Press Office/Reuters) of Versailles earlier that year, juggernaut, would be inter- say, the infamous clandestine A hundred years ago, French, forcing the empire to rescind all nationalized along with the Sykes-Picot pact, because of British and Italian officials con- its claims to lands in the Middle strategic straits that the city what followed in Turkey. Na- vened in a famous porcelain East and North Africa. straddles. Ethnic Armenians tionalists in the Ottoman ranks,

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 29 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, rejected Sèvres and waged a series of wars that cast out the French, Greeks and Italians from Anatolia and compelled the Europeans to settle on new terms with the Treaty of Lau- sanne in 1923, which defined Turkey’s modern borders. Nev- ertheless, the memory of colo- nial Western schemes to deprive Turkey of sovereignty — and the armed struggle needed to foil them — still stalks the Turkish political imagination.

“Sèvres has been largely for- gotten in the West, but it has a Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends Friday prayers at Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul on Friday. potent legacy in Turkey, where (Presidential Press Office/Reuters) it has helped fuel a form of na- tionalist paranoia some scholars have called the ‘Sèv- In the months since, Turkish aims in the region and whose mented at home. res syndrome,’ ” wrote Nich- drones and military support Navy frigate had a standoff For Erdogan, the current olas Danforth, a historian of have helped the Tripoli-based with three Turkish vessels off squabbles are part of a nation- 20th-century Turkey, in a 2015 government turn the tide of Libya in June, has also applied alist power play that’s hardly piece marking the 95th anni- battle in Libya’s messy civil for membership.” unique to Turkey. “Turkish for- versary of the treaty’s signing. war. Erdogan, thanks to Libyan eign policy is increasingly coer- “Sèvres certainly plays a role in backing, has secured maritime France has tacitly backed the cive and maximalist,” Yohanan Turkey’s sensitivity over Kurd- exploration and potential oil renegade Libyan general Kha- Benhaim, a Paris-based Tur- ish separatism, as well as the drilling rights in the Eastern lifa Hifter and French President key scholar, told French daily belief that the Armenian geno- Mediterranean that put Turkey Emmanuel Macron has en- Le Monde in a piece that ex- cide — widely used by Euro- into a new tussle with other gaged in a war of words with plored Erdogan’s “revenge” on pean diplomats to justify their countries in the region, includ- Erdogan over their geopolitical Sèvres. “It echoes what we see plans for Anatolia in 1920 — ing Greece, Egypt, Cyprus and differences, no matter their in other countries, the position was always an anti-Turkish France. The new Turkish partnership as nominal NATO of Israel which wants to annex conspiracy rather than a matter claims clash with those of allies. While Turkish strategists the West Bank, and that of of historical truth.” Greece and Cyprus and flared conjure the idea of a “blue Russia, which annexed Cri- long-running tensions among homeland” — an expansionist mea. International order is The treaty looms even larger these troubled neighbors. vision of Turkish rights and called into question. What we now. Turkish President Recep claims in the Eastern Mediter- are witnessing in Turkey is only Tayyip Erdogan, who has a pen- ranean and Black Sea — offi- the translation of a global phe- chant for posturing over historic “A key driver of Turkey’s be- cials in Athens, another nomenon, the questioning of symbols, began meeting toward havior is that, with the excep- nominal NATO ally, speak the status quo and the inter- the end of last year with the tion of the Tripoli government openly of the real prospect of national order which prevailed leader of the U.N.-backed gov- that controls half of war-torn military conflict with Turkey. until then.” ernment in Libya in a former Libya, Ankara—also involved palace of Ottoman sultans in Is- in military action in Syria and tanbul. In the aftermath of one Iraq—has virtually no allies in As Cold War bonds fade, older In a column responding to the of these sessions, Erdogan ex- the region,” explained the Wall realities are coming to the fore. Le Monde piece, Ibrahim Kara- plicitly linked his government’s Street Journal’s Yaroslav Trofi- When Macron toured Beirut gul, a hard-line Turkish com- newly emboldened foreign pol- mov. “The first regional organi- after the explosion last week, mentator, suggested the icy to a moment of historical zation to cooperate on energy promising to help deliver a new Western media wasn’t “wrong” reckoning. “Thanks to this mili- development, the East Med- political status quo for an infu- in spotlighting the weight of tary and energy cooperation, we iterranean Gas Forum that was riated Lebanese public, it was Sèvres on Turkey’s newly as- overturned the Treaty of Sèv- established last year, unites a reminder of the potency still sertive foreign policy. “It is clos- res,” he said, hailing his coun- Egypt, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, of the French legacy in its ing the century-old bracket,” try’s willingness to once more Jordan, the Palestinian Au- former protectorate — and a Karagul wrote of Erdogan’s project power across the Med- thority and Italy. France, a welcome exercise of soft agenda. “It is parting the doors iterranean. vocal opponent of Turkey’s power for a president more tor- to new centuries.”

30 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

9 août2020

Les Kurdes et le syndrome turc

ivant sur leurs propres la France, deux des puissan- tard (lire ci-dessous le texte du Il initie son mouvement depuis territoires, dans des ces victorieuses de la Grande Traité de Sèvres). Erzeroum afin d’obtenir le sou- Vprincipautés sous domi- Guerre, ont promis l’indépen- tien des Kurdes qui ne veulent nation de l’Empire ottoman et dance aux Kurdes et aux Ar- Les dispositions internationa- d’aucune manière être placés de l’Empire perse, les Kurdes méniens. Le 10 août 1920, un les amputent donc le Kurdistan sous un gouvernement armé- ont connu pour la première traité de paix est signé à Sèv- ottoman, autonome ou indé- nien, protégé par les Etats- fois, il y a tout juste 100 ans, la res, en France, entre la Tur- pendant, de régions considé- Unis. Mustafa Kemal crée une possibilité de créer leur propre quie ottomane vaincue et les rables. Et le Kurdistan iranien «Association pour la défense Etat grâce au Traité de Sèvres, puissances occidentales qui n’est point mentionné, la Perse des provinces orientales» et se qui mettait fin à la Première l’ont acculée à la défaite à la n’ayant pas participé à la gu- pose en défenseur de «la Na- Guerre mondiale sur le front du suite de l’armistice de Moud- erre. tion ottomane» menacée et Moyen-Orient. Traité qui n’a ja- ros, conclu le 30 octobre 1918. d’une «communauté islamique mais été respecté. Les articles 88 et 89 du traité, fraternelle de Kurdes et de Le Traité de Sèvres, qui con- relatifs à l’Arménie – dont le Turcs» dont les droits ethni- Un siècle plus tard, alors que firme l’armistice et entérine le peuple a subi le premier grand ques seraient respectés. Au l’actuelle armée turque mène démembrement de l’Empire ot- génocide du XXe siècle, per- congrès d’Erzeroum d’août des opérations militaires dans toman, prévoit notamment la pétré par l’Empire turco-otto- 1919, il flatte les délégués kur- les quatre parties du Kurdistan création d’une Arménie indé- man –, désignent les frontières des, qui le soutiennent. [turc, irakien, iranien et syrien] pendante (section VI, Arménie, avec la Turquie. Les vilayets pour briser leur espoir de li- art. 88 à 93) et d’un Kurdistan de Van, Bitlis et Erzeroum dé- Bénéficiant aussi de l’aide, en berté, les Kurdes espèrent sur- autonome en Turquie, mais qui terminent la frontière entre le or et en armement, envoyée monter les effets du Traité de pourra toutefois devenir indé- Kurdistan turc qui serait de- par le jeune gouvernement so- Lausanne qui, en 1923, a an- pendant sous certaines condi- venu autonome, le cas éché- viétique, les troupes kémalis- nulé celui de Sèvres. Les Kur- tions (section III, Kurdistan, art. ant indépendant, et cette tes remportent la victoire sur le des irakiens se battent pour 62 à 64). La décision de créer même Arménie. Thomas Wo- front du Caucase. Les Kurdes protéger leur entité fédérale, ces deux entités a été prise par odrow Wilson, président des participent aussi aux combats reconnue par la Constitution le Conseil suprême des Alliés Etats-Unis, ne tardera pas à sur le front ouest, où les forces irakienne. Leurs frères du Ro- lors de sa réunion à Londres désigner les frontières jusqu’à grecques seront défaites quel- java [Kurdistan syrien] subis- en février 1920. Trébizonde, sans consultation ques mois avant l’ouverture de sent les politiques du marteau préalable de leurs populations. la Conférence de la paix à La- et de l’enclume entre Damas et Le même Conseil, réuni en Surréalisme usanne. Inutile de dire que les Ankara. Quant aux Kurdes avril 1920 à San Remo, a att- Kurdes seront trompés par les d’Iran et de Turquie, leurs re- ribué à l’Angleterre le mandat En évoquant le Traité de Sèv- kémalistes lors des négociati- vendications identitaires auto- sur «l’Irak et le vilayet (dépar- res, on ne peut s’empêcher ons de cette conférence, ainsi nomistes pâtissent des tement) de Mossoul» – la dis- penser que son aboutissement qu’à l’occasion du traité signé politiques négationnistes et tinction entre ce vilayet et l’Irak tient du surréalisme: «On a le 24 juillet 1923 à Lausanne. des répressions de la part de étant une question liée aux donc créé à Paris une Arménie deux régimes islamo-nationa- ressources pétrolières. Le sta- indépendante sans Arméniens, listes – l’Iran chiite d’une part tut du Kurdistan est au cœur un Kurdistan autonome sur pa- C’est ce traité qui a biffé celui et la Turquie sunnite d’autre de la question kurde actuelle pier et, au surplus, amputé ces de Sèvres. Les Arméniens et part. en Irak, dans le contexte de deux entités des deux-tiers de les Kurdes, qui étaient agréés Kurdistan ottoman amputé l’occupation de Mossoul par leurs territoires». 1Ismet Chérif à la Conférence de la paix à l’Organisation d’Etat islamique Vanly (discours), Conférence Sèvres, n’ont pas été invités, Après la Première Guerre (EI) et compte tenu des ambiti- internationale sur le Traité de même à titre d’observateurs. Il mondiale et la chute de l’Em- ons néo-ottomanes de la Tur- Lausanne et ses conséquen- va pourtant s’agir, à Lausanne, pire ottoman, quelques Etats- quie de Recep Tayyip ces à l’occasion du 75e anni- de leurs intérêts vitaux et de nations ont été créés. En mars Erdogan. versaire du Traité, les 24-25 leur destin. Compte tenu des 1920, Constantinople (Istan- juillet 1998, Lausanne. promesses qui leur ont été fai- bul) est occupée par les Fran- Le mandat sur la Syrie et le tes par les puissances sorties çais et les Britanniques. Liban a été reçu par la France, Selon le traité, La Turquie victorieuses de la guerre, cette L’avenir de la région est large- et l’Arménie a été placée sous proprement dite est démem- attitude s’apparente à une tra- ment entre les mains des puis- mandat des Etats-Unis. Les brée, réduite politiquement à hison, à une lâcheté qu’on pré- sances occidentales. Afin dispositions du Traité de Sèv- l’état de protectorat, et limitée fère appeler «raison d’Etat». d’obtenir des conditions de res ne précisent pas les fron- à l’Anatolie centrale avec An- La Turquie otage du paix clémentes, le dernier sul- tières des entités politiques à kara, et un littoral sur la mer «syndrome de Sèvres» tan ottoman, Mehmet VI (dit créer, à l’exception de quel- Noire. Dans un tel contexte, Le dépeçage de l’Empire otto- Vahdettin) décide de coopérer ques vagues indications géné- Mustafa Kemal Pacha se lève man après la Première Guerre avec les Alliés. L’Angleterre et rales. Tout est renvoyé à plus pour défendre la patrie turque. mondiale reste une «profonde

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humiliation» pour le peuple turc. Tous les dirigeants turcs de gauche comme de droite utilisent cette rhétorique natio- naliste face aux masses popu- laires ou dans les manuels scolaires: «invasion de l’extéri- eur, trahison des minorités chrétiennes, trahison des élites ottomanes elles-mêmes».

Le récit nationaliste qui dé- coule de cette historiographie illustrée par le «Nutuk», ce dis- cours fleuve que Mustafa Kemal a prononcé en octobre 1927 à l’Assemblée nationale, Mobilisation des Kurdes de Suisse contre le Traité de Lausanne en juillet 2018, à Lausanne. KEYSTONE intègre ces éléments selon une ligne historique simple, qui forme la base de l’éducation sont les nouveaux instruments vène, la Tchéco-Slovaquie et la des dispositions du présent nationale et de la vision politi- populistes de l’homme fort Turquie. Dans la section III, traité, cette frontière coïncide que régénérant et protégeant d’Ankara. Le président turc, qui Kurdistan, a été décidé: avec celle de la Perse. […] tout à la fois le pays. La moder- déploie également ses troupes nisation forcée, l’étatisme, l’ho- dans le conflit syrien ainsi que «Article 62: Une commission Article 64: 1) Si dans le délai mogénéisation culturelle et des milices djihadistes sur le siégeant à Constantinople et d’un an à dater de la mise en l’exaltation du caractère natio- front libyen, entend plus que composée de trois membres vigueur du présent traité, la po- nal turc fondent l’utopie de la jamais rétablir la puissance de respectivement nommés par pulation kurde, dans les régi- modernité kémaliste. «Peut- la Turquie afin d’avoir la main les gouvernements britanni- ons visées à l’article 62, être ne se distancie-t-elle pas sur les ressources énergéti- que, français et italien, prépa- s’adresse au Conseil de la So- des idéologies fascisantes de ques vitales pour l’Europe. rera, dans les six mois à dater ciété des Nations en démon- son temps que sur un point: de la mise en vigueur du pré- trant qu’une majorité de la elle n’est pas impérialiste», Quant aux Kurdes, divisés sent traité, l’autonomie locale population de ces régions dé- selon Dorothée Schmidt, spé- entre quatre Etats de la région, pour les régions, où domine sire être indépendante de la cialiste de la Turquie.2 Dorot- ils continuent à revendiquer l’élément kurde, situées à l’est Turquie, et si le Conseil estime hée Schmid, «Turquie: le leurs droits à l’autodétermina- de l’Euphrate, au sud de la alors que cette population est syndrome de Sèvres, ou la gu- tion, tout en rappelant au frontière méridionale de l’Ar- capable de cette indépen- erre qui n’en finit pas», Politi- monde civilisé ses devoirs po- ménie, telle qu’elle pourra être dance, et s’il recommande de que étrangère 2014/1 litiques et moraux envers cette déterminée ultérieurement, et la lui accorder, la Turquie s’en- (Printemps), Institut français grande nation privée d’Etat, au nord de la frontière de la gage, dès à présent, à se con- des relations internationales forte de plus de 35 millions Turquie avec la Syrie et la Mé- former à cette (IFRI). d’âmes. Un siècle après le sopotamie, conformément à la recommandation et à renoncer Traité de Sèvres, pendant que description donnée à l’article à tous droits et titres sur ces ré- Or les rêves impérialistes néo- la carte du Moyen-Orient est 27, II-2e et 3e. A défaut d’ac- gions. ottomans, d’une part, et l’ins- redessinée par les mêmes ac- cord unanime sur quelques trumentalisation du Traité de teurs historiques, les Kurdes questions, celles-ci seront réfé- 2) Les détails de cette renon- Sèvres à des fins tactiques, de vont-ils en profiter? rées par les membres de la ciation seront l’objet d’une con- l’autre, sont devenus des pra- Commission à leurs gouverne- vention spéciale entre les tiques banales en Turquie. Ihsan Kurt est Président de ments respectifs. Ce plan principales puissances alliées C’est en via cette instrumenta- l’Association pour le fonds devra comporter des garanties et la Turquie. lisation que le gouvernement kurde Ismet Chérif Vanly complètes pour la protection islamo-nationaliste de Recep (AFKIV), Prilly (VD). des Assyro-Chaldéens et aut- 3) Si ladite renonciation a lieu Tayyip Erdogan mène ses gu- Le Traité de Sèvres res minorités ethniques ou re- et lorsqu’elle aura lieu, aucune erres de reconquête au Rojava ligieuses dans l’intérieur de ces objection ne sera élevée par syrien et au Kurdistan irakien Ont assisté à la signature de régions et, dans ce but, une les principales puissances alli- et iranien sous prétexte de la ce «Traité de paix entre les Pu- commission comprenant des ées à l’encontre de l’adhésion lutte contre «le terrorisme». issances alliées et associées représentants britannique, volontaire à cet Etat kurde in- et la Turquie», non ratifié, l’An- français, italien, persan et dépendant, des Kurdes habi- Ces politiques sécuritaires et gleterre, la France, l’Italie, le kurde visitera les lieux pour tant la partie du Kurdistan nationalistes, fort utiles en Japon, l’Arménie, la Belgique, examiner et décider quelles comprise jusqu’à présent dans temps de crise économique et la Grèce, l’Hedjaz (Arabie), la rectifications, s’il y a lieu, dev- le vilayet de Mossoul.» politique pour attiser les plaies Pologne, le Portugal, la Rou- raient être faites à la frontière Sèvres, 10 août 1920 du «syndrome de Sèvres», manie, l’Etat serbe-croate-slo- de la Turquie là où, en vertu

32 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 9, 2020

Turkish opposition leader accuses ruling AKP of turning Kurdish problem into quagmire

he leader of Turkish op- and French language and lite- position Future Party rature, but the writing of a the- TAhmet Davutoğlu on sis in Kurdish, the pure Sunday criticised the govern- language of this land, bothers ment for turning the country’s you?’’ Davutoğlu said. Kurdish problem into a quag- mire and vowed education in The Future Party believes that the Kurdish language. education in one’s mother ton- gue is an integral part of main- “We are going to end the order taining social peace and a of those who established sense of belonging, he said. power by confining you to po- verty and fear,’’ news site Duvar quoted the former ally of seeking to capture votes from education in the Kurdish lan- The outlawed Kurdistan Wor- President Recep Tayyip Erdo- the ruling party’s support base, guage, referring to a recent kers Party (PKK) has been ğan as saying during a party including Kurds, who make up ban on theses in Kurdish in the fighting for self-rule in the ma- congress in Turkey’s Kurdish some 10 to 15 percent of the city’s Dicle University. inly Kurdish southeast of Tur- majority southeastern province country’s population. key for more than three of Diyarbakır. “How is it that you are not bot- decades. Some 40,000 pe- The Future Party leader, who hered by theses being written ople, most of them Kurds, are- Davutoğlu’s Future Party, a greeted the residents of the Di- in foreign languages in the de- believed to have been killed in breakaway from the AKP, is yarbakır in Kurdish, promised partments of English, German the conflict.

August 9, 2020

The unbearable weight of being Kurdish

va Homa’s powerful day his only son is born. Imme- Grief and suffering are as reg- that you belong to this group debut novel “Daughters diately the reader gets the ular as the sunrise in Homa’s that has been targeted for an- Aof Smoke and Fire” tells sense that few moments of joy Kurdistan. Leila’s grandfather nihilation,” she said. “You are the story of Leila Saman, grow- in this world will go unsullied by watches Iraqi authorities wipe wondering, ‘Why? How can I ing up in Mariwan, Iran, a darkness. out his family. Then Leila’s make meaning out of it? Why mainly Kurdish city of 90,000 father sees friends and rel- am I so hated? How can I be people about 15 km from the “One of the things you learn as atives hung in prison, before fi- strong?’” Iraqi border. a Kurd is that even when you nally Leila herself sees the have a little bit of joyful time, person she’s closest to ex- Homa’s novel examines how The book opens on the day happy time, some freedom, it is ecuted. the four members of the five-year-old Leila’s brother going to crash,” Homa told Saman family - Leila, her Chia is born, which happens to Ahval in a podcast. Homa, who fled Iran at age 24, brother Chia, her father Alan be March 16, 1988 - the day has written that growing up and her mother Hana - grapple Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein Since its publication in May, Kurdish in Iran she learned at with being a Kurd in Kurdistan launched a chemical attack on Homa’s novel has received a young age that being alive in different ways, and how their Halabja, killing thousands of mostly rave reviews. The Inde- was an act of subversion, that reactions to their world ripple people, mostly Kurds, and in- pendent described it as “blis- her life meant next to nothing out to affect others. juring thousands more with teringly powerful” and named it to the state or the police - the nerve agents and mustard gas one of the best books of May, very people whose responsibil- “Daughters of Smoke and Fire” in the waning days of the Iran- while former U.S. ambassador ity it was to protect her. is one of the first novels written Iraq war. Peter Galbraith called it “one of in English by a Kurdish Halabja happens to be the the best books to come out of “It’s a question that you deal woman, and as the book hometown of Leila’s father, the Near East in a long time”. with from the moment you opens five-year-old Leila re- who ends up weeping on the learn your name, you know calls her father explaining to

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 33 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

her that women are worth half sion but also by changing their as much as men under Iranian society.” law. Years later, after a desper- ate teenage Leila throws her- She pointed to the women co- self in front of a speeding car, leaders of the HDP, the in- her mother’s main concern fluence of jailed former HDP when she visits her in the hos- co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş pital is not her daughter’s phys- and the way Kurdish leaders in ical and mental well-being - Turkey stand up not just for both of which are seriously Kurdish rights, but for human compromised - but whether her rights, for diversity and demo- virginity is intact. cratic plurality.

The generation of Kurdish “Their ability to move beyond women born in the 1950s and nationalism, their ability to or- 1960s sometimes accidentally ganise themselves, even in the served as agents of the patriar- diaspora there is a sense of chy, believing they were pro- deep admiration and respect tecting their daughters even as for Kurds from Bakur,” she they kept them from living. said. “There is a real sense of When not writing, Homa helps aspiring to them, not just today organise and run suicide pre- but even in history, they have vention workshops for Iranian born there is a ceiling to how event that made it crystal clear always been more advanced in women, and she’s found they much you can achieve.” Kurds were unlikely to ever feel women’s rights and they have are often driven by their par- comfortable in any of the four been braver in standing up for ents to seriously consider the This type of Kurdish woman states Western powers placed their own rights.” most drastic measure possible. was crucial to the creation of them in the wake of the First Rojava, the autonomous re- World War, setting them on the Thanks to their brutally painful “The people who are supposed gion of northeast Syria path to violent rebellion. and difficult history, Homa be- to shelter and protect you be- founded in late 2013 amid the lieves Kurds have become come in a way agents of the chaos of the Syrian civil war, That it happened in Turkey masters of rising from the state by bringing that oppres- which Homa sees as a sort of may help explain why Turkish ashes - a sentiment that nicely sion inside the home,” said beacon. Kurds have in many ways led sums up Leila’s story. Despite Homa. “You cannot be a hypo- the fight against Kurds’ oppres- the Turkish incursion launched crite. If you want justice and “Everything we dreamed for sors. The fact that Turkey is last year, Rojava still exists freedom, then you want to and fought for was finally pos- home to the world’s largest today. bring justice and freedom to sible,” she said, pointing to the Kurdish population - an esti- your own house first.” region’s famed gender equality mated 17 million Kurds, com- Despite Turkey’s recent mili- and bottom-up power struc- pared to some 10 million in tary offensive, the Peshmerga ture, its prohibition on under- Iran, 7 million in Iraq, and 3 mil- and the PKK remain headquar- Shiler, one of the novel’s most age marriage, forced marriage lion in Syria - likely also played tered in the Qandil mountains. compelling characters, finds and polygamy. “It wasn’t per- a role. her own sort of freedom. Born fect, wasn’t beyond criticism, And despite the vast and con- in prison, she rebels all through but it was really the best thing tinuing crackdown by the Turk- childhood and ends up going to to happen to Kurds.” Homa’s novel at one point ish government, the HDP the Qandil mountains to join mentions the Kurds in "Bakur”, continues to fight for the rights the Peshmerga. She repre- The existence of Rojava has the “north” in Kurdish, whose of Kurds and all oppressed sents the sort of 21st century brought Kurds closer together, villages were burned and people in Turkey. Kurdish woman who might underscoring the potential of whose women were raped by lead a battalion of militants into their struggle and the fact that the Turkish army. This is a The lesson might be that Kurd- battle against the Islamic State Kurdish solidarity stretches clear reference to the state’s ish oppressors tend to use sim- or oversee Turkey’s main pro- beyond borders. response to the insurgency ilar methods and tend to fail in Kurdish party, the Peoples’ launched by the Kurdistan silencing their foes. Democratic Party (HDP). Yet “The happiness and achieve- Workers’ Party (PKK) in the even these women face issues ment of Rojava was for all of early 1980’s, and which con- “When you look at Machia- of identity and empowerment. us, the same way the Dersim tinues today. Earlier, Leila’s velli’s instructions, they are the massacre or Halabja massacre father describes Kurds in Tur- same things the Iranian gov- “On the one hand, yes you are was everyone’s pain, regard- key as hopeless. ernment or the Turkish govern- fighting side by side with your less of borders,” said Homa. ment are applying today,” said man to protect Kurdistan,” she “We look up to them,” said Homa. “In this sense they are said. “On the other hand you In Dersim, or Turkey’s Tunceli Homa. “We are amazed by not original. We are capable of are fighting something within province, Turkish authorities how much they have been able rising above these things if we yourself - the voice that told killed tens of thousands of to accomplish not only by believe we don’t deserve the you from the moment you are Kurdish people in 1937-38, an standing up to state oppres- way we are treated.”

34 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

10 août 2020 Par Jean Chichizola Daech : le combat des yazidis contre leurs bourreaux français

Deux djihadistes sont poursuivis en France, le dernier depuis juillet, pour crimes contre l’humanité et génocide contre cette minorité irakienne.

ERRORISME C’est un premier djihad irakien. En long et courageux com- 2006, il avait gagné la Syrie Tbat, après l’un des cri- pour rejoindre l’Irak. Voulant mes les plus atroces de ces combattre l’armée américaine, dernières années. Enlevées, il avait été arrêté en Syrie et vendues, violées, torturées par renvoyé vers la France. Il avait des fanatiques de l’État islami- été condamné à cinq ans de que, des femmes yazidies se prison en 2009. dressent contre leurs bourre- aux présumés. Dont deux dji- Fiché pour radicalisation, ex- hadistes français, Sabri Essid con¬damné pour terrorisme, et Nabil Greseque, visés par Sabri Essid avait pu rejoindre deux informations judiciaires en 2014 le califat proclamé par pour génocide et crimes contre l’État islamique. Pendant le l’humanité ouvertes par le par- premier procès d’Abdelkader quet national antiterroriste le Merah, un membre d’un ser- 25 octobre dernier pour Essid parmi lesquels des Français. pects. vice de renseignement toulou- et le 10 juillet pour Greseque. sain avait évoqué un Essid au En 2018, la Fédération interna- Parmi eux, Nabil Greseque et « fanatisme incroyable », au « Et la liste pourrait s’allonger. tionale des droits humains Sabri Essid. Deux hommes discours manichéen » et aux Les deux hommes sont accu- (FIDH) et Kinyat, une ONG aux profils très différents. Re- forts penchants pour une « vio- sés, notamment à partir de té- kurde irakienne, avaient rendu connu par l’une des femmes lence totale »… Rien d’éton- moignages de victimes, d’avoir public un rapport intitulé « Cri- yazidies, Greseque n’était pas nant à ce que, dans une vidéo participé en Irak aux exactions mes sexuels contre la commu- une figure ou un cadre de l’État diffusée en mars 2015, il ait été contre la minorité yazidie (petit nauté yazidie : le rôle des islamique. Né en février 1989, vu « parrainant » son beau-fils groupe ethnico-religieux kur- djihadistes étrangers de Daech ce petit soldat est toutefois ap- de douze ans qui exécutait un dophone non musulman). ». Rencontrées en Irak en paru, selon le Centre d’analyse homme accusé d’espionnage. Après avoir occupé, en 2014, 2017, seize femmes yazidies du terrorisme, sur des vidéos Et à ce qu’il ait lui aussi profité la région de Sinjar (foyer histo- racontaient « avoir été offertes de propagande de Daech. Ses des esclaves de Daech. Essid, rique du groupe, à l’extrême à ou achetées par des combat- « mérites » lui auraient en tout Greseque, et quelques autres, nord de l’Irak), Daech a mis en tants de l’État islamique d’ori- cas valu de pouvoir acquérir comparaîtront-ils un jour de- œuvre un plan de persécution gines saoudienne, libyenne, une femme esclave persécu- vant une cour d’assises pour systématique : des milliers tunisienne, libanaise, jordani- tée par l’organisation. crimes contre l’humanité et gé- d’assassinats, de cas de tortu- enne, palestinienne, yéménite, nocide ? Rien n’est certain. res, de viols et mises en escla- française, allemande, améri- « Formateur » des frères vage de femmes, caine et chinoise ». Des indivi- Merah Sabri Essid, visé par un man- d’enlèvements d’enfants con- dus qui ne cachaient pas leurs dat d’arrêt depuis février 2020, vertis et embrigadés comme « origines, certains djihadistes Le second suspect est lui une est donné mort par Daech, ce lionceaux du califat »… Le pôle français exhibant mê¬me des petite « célébrité » de l’État is- qui ne constitue en rien une « crimes contre l’humanité » du photos de famille prises dans lamique. Né en 1984, Sabri preuve. Et Nabil Greseque tribunal de Paris, qui a une l’Hexagone. Acceptant ainsi de Essid est le demi-frère par alli- semble introuvable. Quoi qu’il compétence universelle, en- témoigner, ces femmes ont ap- ance de Mohamed et d’Abdel- en soit, des procès par défaut quête depuis plusieurs années porté des éléments cruciaux kader Merah. C’est lui qui les a pourraient se tenir à Paris et sur ces crimes. Et pour cause aux enquêteurs français et les fait basculer dans l’islam radi- répondre à la demande de jus- : ils ont été en partie perpétrés ont aidés à identifier des sus- cal. Essid est un vétéran du tice des martyres yazidies. par des islamistes étrangers,

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 35 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

10 août 2020

Iran : plus de 85.500 décès dus au coronavirus dans 373 villes - NCR Iran

n membre du centre de lutte contre le UCovid-19 : Le premier malade infecté a été signalé fin décembre, mais le gouver- nement l’a dissimulé. Les chiffres du ministère de la Santé sur le nombre de pati- ents et de décès sont d’un vingtième de la réalité. Rohani a de nouveau blâmé la population et déc- laré que le respect (des ges- tes barrières) est passé de 77% à 17%. « Nous avons connu une vague une se- conde fois ». Iradj Harirchi, vice-ministre de la Santé, a déclaré que dans plus de 100 pays, le taux de mortalité dû au coro- navirus a atteint zéro ou un nombre à un chiffre. Il a re- (OMPI/MEK) a annoncé ce 9 nous avons connu une vague «Exactement un mois avant connu que le nombre réel de août 2020, que le nombre de une seconde fois (…) Nos l’annonce officielle de l’appa- victimes était supérieur au décès dus au coronavirus lits, médecins et infirmières rition du coronavirus dans le double des chiffres officiels dans 373 villes d’Iran a mal- sont limités (…) Au moins pays, fin décembre, le pre- du ministère de la Santé heureusement dépassé les nous devons considérer que mier patient infecté a été sig- (Agence Isna, 9 aout) 85.500. Le nombre de morts nous aurons cette situation nalé. Mais à ce moment, le Minou Mehraz, du comité dans les provinces de Khou- pendant encore 6 mois. Bien gouvernement l’a dissimulé scientifique du centre natio- zistan est d e 5932, de Ma- sûr, cela peut prendre six pour des raisons politiques et nal de lutte contre le corona- zandaran 3994, de Guilan mois de plus ou même un an. de sécurité (…) Malheureu- virus : les hôpitaux sont 3607, de Lorestan 3482, de » Malgré les recommandati- sement, dès le départ, l’opi- pleins. Le nombre de mala- Sistan-Baloutchistan 2696, ons fermes des médecins et nion publique n’a pas reçu des venant consulter à l’hôpi- de Golestan 2332, de Ker- même des experts du ré- d’informations claires. Il est tal Khomeiny est passé de manchah 2090, de Khoras- gime, Rohani a réitéré la né- certain que ces chiffres ont deux à 120 par jour. Nous au- san du Nord 1287, du cessité de tenir les été tronqués depuis le début rons un très mauvais au- Kurdistan 1749, de Bouchehr cérémonies de deuil du mois de l’épidémie de covid-19 tomne. On ne pourra pas 1030, de Zandjan 811, d’Ilam sacré de Moharram, en di- dans le pays. En tout cas, ces avec les masques empêcher 680 et de Chaharmahal- sant: « Pourquoi ne pas faire chiffres sont injectés dans la la prolifération du virus lors Bakhtiari 567. le deuil ? Nous pouvons faire société sur la base de consi- des cérémonies de deuil du ce deuil avec des foules dérations politiques et sécuri- mois de Moharram. La plu- moins nombreuses. Dans les taires. A mon avis, les chiffres part des unités de soins in- Rohani a une fois de plus salles de Hosseiniyeh ou annoncés par le ministère de tensifs des hôpitaux sont blâmé la population pour la dans des endroits pouvant la Santé (malades et décès) pleines et chez certaines per- deuxième vague du virus au contenir 1000 personnes, représentent un vingtième sonnes, la maladie progresse siège de lutte contre le covid- nous disons de le faire avec des chiffres réels. » (Quoti- si rapidement que le patient 19 et a déclaré : « Quand le 100 personnes. » (Agence dien Jahan Sanat, 8 août). meurt avant de pouvoir com- respect (des gestes barrière) IRNA, 9 août) mencer les soins. (Agence était de 77%, le nombre de Irna, 9 aout) morts était passé de trois à Mahboubfar, membre du cen- Secrétariat du Conseil natio- deux chiffres ; ce respect est tre national de lutte contre le nal de la Résistance irani- L’Organisation des Moudjahi- passé de 77% à 17%, et coronavirus a déclaré : enne dine du peuple d’Iran

36 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

10 août 2020

Le gouvernement turc s’attaque aux sources sacrées des Alévis à Dersim

’Etat turc mène une gu- affirment que le projet détruira erre globale contre le pe- les sources de Munzur et que Luple kurde et la nature du l’accès aux sources sera pa- Kurdistan qui est pillée et dét- yant. ruite n’échappe pas à cette gu- erre. Après l’inondation de la Pour la population alévie de ville antique d’Hasankeyf, dans Dersim, le paysage fluvial et le cadre du projet GAP, voici montagneux du Munzur est un que le gouvernement turc a dé- symbole de leur région, qu’ils cidé de s’attaquer aux sources considèrent comme un miracle d’eau sacrées des Alévis de unique. Outre l’approvisionne- Dersim. ment en eau, la pêche et d’aut- res aspects économiques, le Dans la province de Dersim, le Munzur a un statut «sacré» gouvernement turc a débuté pour les Alévis. Son impor- son projet de transformation d’Ovacık de Dersim. lires comprend des ponts en tance historique, culturelle et des sources de Munzur dans acier à construire sur Munzur. scénique est immense depuis un but lucratif. Les habitants de Le projet a été préparé par Le projet a été préparé sans la des siècles. Le Munzur est di- la régions sont indignés – et ju- l’Agence de développement de consultions des habitants de la rectement associé à presque rent qu’ils vont mener une ré- Fırat (FKA) et approuvé par le ville, ni les municipalités et les toutes les mythologies, légen- sistance collective contre la conseil régional de préserva- organisations de la société ci- des et traditions de Dersim. Il a destruction de leur nature et tion du patrimoine culturel d’Er- vile. été nommé d’après le berger lieu sacrés. zurum en juin 2019, sous la Munzur Baba, qui, selon une coordination du gouvernorat de Il est également prévu de légende, a renversé du babe- Le gouvernement turc a dé- Tunceli, qui a affirmé que « ce construire deux parkings, l’un urre dans la région près d’Ova- buté son projet de transforma- sera bon pour le tourisme ». près du village de Gözeler. cık, qui aurait donné naissance tion des sources sacrées des aux 40 sources de Munzur. Alévis à Munzur, du district Le projet de 800 millions de Les écologistes et les citoyens

10 août 2020

TURQUIE. Attaques contre la langue et les institutions kurdes

n Turquie, les pressions qu’une thèse ne peut pas être laré que « le kurde n’est pas ont été particulièrement inten- visant les Kurdes n’ont écrite en kurde dans le dépar- une des langues communes » ses. Epas baissé depuis les tement de littérature populaire en réponse à la motion d’an- années 90. Ces attaques se kurde. De plus, la langue d’en- nonce du kurde dans les avi- Des administrateurs ont été sont intensifiées au cours des seignement du département ons déposée par la députée du nommés à la place des élus dix dernières années avec la est le turc. HDP Ebru Günay. des municipalités kurdes, les fermeture de la plupart des ins- Dans une déclaration après la panneaux kurdes ainsi que les titutions kurdes après la tenta- vidéo de la conférence parta- Bien que l’AKP ait relâché la lettres kurdes pour les panne- tive de coup d’Etat du juillet gée par Selim Temo sur les ré- pression sur le kurde pendant aux routiers et piétonniers ont 2016, et maintenant le turc est seaux sociaux, l’université a la période du « processus de été supprimés. Les locuteurs imposé même aux sections déclaré que les affirmations paix » avec le PKK, presque kurdes dans l’espace public et kurdes des universités. étaient fausses et a souligné toutes les institutions kurdes les chansons kurdes chantées que la langue d’enseignement sont devenues des cibles lors des mariages ont été pris Récemment, la direction de était le turc. Par la suite, le mi- après la tentative de coup pour cible, comme dans les l’université de Dicle a annoncé nistère des transports a déc- d’Etat du 2016. Les pressions années 90. Après 2016, on a

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pu se rendre compte à quel ture et l’histoire kurdes depuis point l’assimilation et la pres- 1992, a également été l’une sion sur les Kurdes et leur lan- des institutions fermées par gue ont augmenté. décret. En 2006, la recherche et le développement de la cul- Des écoles kurdes scellées à ture kurde (KURDI-DER), avec trois reprises ses 37 branches dans différen- tes provinces, dont le siège est La pression sur les Kurdes à Amed, a été fermée par le avait en fait commencé à se décret statutaire 677. Les orga- faire sentir pendant le proces- nisations de la société civile sus de paix. KURDI-DER, telles que l’Académie de la lan- MAPER et Eğitim Sen ont ou- gue Ehmedê Xanî et l’Union vert l’école primaire Dibistana L’école primaire Ali Heriri, qui Yalaza (Kerwas) dans le dis- des écrivains kurdes ont éga- Seretayî a Ferzad Kemangar- dispensait un enseignement trict de Lice à Amed a été dét- lement été fermées par décret. Ferzad Kemanger dans le dis- en kurde à Amed, a également ruite par les forces armées trict d’Amed Bağlar et l’école été l’une des écoles fermées. turques en avril 2017, pendant En plus des institutions et des primaire Dibistana Seretayî a Le collège Dicle Fırat, qui dis- les couvre-feux. Les jardins académies, de nombreuses Berîvan-Berivan dans le district pensait un enseignement en d’enfants, dont le programme émissions de télévision et de de Cizre, à Şırnak, et l’école kurde dans le district de Kaya- était en kurde et qui étaient radio en kurde ont été fermées primaire maternelle Üveyş à pınar, à Amed, en 2010, faisait soutenus par les municipalités : DENGE TV, JİYAN TV, VAN Hakkari Gever en 2014. Dibis- partie des écoles fermées en du DBP, ont été transformés en TV, ZAROK TV et de nombreu- tana Seretayî a Berîvan a été 2016. institutions qui dispensent un ses radios ont été fermées par fermée sur ordre du procureur enseignement turc ou des le décret-loi 677. Tous les étab- le lendemain de son ouverture, Les activités du jardin d’en- cours de Coran par les admi- lissements d’enseignement et mais a continué à donner un fants Üveyş, qui est en service nistrateurs nommés à la place de radiodiffusion en kurde ont enseignement en kurde lors- à Gever depuis 2014 et dont le des élus des municipalités kur- été la cible de cette attaque. que le sceau a été enlevé par programme d’études a été pré- des. les élèves et leurs familles. paré par KURDÎ-DER, ont éga- L’école a été scellée 3 fois au lement pris fin avec la Attaques contre les instituti- Depuis l’état d’urgence proc- total. Par la suite, l’enseigne- nomination d’un administra- ons kurdes lamé après le 15 juillet 2016, ment en kurde a été complète- teur. Dans l’école où au moins alors que les institutions et tous ment arrêté avec le curateur 800 enfants ont été éduqués, Le département de kurdologie les lieux où le kurde était ma- nommé à Cizre en 2016. les alternatives ont également au sein de l’Institut des lan- intenu en vie ont été attaqués été bloquées pendant les pé- gues vivantes a également été par l’État turc. Les nationalistes L’école primaire Ferzad Ke- riodes de fermeture. En 2016, touché par les problèmes de turcs ont également attaqué manger, ouverte à Amed en avec les couvre-feux, le lieu décret de l’université de régulièrement les citoyens kur- 2014, qui dispense un enseig- d’entraînement du parc Ape Artuklu. des dans l’espace public. nement en kurde à 250 enfants Musa a été fermé et trans- âgés de 5 à 11 ans, a été fer- formé en poste de police. L’Institut kurde d’Istanbul, qui mée par le décret n° 677. Une école kurde du village de travaille sur la langue, la littéra-

12 août 2020

Les drones turcs tuent deux généraux de l'armée irakienne

eux officiers de haut quie dont les frappes à la kiens, et Mohammed Rashid, contre le territoire irakien, Bag- rang irakiens et un sol- bombe, ou aux drones sont dé- commandant de la 2e brigade dad menace de saisir le Con- Ddat ont été tués mardi sormais quotidiennes contre des gardes-frontières de la ré- seil de sécurité. lors d’une frappe aérienne par les monts frontaliers de Qandil. gion ont perdu la vie suite à un drone turc à Sidakan, dans S’agit-il d’une bavure de l’avia- une frappe au drone turc visant Selon les sources locales, Zu- la province d’Erbil, dans la ré- tion turque ou bien d’un piège une réunion avec les membres beir Hali et Mohammed Rashid gion du Kurdistan irakien. La dans lequel est tombé Erdogan du PKK. étaient en réunion avec les visite du ministre turc de la Dé- ? commandants du PKK dans la fense à Bagdad a été annulée, Une occupation du nord de région du Kurdistan pour les l’ambassadeur convoqué, et Le général de brigade Zubeir l’Irak de concert avec les USA convaincre de se retirer des Bagdad en est désormais à Hali, commandant du 3e régi- ? zones habitées par des civils menacer de riposter à la Tur- ment des gardes-frontières ira- En réaction à l’offensive turque lorsqu’ils ont subi la frappe aé-

38 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

rienne turque. Dénonçant An- a déclaré que les opérations kara d’avoir lancé l’attaque de Claw-Eagle et Claw-Tiger, qui drone ayant coûté la vie à deux ont débuté le 16 juin, se pour- officiers irakiens de haut rang, suivent avec succès depuis 48 Bagdad a annulé une visite mi- jours, signe que la Turquie est nistérielle et convoqué l’am- décidée de poursuivre son ag- bassadeur de Turquie. Les ression. Mais au train où vont responsables irakiens qualifi- les événements, l’équipée ira- ent la frappe de « flagrante at- kienne d’Ankara pourrait s’avé- taque de drone » menée par rer bien coûteuse. Cette les Turques contre le nord de bavure tire la sonnette l’Irak où Ankara n’a cessé ces d’alarme contre la poursuite dernières semaines d’attaquer d’une politique d’agression que les positions kurdes. la Turquie a adoptée à la fois dans le nord de la Syrie et de « Deux commandants de bata- Le ministère irakien des Affaires rang irakiens, c’est surtout l’Irak et qu’elle croit poursuivre illon de garde-frontières et le étrangères - qui avait déjà con- parce qu’il a cru avoir à y élimi- impunément, a estimé Seyyed conducteur de leur véhicule voqué à deux reprises l’ambas- ner le numéro 2 du PKK et Reza Sadr al-Hosseini s’est ont été tués », a précisé l’ar- sadeur de Turquie pour les bras droit d’Abdellah Ocalan, exprimé en ces termes : mée dans un communiqué actions militaires turques sur son chef historique de la milice. Or marquant le premier décès de territoire - a déclaré que l’am- ces informations se sont avé- « Les Turcs cherchent peut- troupes irakiennes depuis que bassadeur a reçu cette fois-ci « rées bien fausses, le raid être à établir une base militaire la Turquie a lancé à la mi-juin une lettre de protestation avec n’ayant visé que les forces ira- sur le sol irakien, idée parfaite- l’opération transfrontalière con- des mots forts » dénonçant une kiennes et les civils. Ceci res- ment saugrenue qui pourrait tre les éléments du Parti des telle agression. La présidence semble à un piège, et des nuire à leur présence sur la travailleurs du Kurdistan irakienne avait dénoncé plus tôt sources n’écartent pas une « scène irakienne et kurde, pré- (PKK). ce qu’elle juge « une violation de connexion israélienne » dans sence à la fois économique et la souveraineté irakienne » et cette bavure. énergétique. Le coup contre « L’attaque a également laissé appelé Ankara à « arrêter toutes l’armée irakienne a par ailleurs des blessés parmi lesquels se ses opérations militaires » dans Irak : que cherche la Turquie ceci de dangereux qu’il pourrait trouvent un nombre de civils la région. ? (Débat) exposer les forces turques à la dont certains sont dans état Accompagnés du chef d’état- riposte militaire irakienne et là, critique et ont été transférés à Ces tensions interviennent major, le général Yaşar Guler, étant donné la volonté des l’hôpital de Soran à Erbil. Deux alors que les premières infor- et du commandant des forces Hachd al-Chaabi à soutenir véhicules stationnés près du mations font état de fausses terrestres, le général Umit l’armée irakienne afin de proté- lieu où se déroulait la réunion données qui auraient conduit Dundar, le ministre turc de la ger les intérêts de l’Irak et sa ont été pris pour cible et l’am- Ankara à lancer la frappe, à Défense, Hulusi Akar est allé à souveraineté, il se peut qu’An- pleur des dégâts n’a pas en- nuire à ses relations avec Bag- l’encontre des troupes station- kara ait en face de lui la Résis- core été mesurée », a déploré dad et son armée. Selon des nées dans la province de Sir- tance. En Syrie, les Turcs l’ont une source de sécurité iraki- sources, si la Turquie a bom- nak située dans le sud-est de une fois essayé et les choses enne à l’agence de presse ira- bardé la réunion, provoquant la la Turquie, et justement proche ont plutôt mal tourné pour kienne, Baghdad Today. mort de deux officiers de haut des frontières avec l’Irak. Akar eux ».

August 13, 2020

Iraq: Officials in Iraqi Kurdistan announce highest daily increase in COVID-19 cases

fficials in Iraqi Kurd- cases detected. The second Currently, travel between prov- clinics, including dentist offices, istan announce the highest daily increase in cases, inces under Kurdistan Re- are to be closed until Wednes- Ohighest daily increase numbering 566, was sub- gional Government (KRG) day, August 19. Restaurants in COVID-19 cases on August sequently recorded on Wed- control is banned until further are limited to takeaway and de- 11; follow government direc- nesday, August 12. The notice, with permits available livery services only. tives governorate of for essential travel. Face is the worst affected in Kurd- masks must be worn in public Airports in the region reopened Officials in the northern Iraqi istan, with more than 9500 and residents must abide by on August 1, with any pas- region of Kurdistan announced cases, followed by the capital social distancing regulations. sengers traveling through Erbil the highest recorded daily in- governorate, Erbil, with 7300. Parks, cafes, gyms, clubs, and (EBL) and Sulaymaniyah (ISU) screase in coronavirus disease The north-western governorate swimming pools remain closed international airports requiring (COVID-19) cases on Tues- of Duhok has recorded 1400 indefinitely, and large gath- a negative COVID-19 test to day, August 11, with 653 new cases. erings are prohibited. Health be permitted to fly. Passengers

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 39 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

must be tested for COVID-19 virus has been confirmed. Depending on the evolution of respiratory illness, including in the 48 hours prior to their Cases of the virus have been the outbreak in other countries, pneumonia, call emergency flight. Passengers will need to confirmed in numerous coun- authorities are likely to modify, services before going to the pay for their test, which costs tries and territories worldwide. at very short notice, the list of doctor or hospital to prevent 100,000 Iraqi dinars (84 USD). On March 11, the World Health countries whose travelers are the potential spread of the dis- Organization (WHO) declared subject to border control meas- ease. Protests have been reported the global outbreak a pan- ures or entry restrictions upon Copyright and Disclaimer over the KRG's handling of the demic. Virus-screening and their arrival to the territory in GardaWorld is the owner or li- pandemic, particularly in Su- quarantining measures are question. It is advised to post- censee of all intellectual prop- laymaniyah and other smaller being implemented at airports pone nonessential travel due erty rights in the material cities, with protesters calling for worldwide, as well as exten- to the risk that travelers may be presented on this website. All early elections to be held. sive travel restrictions. refused entry or be subject to such rights are reserved. The quarantine upon their arrival or use of this website and its ma- As of August 12, health au- The most common symptoms during their stay. terial is subject to the Terms of thorities in the KRG have con- of COVID-19 are fever, dry Use and accordingly you must firmed 18,766 COVID-19 cough, and tiredness. Some To reduce the risk of COVID-19 not use any content from this cases, with 686 associated patients may experience other transmission, travelers are ad- website for commercial or deaths. In Iraq, 160,436 cases symptoms such as body pains, vised to abide by the following other analogous purposes have been reported, with 5588 nasal congestion, headache, measures: without our consent, including deaths. Further spread of the conjunctivitis, sore throat, diar- but not limited to any deep-link- virus is expected in the near rhea, loss of taste or smell, or Frequently clean hands by ap- ing or framing in order to copy, term. a rash on skin or discoloration plying an alcohol-based hand distribute, display or monitor of fingers or toes. These symp- rub or washing with soap and any portion of the website. If Context toms (in most cases mild) ap- water. you have any questions or are pear gradually. Generally, most When coughing and sneezing, interested in distributing any The first case of COVID-19 patients (around 80 percent) cover mouth and nose with a content from this website, Con- was reported on December 31 recover from the disease with- flexed elbow or tissue; if used, tact us for more details. and the source of the outbreak out being hospitalized. throw the tissue away immedi- has been linked to a wet mar- Advice ately and wash hands. Iraq: Suspected Islamic State ket in Wuhan (Hubei province, Measures adopted by local au- If experiencing a fever, cough, (IS) militants attack security China). Since then, human-to- thorities evolve quickly and are difficulty breathing, or any forces in Saladin province on human transmission of the usually effective immediately. other symptoms suggestive of September 3

August 14, 2020

Neither Turkish nor Kurdish identity is something to brag about, says former HDP co-chair Demirtaş ormer HDP co-chair Se- daughter Delal had copied the money and then pray,” Sela- please, be someone else at lahattin has said in a letter using her own handwrit- hattin Demirtaş’s letter read. least once in your life. Are you Fletter that neither Turkish ing and shared this version on The letter starts with lyrics of not seeing that the nation is in nor Kurdish identity is some- her social media account. Turkish popular vocalist Tar- this way since everyone is thing to brag about. “If you are kan’s song “Şıkıdım,” also ‘themselves.’ You want another to hang an identity around your “By any means necessary, do know as “Hepsi senin mi?” life, another world, another fu- neck, let it just read ‘only not be yourself! Be someone (which can be translated as ‘Is ture, but then you are saying human,'” read Demirtaş’s letter, else just a bit. Neither brag it all yours?’). that you should stay the same,” which was shared by his wife about your Turkishness nor Demirtaş’s letter continued. Başak Demirtaş. Kurdishness; but do not also “Don’t be anyone else, be be embarrassed about them. If yourself. You are much more Başak Demirtaş, wife of jailed you are to hang an identity beautiful this way,” says the Demirtaş has been jailed since former People’s Democratic around your neck, let it just letter’s first two sentences, in November of 2016 in Edirne Party (HDP) co-chair Selahat- read ‘only human.’ Do not be an apparent reference to Tar- High Security Prison, in the tin Demirtaş, has shared a sec- scared of people who cover kan’s song. northeastern corner of the tion of a letter that the their heads, but be scared of country, though he hails from renowned politician sent from those whose brains are cov- “Ok, you must of course have the southeastern province of Edirne High Security Prison. ered. Do not defame praying, a beauty. I am not saying ‘You Diyarbakır where his family Başak Demirtaş said that their but slam those who steal are of no use to anything.’ But lives.

40 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

13 August 2020

COVID-19: As Iraq nears 165,000 cases, officials warn of another wave he Iraqi Ministry of Health does not account for potential Masoudi explained that the cur- "Citizens' commitment to pre- and Environment an- long-term health effects. few, in effect, applies only to ventive measures is the most Tnounced 3,841 new coro- state employees and students, important factor in reducing the navirus infections and 53 Earlier on Thursday, the com- but it does not exist on the number of infections," he said, deaths over the previous 24 mittee in Iraq's parliament streets. arguing that the ongoing spike hours as officials warned that tasked with coordinating the re- in cases is "the result of the cit- numbers could continue to sponse to the pandemic “The continuing high daily infec- izen's failure to comply with spike. warned of a sustained spike in tion rate makes the Ministry of health guidelines." the number of infections. Health unable to cope with the According to the ministry’s daily increase and the government is pandemic statement, the total "The coming days will witness a required to put urgent plans in The coronavirus has infected number of patients known to significant increase in the place to confront the next big more than 20.7 million people have contracted the highly-con- number of daily coronavirus in- wave of the virus." worldwide and killed over tagious disease since the first fections due to a failure to im- On Friday, Undersecretary of 750,000 according to govern- one was confirmed in February plement measures and the Ministry of Health Hazem ment-reported data compiled by has reached 164,277 and those decisions taken to curb the pan- Al-Jumaili said that such Johns Hopkins University. The who have died number 5,641. demic," member Ryaz al-Ma- numbers acted as an "alarm actual figures could be dramat- Over 117,000 are being classi- soudi warned in a statement, bell" among health profes- ically higher due to insufficient fied as having recovered, al- noting that "decisions taken are sionals and that the public must testing capabilities or underre- though this indicates only that only on paper and are not im- take the pandemic more se- porting. they are no longer actively re- plemented on the ground." riously. ceiving medical treatment and

August 14, 2020

Turkey again cuts water to northeast Syria amid rise in COVID-19 cases urkey and Turkish-backed ing higher levels of power. water supply in northeast Syria in- On Monday, Save the Children said groups have yet again cut off creases the risk of coronavirus in a press release that the first re- Tdrinking water to the northern A report from USAID published on transmission, “as additional water is ported coronavirus case among res- Syrian city of Hasakah, reported the Wednesday citing UN reports stated needed for COVID19 mitigation idents at al-Hol was confirmed after pro-Syrian government news that the Alouk water station “sup- measures such as more frequent earlier cases were detected among agency SANA on Thursday. ports an estimated 470,000 people cleaning and handwashing.” health workers there. The local in the governorate’s Al Hasakah and Northeast Syria has until last month Kurdish-led administration, however, In a statement to SANA, the General cities and surrounding been mostly free of known infec- has not confirmed the infections. Director of Hasakah Water Estab- areas, including Al Hol camp.” tions, but there has been a steady lishment Mahmoud Ukla “said that According to UN data from February rise of in confirmed cases over the Al-Hol Camp was built to house the Turkish occupation forces and to July, the water supply from Alouk past few weeks. 40,000 individuals but currently their mercenaries stopped pumping was interrupted at least 12 times, The local Autonomous Administra- holds around 65,000, mostly women drinking water in Aloukk station, due to interference “from parties tion of North and East of Syria and children. This includes nearly which threatens the lives of about controlling the station.” (AANES) on Thursday reported 27 11,000 foreign females with alleged one million people.” new coronavirus cases, including ties to the so-called Islamic State. Moreover, Turkey has also reduced one death. This brings the total The water station is near the border the flow of water from the Euphrates number of known figures in the area “One of our worst fears has come to town of Ras al-Ain (Serekaniye), River. to 171 cases and eight fatalities. pass,” said Sonia Khush, Syria Re- which Turkey and its militant proxies “In late July, a 65 percent reduction sponse Director for Save the Chil- took over in October during Turkey’s in the rate of water flowing from the According to USAID al-Hol Camp is dren. “An outbreak of COVID-19 in so-called Peace Spring Operation. Euphrates River also negatively af- particularly susceptible to water Al Hol camp is going to be challeng- Under Russian mediation, though, fected the electrical and water supply disruptions, as Alouk station ing to control considering how over- Kurdish-led authorities in northeast- supply across Al Hasakah, where provides approximately 50 percent crowded the camp is and how little ern Syria have been providing elec- power outages now occur for up to of the camp’s water. As a result, the access families have to water, per- tricity to the Turkish-occupied areas 12 hours per day, the UN reports,” UN says that reduced water flow sonal hygiene items, tests, and pro- in exchange for water flow, but Turk- the USAID publication continued. there “has led to severe water short- tective equipment, with more than ish-backed groups have continued ages and resultant protests in Al Hol 65,000 people living in the camp at to repeatedly cut off water, demand- It further warned that the unreliable in recent weeks.” the moment.”

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 41 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 14, 2020 Baghdad- Fadhel al-Nashmi France Condemn Turkish Attacks on Iraqi Territory

raq received on Thursday Arab and French support Ione day after the killing of Iraqi border guards by Turkish airstrikes.

France condemned the Turkish bombing of the Iraqi border guards in the "SedaKan" area in the Kurdistan region, con- firming its keenness on fully re- specting the sovereignty of Iraq.

"France condemns this dan- gerous development (the Turk- ish bombing of the Iraqi borders) and calls for the truth to be revealed," said the French Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, Anies von der Molle, in a press release. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein (AP)

Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of A statement by the Iraqi For- measures to protect the secu- On Wednesday, head of the Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal eign Ministry said those con- rity of its borders, in the event Iraqi-Turkish Parliamentary bin Farhan bin Abdullah re- tacts were made to inform the that Iraq continues to ignore Friendship Committee, Zafer ceived a phone call from his Arab brothers about details of the presence of the terrorist Al-Ani, affirmed, "Ankara's per- Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Mu- the attack, to emphasize the PKK members on its territory." sistence in the aggression will hammed Hussein and he of- importance of concerted Arab make it lose all its friends and fered his condolences and efforts facing these dangerous A spokesman for the Joint Op- it must solve its problems far sympathy for the Iraqi military developments in the security erations, Tahsin Al-Khafaji, de- from Iraq." martyrs. situation with neighboring Tur- scribed the recent Turkish key, to come up with a unified attack on Sedkan in the Kurd- He called on the government to In this context, the two minis- position that keeps Turkey istan region as a dangerous pursue all possible political ters affirmed their rejection of from repeating such violations, encroachment and escalation means to preserve the sov- such violations against the se- and to withdraw their invading by the Turkish side, indicating ereignty of Iraq and the lives of curity and stability of Arab forces from Iraqi territory. that “it was carried out individ- its citizens. countries. ually without informing Iraq de- “The brothers affirmed their spite the existence of several "From the position of my re- Hussein had also contacted countries' full support for the channels and contacts that link sponsibility as head of the the Secretary-General of the security and sovereignty of us with them both in past and Iraqi-Turkish Parliamentary Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Iraq, and condemned the Turk- even in the present. " Friendship Committee, I reiter- Gheit, and his counterparts, ish attacks, calling for the im- ate that Ankara's persistence in Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian mediate cessation of any Khafaji told the Iraqi news attacking Iraq will make it lose Foreign Minister, Ayman Sa- Turkish military operations on agency NINA that what hap- all its friends and no one will be fadi, the Jordanian Foreign Iraqi lands,” the statement pened is a "sinful attack on our able to justify its violations or Minister and the Kuwaiti For- said. national sovereignty, and a turn a blind eye, as long as the eign Minister Sheikh Ahmed dangerous escalation by the matter concerns the sov- Nasser Al-Muhammad Al- For its part, Ankara said Thurs- Turkish side, which claims to ereignty of Iraq and respect for Sabah. day it "will take the necessary pursue the PKK fighters." its borders,” he said.

42 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

17 août 2020 Afrin : des villages yézidis colonisés par les mercenaires djihadistes de la Turquie

’Organisation des droits affiliée à l’armée turque, ont Une partie des arbres a été diquant que l’État turc et ses humains d’Afrin a publié vendu toute une rue de la ville vendue sur les marchés d’Idlib, mercenaires avaient colonisé Lun rapport sur les crimes de Jindires aux mercenaires mais la plupart ont été envoyés une vaste zone allant du vil- et les violations des droits hu- d’Ahrar El Sharkiya pour 25 000 en Turquie. lage de Tirindê, dans le centre mains commis par l’Etat turc et dollars après en avoir déplacé d’Afrin, à la province de Shê- ses mercenaires djihadistes au les habitants. Les mercenaires rawa. cours de la première moitié du et leurs familles originaires d’Id- Notant que l’État turc occupant mois d’août, attirant l’attention lib et d’autres régions ont été poursuit sa politique de turqui- Des camps pour les mercenai- sur les crimes systématiques installés dans les habitations si- sation et de changement dé- res et leurs familles ont égale- commis contre les civils dans tuées sur la rue. mographique à Afrin, le rapport ment été installés à Bafîlonê, la région d’Afrin sous occupa- de l’Organisation des droits hu- un autre village Yézidi de la tion turque. Le rapport indique également mains d’Afrin a ajouté que les province de Shera, et dans le que les mercenaires de l’État civils ont été forcés d’émigrer village d’Afraza, dans la pro- Le rapport indique que des ha- turc ont mis le feu aux terres en raison des enlèvements, vince de Mabata. bitations civiles ont été évacu- agricoles du village d’Omara, des tortures et des pillages de ées par les mercenaires et que dans la ville de Shera. Les leur biens, leurs habitations L’Organisation a déclaré que la des camps ont été installés mercenaires ont coupé des ayant ensuite été occupées création de ces camps abritant dans des villages autrefois ha- arbres dans la région jus- par des familles de mercenai- des mercenaires arabes et bités par les Kurdes Yézidis, qu’aux villages de Gobek et res. turkmènes, ainsi que leurs fa- afin d’y accueillir des merce- Gulîlka dans la province de milles, s’inscrivait dans la poli- naires et leurs familles. Mabata et la montagne Hawar. tique de changement En outre, une centaine de civils Le rapport a souligné les atta- démographique pratiquée par Selon l’organisation des droits vivant dans la province de Bil- ques et les violations commi- la Turquie dans les zones oc- humains d’Afrin, les mercenai- bilê ont été contraints de parti- ses à l’encontre de la cupées au nord de la Syrie. res de la faction Nureddin Zenki ciper à l’abattage. communauté kurde yézidie, in-

18 août 2020 Décès d’une jeune Kurde violée par un officier turc

URQUIE / BAKUR – séquestrée et violée pendant se font sous le hashtag #Mu- ivre » au moment des faits et Les cas les plus ré- 20 jours par un sergent turc, saOrhanTutuklansın. il a été relâché aussitôt. Tcents de viols par des est décédée à Batman. Elle militaires turcs visant les fem- avait été hospitalisée après Alors qu’elle était à l’hôpital, Cependant, le rapport de mes et adolescentes kurdes avoir tenté de se suicider le sa famille a trouvé une lettre l’institution de médecine lé- nous montrent clairement 16 juillet dernier. dans laquelle elle donnait les gale, qui a été révélé par que l’Etat turc utilise le viol détails concernant la séques- l’Agence Mezopotamya, indi- comme une arme de guerre I. E. avait été hospitalisée tration et le viol par l’officier que clairement qu’elle a été contre le peuple kurde depuis après une tentative de sui- turc, qui avait été arrêté violée. des décennies. Le décès sur- cide le 16 juillet dernier à Bat- après que la famille avait venu aujourd’hui d’une ado- man / Beşiri, avait déclaré porté plainte. Une ordonnance de confi- lescente kurde violée par un dans une lettre que le ser- dentialité a été imposée sur sergent turc n’en est que le gent Musa O. l’avait violée. l’affaire et le sergent Musa O dernier de ce crime de guerre Elle a perdu la vie à l’hôpital Au cours de son interroga- a été remis en liberté. L’offi- visant les femmes. aujourd’hui. Sur les réseaux toire, l’officier a nié avoir eu cier est accusé d’ « abus se- sociaux, des appels pour l’ar- des relations sexuelles avec xuel qualifié ». Une jeune Kurde de 18 ans, restation du sergent violeur İ.E. et a déclaré avoir été « La famille de İ.E. avait en-

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 43 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

suite demandé l’aide de l’As- La députée du Parti démoc- l’affaire au ministre de la Jus- contre l’éditeur du journal sociation des droits de ratique du peuple (HDP) Fe- tice Abdulhamid Gül. Jiyan Haber, İdris Yayla, suite l’Homme (İHD). leknas Uca a soumis une Le procureur général de Bat- à des publications concer- question parlementaire sur man a ouvert une enquête nant cette affaire. (via ANF)

August 21, 2020

Erbil reopens roads with other Iraqi provinces, lifts several other coronavirus measures

RBIL, Kurdistan Re- Erbil province will be open to open doors for worshipers cording to the statement. gion – Erbil province from today onwards,” the on Friday prayers, taking Ehas reopened roads to statement reads. “Tour group COVID-19 measures into ac- Erbil has seen a total of 9,509 and from other Iraqi prov- trips to Erbil will remain pro- count. COVID-19 cases, 4,305 of inces for all after months of hibited.” which remain active. As closures due to the COVID- “Funerals and weddings cele- many as 294 people have 19 pandemic. Residents of the Kurdistan brations will remain prohib- died in the province after con- Region could previously only ited in the halls and indoor tracting the virus, according In an official statement pub- move within its provinces places,” the statement to government figures. lished early Friday, Erbil prov- through an online application added. ince’s operation room process. Movement between Across the Kurdistan Region, announced the lifting of the the Kurdistan Region and Restaurants and cafeterias in a total of 23,204 cases have movement restriction, which provinces controlled by fed- Erbil province will be allowed been confirmed and 849 grants easy entrance to the eral Iraq was prohibited. to reopen, but need to take a people have died. Iraq has province for people. The operation room has also number of additional meas- recorded more than 192,797 “Traveling into and out of granted mosques the ability ures into account as well, ac- infections and 6,208 deaths.

24 août 2020 Par Tara Schlegel Migrants dans la Manche : une famille kurde raconte l'enfer d'une traversée pisode 1 | Avec ses en- rescapés. Comme tant d'aut- accepté de se confier et livre, Le 18 août dernier, au matin, le fants et son mari, Ropak res migrants, ils ont tenté de avec Hazhar son époux, le corps d'un jeune Soudanais de Évient de tenter de traver- rejoindre les plages et les falai- récit de leur exil, qui a com- 28 ans a été retrouvé sur la ser la Manche à bord d'une ses de Douvres (Angleterre), à mencé il y a plusieurs années plage de Sangatte (Pas-de- embarcation de fortune. La fa- une petite trentaine de kilomèt- au Kurdistan irakien, jusqu'à Calais), illustrant de façon ter- mille avait payé 8 000 £ aux res du littoral français, à bord cette traversée qui a failli tour- rible les dangers de la passeurs, mais le moteur a vite d'une embarcation de fortune. ner à la catastrophe. Elle est traversée entre la France et lâché et l'un des passagers est Ils ont dû faire demi-tour, surp- entourée de détroit et ses l'Angleterre que tentent de très tombé par-dessus bord. Récit ris par une houle trop forte et redoutables bancs de sables. nombreux exilés. Plus de 1 d'un naufrage et d'un exil com- un bateau qui prenait l'eau. 000 migrants ont été intercep- mencé il y a plusieurs années. Cette nuit-là, ils ont tous eu be- Plus de 342 traversées ou tés par les autorités françaises Ropak et sa famille sont des aucoup de chance. Ropak a tentatives depuis le début de l'année.

44 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

Lorsque les embarcations font cation totalement sous-dimen- naufrage, ou sont signalées sionnée tanguait de façon im- par les innombrables navires pressionnante. Il faut dire que qui traversent la Manche, la les migrants étaient apparem- préfecture maritime envoie ses ment une centaine à bord ! Plu- équipes de secours. D'après sieurs fois, Hazhar et Ropak ses calculs, on compterait 342 répètent ce chiffre et semblent traversées ou tentatives de tra- formels. Après avoir tenté pen- versées entre le 1er janvier et dant une heure environ d'éco- le 11 août 2020. Ce qui repré- per en vain l'eau qui pénétrait sente 4 192 personnes. C'est dans le bateau, les clandestins presque le double de toute ont fait demi-tour. Le moteur ne l'année précédente au cours marchait plus. Les passeurs de laquelle la préfecture avait n'avaient probablement pas comptabilisé 203 traversées ou Ropak et sa famille (qui préfèrent apparaître floutées) ont trouvé un refuge rempli le réservoir suffisam- tentatives pour 2 294 migrants. à la Maison Sésame, après avoir échappé à la noyade en traversant la ment, comme cela semble fré- Chaque jour, ou presque, sur Manche• Crédits : T.S. - Radio France quent d'après les récits que son site internet, on peut lire le recueillent les associations. récit de ces nuits d'intervention qui sont autant de nuit de ca- Ropak est une jeune femme exilées - les écoute avec bien- "Après avoir fait demi-tour, uchemar pour les familles em- toute frêle dont le ventre ar- veillance. "Les associations qui Dieu nous a secouru et les va- barquées. Et côté britannique, rondi se remarque à peine. Elle sillonnent la plage et reçoivent gues ont poussé le bateau vers la presse - de la BBC au Daily sourit beaucoup, mais paraît des appels d'urgence nous ad- la plage", précise Hazhar. Mail - raconte les arrivées quo- épuisée. Sa fillette de 2 ans, ressent les familles. Et dès que Ropak acquiesce mais elle ne tidiennes. Eilarya, tout aussi menue, nous avons de la place, nous peut plus parler. Les larmes s'agrippe à sa main et s'amuse les prenons. Il se trouve que ce aux yeux, elle prend sa petite Rien qu'au cours de la nuit du à la mordiller. "Elle va bien", matin-là, une chambre était fille sur les genoux. Quand ils mercredi 19 août, nuit où le rassure Léa Lambert, qui vient libre", sourit Léa. La Maison sont arrivés, épuisés et totale- jeune Soudanais a probable- de conduire la famille à l'hôpi- Sésame, que coordonnent ment trempés sur la plage, les ment embarqué, les autorités tal, cet après-midi-là. Une vi- aussi Tchang, Caroline et Bap- exilés se sont éparpillés. maritimes ont repêché une cin- site pour vérifier que les tiste, abrite trois familles en ce Ropak et Hazhar voulaient re- quantaine de migrants. Lors de enfants, Eilarya et son grand- moment, venues du Kurdistan, joindre la "Jungle" de Grande- l'une des opérations, sur une frère Anas, n'ont pas de sé- de Tchétchénie et de Syrie. Synthe à pied, mais ils ne embarcation où étaient entas- quelles et que Ropak, qui est savaient pas où ils se trouva- sés 11 adultes et 3 enfants, les enceinte de 8 mois, n'a pas été Dans la cuisine, les femmes ient. C'est en prenant le che- secouristes ont récupéré l'un non plus trop secouée. La pe- préparent un grand repas. A la min de la route qu'ils sont des passagers dans la mer. tite Eilarya n'a pas parlé pen- table de la salle à manger, tombés sur deux bénévoles de dant plusieurs heures, après le Ropak et Hazhar poursuivent l'association Utopia 56. Cette Malgré les risques très impor- naufrage. Elle était traumatisée leur récit. Cette nuit-là donc, ils nuit-là, raconte Léa, il y a eu tants que courent ces exilés, ils raconte Ropak. embarquent à bord d'un ba- tellement de naufrages que les sont de plus en plus nombreux teau pour tenter la traversée. jeunes citoyens qui aident les à tenter de franchir le détroit du Dans la nuit du jeudi 13 août, "Au bout de quelques centai- réfugiés se sont particulière- Pas-de-Calais. Certains y par- la famille a été prévenue par nes de mètres, le bateau a ment mobilisés. viennent. Selon François Gu- téléphone qu'il était temps commencé à prendre l'eau", ennoc, de l'association d'embarquer. Les parents ava- raconte Hazhar, "avec d'autres Tenter une nouvelle traver- l'Auberge des migrants, 60 à ient payé 8 000 livres sterling hommes, on a découpé des bi- sée, malgré la peur 70% des traversées se trans- "aux passeurs", confient-ils dons d'essence qui traînaient Que vont faire à présent forment en succès. Mais des sans donner plus de détails. sur le bateau pour tenter d'éco- Ropak, Hazhar, Eilarya et Anas centaines d'autres échouent. Une grosse somme pour se per l'eau, mais cela ne suffisait ? "Si la France me donne des La jeune femme kurde que retrouver à bord d'une embar- pas". Ropak ajoute, "la situa- papiers, je veux bien rester", nous avons rencontrée en a cation pneumatique qui n'était, tion était terrible, les femmes et sourit tristement Hazhar. "C'est fait l'expérience. Ropak, c'est visiblement, pas taillée pour la les enfants pleuraient. Un petit bien le problème", renchérit son prénom (qui signifie "un vi- circonstance. Ropak et son garçon est tombé à la mer". Léa, "les familles qui ont par- sage clair, qui ne saurait men- mari Hazhar racontent cette Immédiatement, les adultes couru l'Europe ont souvent eu tir") a trouvé refuge depuis cinq nuit terrible, installés à présent ont arrêté l'embarcation. des prises d'empreintes con- jours dans la Maison Sésame, devant des tasses de thé fu- senties ou non, que ce soit en une jolie demeure où une quin- mantes. A leur côté, Bavel, un "L'enfant qui est tombé à Grèce, en Roumanie, ou aille- zaine de migrants sont héber- ami kurde, accepte de traduire l'eau avait 10 ans" urs." Une fois en France, si ces gés en ce moment. Un havre car Ropak ne connaît que "C'est un jeune homme du Kur- familles entament une procé- de paix bien provisoire, avant quelques bribes d'anglais. distan irakien qui a sauté à dure de demande d'asile, elles de se lancer à nouveau à l'as- Mais tout comme Hazhar, elle l'eau pour rattraper l'enfant", ont de fortes chances d'être saut de la Manche. parle arabe, farsi, kurde et ma- ajoute presque fièrement Haz- renvoyées dans le pays euro- intenant grec. Léa, la jeune har, "l'enfant devait avoir 10 péen par lequel elles ont tran- Les passeurs ont exigé 8 000 femme qui porte en partie le ans". A quelques centaines de sité, même si ce pays leur a livres sterling pour la traver- projet de la Maison Sésame - mètres du rivage, la houle était refusé l'asile. C'est une situa- sée un lieu qui recueille les familles déjà très importante et l'embar- tion que redoutent Ropak et

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 45 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

Hazhar et qui les incite à vou- Roumanie, Autriche, Alle- alors enceinte de 7 mois, Depuis la Grèce, ils n'ont pas loir tenter à nouveau la traver- magne, France. Depuis la garde un très mauvais souve- habité dans une vraie maison sée vers l'Angleterre. Même Grèce, cela fait neuf pays. nir de cet épisode. Après l'Alle- et c'est donc très difficile pour s'ils ont examiné l'idée de vivre "Nine", énumère fièrement magne, les voilà enfin en elle de se soigner, comme le en France, comme le confie Ropak en anglais. France. Ils prennent un taxi précise Léa Lambert. Hazhar, suivi de Léa qui sou- jusqu'à Lille, puis le train, direc- ligne la difficulté de ces dé- "Pendant trois jours, les en- tion Dunkerque et sa "Jungle". marches. fants n'ont rien mangé" En tout, ils ont mis une année La Maison Sésame abrite les entière pour se retrouver à familles épuisées Neuf pays : à pied, en taxi, Une partie du trajet se fera en quelques encablures des côtes en camion taxi, une autre en bus ou à britanniques. Léa et les bénévoles de la Mai- pied. Ils marchent au moins son Sésame ont monté ce projet Comme toutes les tragédies de deux semaines, sous la pluie. Le voyage a coûté 15 000 d'hébergement temporaire de- l'exil, l'histoire de la fuite de Leur fille a à peine 1 an et leur euros puis un peu plus d'un an. La Ropak et Hazhar s'étend sur garçon 4 ans à ce moment-là. jeune femme dynamique parle des années. Au pays, au Kur- Leur rencontre avec la police Entre la Roumanie et leur arri- désormais assez bien le kurde et distan irakien, Hazhar est de- en Croatie les a particulière- vée en France, autour du 4 quittera ses fonctions dans quel- venu mécanicien dès l'âge de ment marqués. Hazhar raconte août 2020, Ropak, Hazhar et ques semaines. Un grand sou- 19 ans. Ropak a fait des étu- comment ils ont été arrêtés et leurs deux petits enfants ont rire aux lèvres, elle détaille des, mais ils se sont mariés battus, leurs téléphones por- déboursé 15 000 euros. Une l'objectif de ces mises à l'abri. "quand elle avait 20 ans", sou- tables cassés. "Pendant trois somme exigée par les passe- Nous sommes dans la cuisine, rit-elle, et ensuite elle n'a plus ou quatre jours, on était enfer- urs pour organiser cette longue bruyante, de la Maison Sésame, travaillé. De santé fragile, més sans manger", s'indigne traversée, qui ne comprend au milieu des femmes et des Ropak se bat contre un cancer Ropak, "même les enfants pas bien entendu, toutes les hommes qui préparent le repas depuis huit ans, mais elle ne n'ont rien mangé." Ce scénario dépenses du quotidien. du soir. Un mélange de cuisine peut plus se soigner correcte- se répète cinq fois : cinq fois la kurde, tchétchène et syrienne, à ment depuis qu'ils ont quitté famille tente de franchir la fron- Les voilà désormais installés, l'image des habitants. leur patrie, il y a déjà trois ans. tière croate clandestinement. si l'on peut dire, sur la com- Tous deux ont décidé de se Cinq fois, elle est arrêtée par la mune de Grande-Synthe, dans sauver à l'étranger pour des police croate, battue, enfer- la forêt, surnommée la "Jungle" Plus de 600 tankers, cargos, raisons "privées" sur lesquels mée. Enfin, elle change de où se réfugient environ 400 chalutiers traversent la ils ne veulent pas s'étendre. stratégie et monte dans un ca- personnes en ce moment, Manche chaque jour, sans Entre les lignes, on comprend mion qui la déposera finale- sous des tentes le plus sou- compter les Ferrys que la situation politique est ment en Serbie. vent prêtées par des associati- particulièrement compliquée ons. C'est de là qu'ils ont tenté Pour mieux comprendre les sur place, qu'il y a des dispari- En Roumanie, le couple et par deux fois de rallier l'Angle- risques que prennent les mig- tions pour qui "ne veut pas tra- leurs enfants sont arrêtés. On terre. Lors de leur premier rants qui osent cette traversée vailler pour le gouvernement". les oblige à donner leurs em- essai, ils ont été arrêtés par la de la mer, quotidiennement, preintes. Ils resteront 9 mois, police. La deuxième tentative sur de toutes petites embarca- A l'été 2017, le couple et leur dans un centre d'accueil. "Les est celle où ils ont fait nauf- tions, Bernard Baron raconte petit garçon alors âgé de 2 ans conditions étaient très mauvai- rage. Mais ils songent déjà à ce détroit du Pas-de-Calais embarquent pour la Grèce, via ses", raconte Ropak, "on ne repartir, malgré la peur. Malgré qu'il connaît si bien. la Turquie. Ils resteront à Athè- pouvait pas vivre en Rouma- la précarité de leurs équipe- nes jusqu'au mois d'août 2019. nie, il était interdit de sortir. ments aussi, car Hazhar craint Avec les bénévoles de la Période sombre, par ses con- Même avant le confinement, il de voir la police confisquer SNSM (Société nationale de ditions de vie précaire, mais n'y avait que Hazhar qui avait leurs gilets de sauvetage. C'est sauvetage en mer) il sillonne aussi pleine d'espoir. Ropak le droit de sortir une fois par une accusation fréquente de la en permanence la Manche est enceinte de sa fille et ils ont semaine pour faire des cour- part des exilés et que confirme pour venir au secours des plai- déposé une demande d'asile. ses." Les enfants, en particu- Léa Lambert. Les policiers em- sanciers, pêcheurs ou nageurs "J'avais un médecin pour moi, lier, souffraient de ne pas barquent le matériel pour ten- imprudents. Il se refuse à don- mais je n'ai jamais vu ce doc- pouvoir aller jouer dehors. "Il y ter de décourager les familles ner des détails sur les migrants teur", précise-t-elle. Pudique, avait beaucoup de mafia", de prendre le risque de ces tra- rescapés, mais il est évident elle ne veut pas s'étendre sur renchérit Hazhar, "nous versées périlleuses. Mais les que lui-même et ses collègues leurs conditions de vie difficile. n'avons pas voulu rester". trafiquants, eux, font de la ont secouru bien des familles "Tout le monde sait comment vente des gilets de sauvetage, en perdition. vivent les réfugiés en Grèce", Une nouvelle fois, la famille un commerce juteux, comme coupe Hazhar d'un geste las. reprend la route. A l'aide de le détaillent Hazhar, Ropak et Le trafic incessant dans le dét- Deux ans après leur arrivée, ils passeurs, ils sont véhiculés Léa. roit du Pas-de-Calais rend les se voient notifier un refus par vers la frontière roumaine - A présent qu'ils sont à l'abri traversées d'autant plus péril- l'administration grecque. Ils dé- qu'ils mettront 6 heures à tra- dans la Maison Sésame, leuses que la mer est très cident alors de s'enfuir à nou- verser de nuit à pied. En Aut- Ropak ose rêver d'un chez froide. Même les sportifs les veau. Suivra un long périple à riche, ils se cacheront dans un elle. Un lieu où "rester, dormir, plus aguerris peuvent y laisser travers l'Europe : Albanie, Ko- camion, à l'arrière, au milieu maison", comme elle le dit leur vie, conclut Bernard sovo, Croatie, Serbie, Bosnie, des marchandises. Ropak, dans son anglais très hésitant. Baron.

46 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 24, 2020 By Wladimir van Wilgenburg

Academics call for acquittal of activist convicted in Iran for teaching Kurdish language

RBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Aca- demics across the world in Ea signed statement called for the acquittal Zara Moham- madi, an activist convicted in Iran for teaching the Kurdish lan- guage. Among them famed American linguist Noam Chomsky and Turkish sociologist İsmail Beşikçi, the experts also called for an end to discriminatory policies in Iran against non-Per- sian languages.

On July 14, 2020, an Islamic Revolutionary Court in Iran sen- tenced Zara Mohammadi to ten years in prison on charges of being a national security threat. Her lawyer has defended her by saying that she had been cap- Kurdish language teacher and civil society activist, Zara Mohammadi during one of her lectures (Photo: Instagram tured for teaching her mother @zara_sine) tongue to children and being in- volved in other cultural activities. Although Kurdish culture, such as lamic Republic of Iran's duplici- "The Revolutionary Court's latest Zara Mohammadi is a co-founder dress and music, is allowed and tous policy toward non-Persian ruling against Zara Mohammadi of the Nojin Cultural Association, Kurdish is used in some broad- languages of Iran since the 1979 is therefore only the latest in- which is a civil society organiza- casts and publications, the Kurd- Islamic Revolution," Dr. Haidar stance of the Islamic Republic's tion focused on societal and edu- ish minority continues to suffer Khezri, Assistant Professor in the securitization of the promotion, cational initiatives, including deep-rooted discrimination in Department of Modern Lan- even by private individuals, of teaching the Kurdish language Iran. Moreover, the Persian lan- guages and Literatures at the non-Persian languages." and literature. guage is the sole medium of in- University of Central Florida, struction in primary and USA, told Kurdistan 24 on Sun- According to the academics, "The Islamic Revolutionary Court's secondary education in Iran. day. Iran's discriminatory practices verdict insinuates that Zara Mo- against the Kurdish language hammadi's Kurdish instruction "are in clear violation of several threatened Iran's "national secu- Kurdish is not taught in Khezri was among the sig- international conventions and rity." It is worth noting that the Rev- schools. natories of the statement calling covenants, including the United olutionary Courts are not for Mohammadi's release. Nations' International Convention constitutional. According to Article According to Amnesty Inter- on the Elimination of All Forms of 61 of the constitution of the Islamic national's annual human rights The move is, "[o]n the one hand, Racial Discrimination; Inter- Republic of Iran, "the judiciary review published in February, an explicit constitutional commit- national Covenant on Civil and power is exercised by the Public ethnic minorities in Iran, including ment to diversity at the rhetorical Political Rights; and International Courts of Justice"," the academics Kurds, continue to face "en- level, and, on the other, a policy Covenant on Economic, Social said in a signed statement. trenched discrimination, curtailing of assimilationism and soft lingui- and Cultural Rights, of which Iran their access to education, em- cide in practice, and even puni- is a signatory." "Moreover, while Iran's constitu- ployment, and adequate hous- tive reactions." tion explicitly privileges the Per- ing." They condemned the "Islamic sian language as the country's Furthermore, the academics said Revolutionary Court's unlawful official language and language of There are over 12 million Kurds that "over the past 40 years the verdict and called for the immedi- education and therefore margin- who live in Iran and form around Islamic Republic of Iran has re- ate acquittal of Zara Mohammadi alises other languages spoken in 15 to 17 percent of the pop- frained from implementing Article and an end to discriminatory pol- Iran as "tribal" and "local," it does ulation. 15 of the constitution and consis- icies in Iran against non-Persian explicitly allow the instruction of tently treated non-Persian lan- languages." non-Persian languages (Article "The verdict pronounced against guages as threats to Iran's 15)," they said. Zara is a clear example of the Is- national security."

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 47 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 25, 2020

‘Kurds’ votes are not for sale,’ says HDP Co-Chair Buldan

DP Co-Chair Pervin need be, you appoint trust- as it affects the Circassians, Concluding her remarks, Bul- Buldan has spoken in ees and do not raise your Alevis, Arabs and Turks living dan also touched upon Pres- HBursa: “They have no voice against it; you keep the there, they also affect the ident and ruling Justice and credibility left. So, they will try representatives of a people Kurds in Kurdistan and the Development Party (AKP) to open a new area for un- hostages in prisons and do people living there. Chair Recep Tayyip earned income by alleging not say a single word about Erdoğan's "good news" that that they have discovered all these... 'No one faces the future natural gas reserves were gas reserves and make new with confidence' discovered in the Black Sea. calculations based on this "While you do not say a sin- until 2023.” gle word while Selahattin "If the society of Turkey says "They reopened Hagia So- Demirtaş, Figen Yüksekdağ, we are brothers and sisters in phia to worship; but everyone Peoples' Democratic Party İdris Baluken, Sebahat Tun- this country and live together, knows that there were differ- (HDP) Co-Chair Pervin Bul- cel, Gültan Kışanak and they should definitely have a ent calculations behind it. dan spoke in Turkey's west- dozens of my other friends word against what Kurds are They had a survey conducted ern province of Bursa whom I cannot name all are going through, they should following Hagia Sophia and yesterday (August 24) as part in prison, while you say noth- say something against the saw an increase of one per- of the third stage of the ing to the ones who rule the pressures they have to live cent. This would not suffice party's Democratic Struggle country with trustees and with and the atrocity they them to come into power Program. have no words to say to face amid this policy of de- again. those who have turned the nial. "Kurds' votes are not for country into a country of iso- "Now, they give the good sale," Buldan emphasized in lation, you then come up and "This country is the country of news that they discovered her speech and said, "The talk about Kurdish question. us all, we live here all to- gas in Black Sea. They now votes of Kurds are the votes gether. If we live together as try to seek their power in the of people who have their "Then, you will seek ways to Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Alevis, depths of ground because bellies full for your all types of initiate politics in Kurdish women and youth, then we they have lost face to look lies and your oppressive provinces while you do not have to stand up against people in the face. They have mentality based on denial." object to any of these. these problems and issues no credibility left. Neither Kurds, nor the people altogether. Former Prime Minister Ahmet of Turkey would accept such "So, they will try to open a Davutoğlu, who has recently an attitude. "They have turned the coun- new area for unearned in- founded the Future Party try into a country of isolation. come by alleging that they after resigning from the ruling 'Kurdish question affects Isolation is not imposed have discovered gas re- Justice and Development everyone' solely on [PKK leader] Mr. serves and make new cal- Party (AKP), made a state- Öcalan in İmralı Prison. It is culations based on this until ment in Turkey's eastern "Kurdish question is not only imposed on the society and the year 2023. They say that province of Van on August the issue of Hakkari or peoples of Turkey in the per- they will bring the gas re- 22, saying, "If Kurds are un- Diyarbakır. Kurdish question son of İmralı. serves into life in 2023. But easy, none of us can be at is also the problem of Bursa they know that they cannot peace." and the people of Bursa. It is "The people of Turkey live in stay in power until 2023. Will also the issue of the people isolation in every sense of the this gas remain until 2023? Other highlights from Bul- of Balıkesir, İzmir, the Aegean term. In a country where No. What will they do? dan's speech were as fol- and Black Sea. there is no justice, law, de- lows: mocracy and even social "They will hold new tenders, "Because the crises that we media is not free, people give them to companies and 'No one can accept such an have been going through, don't feel free and no one make the society of Turkey to attitude' both economic and social, faces their future with con- meet the cost of this gas re- are not crises that solely af- fidence." serve. The thing is that they "If need be, you deny it; if fect the HDP and Kurds. Just will transfer its revenue to need be, you make politics as they affect the peoples liv- 'They seek their power in their own companies and unbearable for them; if need ing in western Turkey, in its the depths of ground' pro-government companies." be, you imprison politicians; if Aegean and Black Sea, just (AS/SD)

48 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 25, 2020

In northeast Syria town, families say Turkey cut their water

utside her home in The issue has sparked increas- northeast Syria, In the city's narrow streets, ing concern at a time when con- Damascus on Monday accused OSheikha Majid said her women and children clutched firmed coronavirus infections Ankara of using water as a life had become an endless empty jerrycans, waiting to fill have risen to 362 cases includ- "weapon against Syrian civil- quest for fresh water, three them up from water deliveries, ing 25 deaths in Syria's Kurdish- ians". weeks into the latest supply cut some from aid groups. held northeast, according to by Turkish forces. data provided by the semi-au- On a rooftop, a young girl held tonomous administration. - 'Pressure point' - "I spend the whole time running after water trucks," the 43-year- old grandmother said, amid an ongoing outage -- one of many in recent months -- in Hasakeh, a city run by a semi-autono- mous Kurdish administration.

As coronavirus spreads across northeastern Syria, residents in Hasakeh have been caught up in spats between Turkish forces to the north and Syria's Kurds, viewed by Ankara as "terrorists". PUBLICITÉ A Syrian girl brings water back to a camp for the displaced in In October last year, Turkish the Kurdish run-city of Hasakeh forces and their Syrian proxies in Syria's northeast Delil SOU- occupied a 120-kilometre (75- LEIMAN AFP mile) stretch of land inside the Syrian border, including the Alouk power station that supplies drinking water to Hasa- a gushing green pipe over a Dozens of those cases are in Kurdish officials say that, after keh. water tank, funnelling water Hasakeh. Ankara's military campaign in from a truck below. October, there was an initial Kurdish officials say Turkey is In March, the United Nations deal for the Turks to ensure now using the water station to - 'Weapon against civilians' - warned one of the earlier water continued water supply from pressure the local authorities supply interruptions from Alouk Alouk, in exchange for the into giving them more electricity "This time it's really dragged was putting 460,000 people at Kurds providing electricity to in areas Ankara seized from on," elderly resident Muham- risk in the Hasakeh area, as the newly taken areas. them. mad Khatar told AFP on Sat- pandemic spread worldwide. urday, referring to the latest But the Turks have been trying While Turkey claims the station supply cut. Kurdish forces spearheaded the to exert pressure on the Kurds has merely been under mainte- US-backed battle against the Is- to give them more electricity, ac- nance, aid organisations have "All we want is to eat and drink, lamic State group in Syria, but cording to the Syrian Observa- warned against using water as and do our job. We have noth- Ankara says they are linked to tory for Human Rights war a political or military tool to the ing to do with politics." the outlawed Kurdistan monitor and a Kurdish official. detriment of civilians. Workers' Party (PKK) in Turkey. The Kurds say there have been The Turks repeatedly "ask for Majid said the latest supply cut eight interruptions to the supply Turkey's defence ministry more electricity," said Suzdar had made it difficult to ensure of water from the station near claimed on August 6 the Alouk Ahmad, the joint head of the basic hygiene for her seven chil- the town of Ras al-Ain since last water facility was under mainte- Kurdish-run water authority. dren and two grandchildren. autumn. nance but that Hasakeh was still receiving water. Aheen Sweid, co-director of the "Most of the time we bathe in The Turks "occupied our land energy authority, said the water salty water" from wells instead, and now they're cutting off our The Kurds say the water has cuts were nothing new. she said, adding that she used water," 45-year-old Saleh Fat- been cut off, and the hashtag the brackish liquid for washing tah said. "Thirst is strangling Hasakeh" "Since the Turks occupied Ras clothes too. has been trending online. al-Ain there have been endless

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 49 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

rounds of negotiations over Both sides then negotiated via Heras said the water cuts were sure point to turn local people in water interruptions from Alouk," Russia -- an ally of Syria's cen- likely to continue in areas con- Hasakeh against the SDF." she said. tral government in the country's trolled by the Kurdish-led Syrian complex civil war -- and on Sat- Democratic Forces. Ankara now held the "ability to This time, around 10 days after urday they came to an agree- cut water indefinitely to over half the taps ran dry in Hasakeh, on ment that envisaged water "Seizing the Alouk plant was a million water-starved people" August 13 the Kurds cut off the making its way back to Hasa- one of Turkey's key campaign in Kurdish-held areas, rep- electricity to the Ras al-Ain area keh's pipes from Monday. goals" in October last year, he resenting a far more effective in retaliation, Sweid said. said, "exactly because Turkey weapon than retaliatory power But Syria analyst Nicholas wants to use water as a pres- cuts, he said.

26 août 2020

En Irak, la contestation gagne le Kurdistan

lors qu’il était resté à l’écart du soulèvement Aqui enflamme le Sud chiite depuis des mois, le Kur- distan irakien est touché à son tour. À Erbil, la capitale, Dohuk dans le nord, ou Souleymaniyé et Halabja dans le sud, les ma- nifestations se succèdent, ainsi que les arrestations. Parmi les protestataires se mêlent, dans le sud, des fonctionnaires de cette région autonome de l’Irak, excédés de ne plus per- cevoir leurs salaires, ainsi que dans le nord des opposants à la violente intervention militaire turque du mois de juin, desti- née à réduire les bases arrière du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK). Cette obligation n’étant plus “révolution blanche” » dans fossé culturel et linguistique qui Les autorités tentent de juguler remplie depuis des mois, le certains médias. À ses yeux, le les sépare – voit plusieurs « la contestation en interdisant gouvernement irakien, lui- principal responsable de cette marqueurs communs » entre les rassemblements, en cou- même confronté à l’effondre- mauvaise passe est le gouver- les jeunes manifestants chiites pant Internet, voire en « exer- ment des cours du pétrole et à nement irakien qu’il soupçonne et kurdes : « L’absence d’idéo- çant des pressions » sur les une contestation sociale gran- d’arrière-pensées « politiques logie et de programme, le refus journalistes, déplore Reporters dissante, a fini par couper les ». « Nous espérons qu’un ac- de la corruption et de l’injustice sans frontières. Autant de sig- vivres au Gouvernement régio- cord sera trouvé d’ici à la fin de sociale, et surtout une im- nes de la crise profonde dans nal du Kurdistan (GRK), le pré- l’année, comme cela a été évo- mense défiance à l’égard des laquelle se trouve la région, sa- cipitant dans la crise. qué à Washington avec le pre- responsables politiques. » « ignée financièrement par plusi- « Révolution blanche » mier ministre Mustafa Al Une première contestation eurs années de lutte contre Kadhimi. Nos attentes ne doi- s’est fait jour dès 2011 alors Daech et à laquelle le gouver- « Certaines revendications vent pas être trop hautes mais que l’économie était au plus nement central de Bagdad a sont légitimes. Mais ce que nous souhaitons qu’elles so- haut, rappelle-t-il. Ceux qui décidé de suspendre ses ver- nous n’acceptons pas, c’est ient en bonne partie satisfaites. descendent dans la rue sont sements depuis avril. que des manifestations pacifi- » des jeunes nés autour de ques soient détournées par 2003, qui n’ont connu ni Sad- En vertu de la loi de finance Nouvelle génération (le parti L’erreur serait de réduire les dam Hussein, ni l’embargo, ni irakienne, la région du Kurdis- d’opposition, NDLR) ou par le tensions actuelles à leur volet la guerre entre le Kurdistan et tan perçoit en principe 12 % du PKK », prévient Safin Dizeyi, économique, estime toutefois Bagdad. Ils ont d’autres envies budget fédéral mais doit en éc- ministre des affaires étrangè- Adel Bakawan, directeur du et d’autres rêves que la géné- hange fournir 250 000 barils de res du GRK, qui déplore des « département recherche à ration au pouvoir ne peut pas pétrole brut par jour à Bagdad. appels à la violence, ou à une l’Iremmo, qui – au-delà du comprendre. »

50 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

25 août 2020

Pourquoi l’Occident accepte-t-il tant de crimes de la part du président Erdogan ?

ne carte blanche de Benoit Lannoo, histo- Urien de l’Église et des chrétiens d’Orient.

Un soleil de plomb, des tem- pératures dépassant tous les jours les quarante degrés et pas une goutte d’eau de pluie : ce sont des circonstances normales à cette époque dans la Basse-Djézireh, la ré- gion d’al-Hasakah au nord- est de la Syrie. Le Khabour, la rivière qui traverse la capi- tale du gouvernorat dé- nommé également Hassaké, est un ouādī maintenant : un oued à sec. Mais il n’est pas normal du tout que les robi- nets ne fournissent plus la moindre goutte d’eau non plus.

Or, des milices jihadistes et nationalistes turques empêc- hent depuis quinze jours les lards et les personnes vulné- sous le prétexte de protéger ques et des Syriaque-ortho- dispositifs de transport d’eau rables, dans un pays qui par la Turquie contre des atta- doxes ainsi que des Arméni- potable venant des régions ailleurs souffre déjà fort de la ques terroristes kurdes – ens qui s’y sont installés moins arides dans la région pandémie du Covid-19. Per- n’ont pas seulement envahi après les génocides commis frontalière syro-turque. Ce durant, il s’agit ici d’un crime le nord de la Syrie en octobre par les Jeunes Turcs à l’issue n’est d’ailleurs pas la pre- contre l’humanité." dernier, en avril encore ils ont de la Première guerre mon- mière fois qu’ils se servent de également fait des victimes diale. l’eau comme arme de guerre, Encore un crime du Prési- parmi des chrétiens et des depuis la prise d’une "zone dent turc Recep Tayyip Erdo- yezidis à l’extrême nord de Cette diversité est systémati- de sécurité contre des terro- gan autour de ses frontières l’Irak, autour de et Sin- quement menacée mainte- ristes kurdes" de cent kilo- méridionales pour lequel jar. Et ne l’oublions pas : ces nant par les islamistes et mètres de long et de l’Occident ferme les yeux. Le troupes turques qui envahis- nationalistes turques. Fin de vingt-cinq kilomètres de large nettoyage ethnique se pour- sent les pays limitrophes, l’année dernière, dans les dans la Haute-Djézireh syri- suit en silence. La minorité sont des troupes de l’Otan, abris de bus à Diyarbakır, enne. chrétienne qui essaie de sur- notre alliance militaire ! sont même apparus des af- vivre du côté nord de la fron- fiches avec le Verset corani- "Ces coupures volontaires tière, subit l’une intimidation que dit "de l’Épée", populaire d’eau potable sont des atte- après l’autre. Les parents L’expression al-Jazayra en dans les milieux d’extrémis- intes aux droits de l’Homme", d’un prêtre chaldéen à Istan- arabe signifie : "L’îlot". La tes et souvent cité comme dit le Patriarche syriaque-ort- bul, Remzi Diril, par exemple Djézireh a toujours été une justification pour des actes hodoxe Ignace Éphrem II ont voulu réintégrer leur vil- région multiculturelle et mul- terroristes. Mais l’Occident Karim dans un courrier ad- lage natal de Meer ; ils ont tireligieuse, où cohabitent s’en fout. N’est-il pas grand ressé vendredi au secrétaire été enlevés et assassinés en des yezidis et des mandé- temps de revoir fondamenta- général des Nations Unies. janvier. ens, des kurdes chrétiens et lement notre "alliance" avec "Cet acte sans éthique frappe sunnites, des chrétiens chal- la Turquie ? surtout les enfants, les vieil- Mais les troupes turques – déens, des Syriaque-catholi-

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 51 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 26, 2020

COVID-19: Iraq records 72 deaths and 3,837 new infections in 24 hours ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi creased since the recent Eid al- Ministry of Health and Environ- Adha holiday. ment on Wednesday announced The statement was made during a more than 3,800 new coronavirus press conference held with the infections and 72 deaths resulting governor of Sulaimani province, from the disease in the past 24 Haval Abu Bakr, and the prov- hours. ince’s head health directorate, Sabah Hawrami. Ismail also ex- The ministry announced in its daily plained, "There is still no treatment epidemiological status update that for the pandemic," so it was es- it had conducted 20,359 tests in sential that "people's lives should that time period, making a total of undergo a change and protective 1,502,546 tests carried out since mask should be part of every fam- the outbreak of the virus in Iraq in ily's life and everyone must com- The number of coronavirus infections in Iraq has reached 215,784, more February. mit to staying away from crowded than 6,600 of them fatal. Iraqi health workers conduct coronavirus tests. (Photo: AFP/Mohammed Sawaf) places." According to the health officials, The highly-contagious disease the new numbers brought the total has infected over 24 million people number of infections in Iraq to deaths in Iraq do not include the the following day's national tally. worldwide and killed nearly 215,784 confirmed cases of most recent developments in the 821,000 according to government- COVID-19, with 6,668 deaths and autonomous Kurdistan Region, The representative of the World reported data compiled by Johns nearly 52,000 active cases in Iraqi which has its own health ministry Health Organization (WHO) in Hopkins University. The actual fig- hospitals and other medical care and typically announces results Iraq, Adham Ismail, announced ures could be dramatically higher centers. later in the day. As such, Kurd- earlier on Wednesday that the rate due to insufficient testing capabil- Today's figures for infections and istan's figures are usually added to of new infections sharply in- ities or underreporting.

August 27, 2020 Halgurd Sherwani Two Kurdish brothers found dead after alleged abduction by ISIS

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Saman Dawood and Luqman brothers. The terror group has and Peshmerga commanders dead bodies of two Kurdish yo- Dawood tried to reach the scene not claimed responsibility yet. have issued repeated warnings uths were found on Thursday and extinguish the blaze,” the to both the Iraqi government and after they were allegedly abduc- source added, but they were Despite the territorial defeat the the international community that ted by so-called Islamic State also ambushed by the terrorists terror group suffered in 2017, it the Islamic State remains active militants in Khanaqin, Diyala pro- and were abducted last night. has been able to sporadically la- and capable of reasserting itself vince, a local source told Kurdis- unch hit-and-run attacks in those and re-emerging in the disputed tan 24. Local officials announced that areas that are devoid of security territories to continue its campa- earlier in the morning they had cooperation between the Kurdis- ign of violence. On Wednesday night, at a “fake found dead bodies of the abduc- tan Region’s Peshmerga forces checkpoint” set up by Islamic ted brothers close to the area and Iraq’s security forces. A “security vacuum,” as Kurdish State militants at the Dakai Mic- where their kidnapping occurred. officials have described it, has hael Village near Kahanqin dis- A United Nations counter-terro- made the disputed areas in Di- trict, two people were ambushed Units of the Iraqi army were rism official announced that the yala, Salahuddin, and Kirkuk and later their truck was set ab- close to the area where the am- Islamic State remains a serious more vulnerable to Islamic State laze by the militants, a source fa- bush took place, according to threat in Iraq, Syria, and elsew- attacks. miliar with the incident told the source. here around the world, over two Kurdistan 24. years after the territorial defeat However, allegations are direc- of the extremist organization. Editing by Karzan Sulaivany “After seeing the truck on fire, ted towards the Islamic State for two Kurdish brothers named the murders of the two Kurdish Top Kurdistan Region officials

52 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

28 août 2020 Par Morgane Giuliani

Turquie : l'avocate Ebru Timtik meurtAugust après 28, 2020 238 jours de grève de la faim contre son emprisonnement

mprisonnée pour son travail d'avocate et Eses convictions prog- ressistes. Ce jeudi 27 août, le cabinet d'avocat People's Law Office a révélé la mort de l'avocate turque Ebru Timtik, d'une grève de la faim démarrée il y a 238 jours.

Poursuivie pour ses combats progressistes

En 2019, elle avait été con- damnée par la justice turque à treize ans de prison, officielle- ment pour appartenance à une justice. [...] Ebru Timtik, avocate Des centaines dogan sont arrêtés, jugés sous organisation terroriste. Un pro- du peuple, est immortelle !" d'avocats seraient de faux prétextes, souvent cès factice, l'avocate étant en emprisonnés en pour terrorisme, et emprison- nés. fait poursuivie pour son métier Turquie et ses engagements, comme Hommages le rappellent nombre de ses internationaux Ebru Timtik faisait une grève soutiens en deuil sur Twitter. de la faim aux côtés de son Elle avait notamment défendu La République de Ce jeudi 27 août, des dizaines confrère Aytac Ünsal. Faisant des dissidents kurdes face au Turquie vit la crise ju- de personnes se sont rassem- partie, comme elle de l'Asso- régime autoritaire d'Erdogan, blées devant l'institut médico- ciation des Avocats Progres- diciaire la plus sévère Président de la Turquie. légal où se trouve son corps. sistes (ÇHD), il a aussi été de son Histoire. Des rassemblements ont aussi condamné pour appartenance Réclamant un procès équi- eu lieu devant des ambassades à une organisation terroriste, et En février 2020, le pays a fini table, Ebru Timtik avait entamé turques à travers l'Europe. demande un procès équitable. par détenir le triste record du une grève de la faim le 2 jan- Il est dans un état critique, plus grand nombre d'avocats vier. Le 5 avril, elle avait décidé Lors des universités d'été de la selon Arrested Lawyers. De- jetés en prison, selon une as- d'intensifier sa grève de la Conférence des Bâtonniers, ce puis le 30 juillet, ils avaient été sociation regroupant différents faim, en se privant de vitami- vendredi, sa présidente, Hé- sortis de prison pour être hos- barreaux du pays : "Des prati- nes. Un acte radical, qui con- lène Fontaine, a rendu hom- pitalisés, mentionne le site Ar- ques illégales et des interven- duit inévitablement à la mort. mage à Ebru Timtik : "Il n'y a rested Lawyers, qui dénonce tions directes de l'exécutif dans pas de frontière lorsqu'on est l'arrestation d'avocats à travers des procès suivis de près par Elle est décédée dans un hôpi- avocat". le monde. le public ont récemment atteint tal d'Istanbul. Mercredi, le ca- un niveau inacceptable", dé- binet People's Law Office, où "Bien plus qu’une avocate, Barkin Timtik, petite soeur nonçait un communiqué, aler- elle était collaboratrice, avait Ebru était une soeur, une con- d'Ebru Timtik, également avo- tant aussi sur des arrestations annoncé que les personnels fidente, une camarade, un cate, est aussi en prison. Elle de juges. "La République de médicaux tentaient de la réani- océan de bienveillance, de ten- avait été jugée en même Turquie vit la crise judiciaire la mer, après un arrêt cardiaque. dresse et de courage, écrit le temps que sa soeur, et 18 aut- plus sévère de son Histoire." traducteur Bahar Kimyongür. res avocats, fin 2018, comme "Ebru était l'avocate du peuple, Pas une once de haine en son le rapportait Dalloz. Ce mois-ci, Arrested Lawyers a écrit son cabinet d'avocats en cœur même envers le pouvoir comptabilité 441 condamnati- guise d'hommage. Elle aimait les qui l’a assassiné." En Turquie, de nombreux avo- ons d'avocats en Turquie, gens autant que sa vie, elle a ré- cats opposés au régime d'Er- entre 2016 et 2020. sisté jour après jour pour obtenir

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 53 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

26 août 2020 Cachez ce saint que je ne saurais voir !

omme pour les églises depuis 1934, et tandis que l'ou- une monumentale représenta- Pour Zeynep Turkyilmaz, histo- d'Iznik et de Trabzon, léma Ali Erbas prêchait, le ci- tion du Jugement dernier. rienne de l'Empire ottoman, transformées en mos- meterre traditionnel dans la C l'église Saint-Sauveur risque quées en 2011 et en 2013, les main gauche, l'archange Gab- Car, contrairement à Sainte- autorités turques ont -pour riel ou la Vierge et l'enfant éta- Sophie, les figures bibliques donc « l'équivalent d'une des- l'instant- décidé de préserver ient plongés dans l'obscurité. décorent ici l'ensemble de l'édi- truction, car il est impossible de les fresques chrétiennes de la fice, et il sera impossible de les transformer cette architecture basilique Sainte-Sophie, à Is- Au mois d'août, c'est l'église dissimuler à l'heure de la tanbul, par un jeu d'ombres et byzantine Saint-Sauveur-in- prière. Après la première isla- intérieure en la préservant» de rideaux sur tringles. Histoire Chora d'Istanbul qui a été misation de l'église,en 1452, (« L'Obs », 21/8). de ne pas trop heurter la com- transformée en mosquée à son les Ottomans avaient gratté les munauté internationale. tour, laissant craindre une dé- images chrétiennes ou les ava- Il n'y aura plus que le cimeterre térioration d'oeuvres d'art chré- ient recouvertes de plâtre. Ainsi, le 24 juillet, lors de la tiennes, notamment des Alors, quoi, cette-fois-ci ? à visiter ? première prière du vendredi mosaïques du XIVe siècle ou J. C.

29 août 2020 Par Laure Stephan et Madjid Zerrouk

En Syrie, le régime Assad reste dans le déni malgré la progression du Covid-19

e système de santé, dé- en juin et 79 en mai. Au mo- labré par neuf ans de ment de la rédaction du pré- Lguerre, souffre de sanc- sent rapport, en août, les tions internationales qui autorités avaient confirmé plus compliquent son approvision- de 920 cas. Compte tenu du nement en matériels et médi- nombre limité de tests prati- caments. qués dans le pays, il est donc possible que des cas asympto- Laborieusement convoquée à matiques et bénins ne soient Genève après neuf mois d’in- pas détectés et que le nombre terruption, la troisième session réel de cas dépasse de loin les des pourparlers intersyriens chiffres officiels »,alerte le Bu- menés sous l’égide de l’ONU a reau de coordination des af- failli tourner court, lundi 24 faires humanitaires (OCHA) de août, après que quatre mem- l’ONU. A rebours du déni des bres de la délégation venue de Des habitants de la ville d’Hassaké, au nord-Est de la Syrie, vont faire le autorités, les témoignages sont Damas ont été testés positifs plein aux citernes fournies par des organisations humanitaires après alarmants. au Covid-19. Si les discussions lors une panne d’eau le 22 août. DELIL SOULEIMAN / AFP ont repris jeudi 27 août, le Crainte d’un effondrement comité constitutionnel, censé économique débouché sur une réforme de santé comptabilisait officielle- sous-estimés selon les ONG, la Constitution du pays, n’a ment 2 440 cas dans les ré- ne cesse d’augmenter. « La frontière entre le Liban et pour l’instant rendu qu’un bul- gions contrôlées par Damas, la Syrie est toujours fermée, à letin médical, comme un écho dont une centaine « importés « Depuis juillet, la situation épi- moins d’avoir une recomman- sinistre de la gravité de l’épidé- », et 98 décès liés à la pandé- démiologique a rapidement dation ou une autorisation spé- mie qui sévit dans le pays. mie. Le nombre de contamina- évolué. En juillet, 532 cas ont ciale. Tout le monde à Damas tions, bien que largement été confirmés contre 157 cas me dit de ne pas venir, car les Au 27 août, le ministère de la cas de Covid-19 explosent. La

54 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

situation est encore pire à malades ayant récemment sé- sont en cause : elles ne visent fectués, environ la moitié Alep, en termes de contamina- journé à Damas. peut-être pas les médica- donne un résultat positif. Cela tion et de manques de lits. Les ments, mais des sociétés sur- démontre que les taux de fils Facebook se transforment Dans un pays ravagé par neuf réagissent quand elles transmission sont élevés et en carnets de condoléances », ans de guerre, le régime syrien entendent le mot “Syrie”. Elles que beaucoup plus de tests raconte un homme d’affaires avait initialement imposé un préfèrent ne pas négocier par sont nécessaires », estime Will qui vit entre Beyrouth et début de confinement, fermé crainte d’être pénalisées. Ainsi, Turner, responsable des pro- Damas. les écoles, interdit les prières une usine pharmaceutique à grammes d’urgence pour la collectives et limité les dépla- Damas qui importe les ma- Syrie à Médecins sans fron- « Cela fait deux jours que je cements avant de rapidement tières premières depuis l’Inde, tières (MSF). n’avais pas ouvert mon compte assouplir les mesures les plus via le port de Beyrouth, s’est vu Facebook et, aujourd’hui, ce contraignantes par crainte d’un récemment refuser une impor- « Les villes de Hassaké et Qa- ne sont que des condoléances. effondrement économique. « tation par son partenaire in- mishli sont les foyers les plus Que celui qui n’est pas mort ou Les impacts socioécono- dien. La Syrie n’a plus, non actifs. Nous craignons que tombé malade me laisse un miques du Covid-19, notam- plus, les qualifications médi- cela ne se déplace bientôt vers message », commente sarcas- ment sur la sécurité alimentaire cales, tant les médecins sont Rakka, une autre zone densé- tiquement un activiste, pour- et les moyens de subsistance, nombreux à être partis », ment peuplée qui accueille un tant prorégime, qui suggère sont susceptibles d’exacerber ajoute l’homme d’affaires. grand nombre de personnes aux morgues de publier le les besoins humanitaires subs- déplacées et qui ne se remet nombre de décès plutôt que de tantiels du pays », prévient Loin d’être contenue dans les toujours pas des destructions laisser cette tâche au ministère l’Organisation mondiale de la zones gouvernementales, de la guerre. Les services de de la santé. santé (OMS). l’évolution de la pandémie santé sont rares et l’accès à dans les vastes territoires l’eau et à l’assainissement est Début août, le directeur adjoint « Taux de transmission éle- contrôlés par les Forces démo- médiocre », poursuit Will Tur- de la direction de la santé du vés » cratiques syriennes (FDS, à ner. gouvernorat de Damas esti- A un système de santé délabré dominante kurde) dans le mait à 100 000 le nombre de s’ajoute l’impact des sanctions nord-est du pays inquiète aussi « Entre la dépréciation des cas probables dans la capitale internationales mises en place les humanitaires. « Il ne fait monnaies locales et l’explosion et ses environs en se basant par les pays occidentaux et aucun doute que nous assis- des cas de Covid-19, le risque sur le nombre de décès, une une partie des pays membres tons à une augmentation des d’une crise humanitaire de plus centaine par jour. Signe d’une de la Ligue arabe. « On cas de Covid-19 dans le nord- grande ampleur existe, tant en détérioration de la situation manque de tout d’un point de est de la Syrie. Au 24 août, il y Syrie qu’au Liban : tout le dans l’agglomération, de nom- vue médical en Syrie, de lits, avait 394 cas confirmés. Les monde vit sur ses réserves », breux cas « suspects » sont ré- d’oxygène… Ce sont d’abord tests sont en nombre limité, conclut l’économiste franco-sy- pertoriés en province chez des les sanctions [occidentales] qui mais, parmi ceux qui sont ef- rien Samir Aïta.

25 août 2020 Par Marie Jégo Turquie : incertitude sur le sort des fresques de l’ancienne église byzantine Saint-Sauveur- in-Chora transformée en mosquée La conversion de la Chora en mosquée était réclamée de longue date par plusieurs associations proches des confréries islamiques. Un décret du président turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, publié vendredi 21 août, leur donne satisfaction.

longé dans la contem- vendredi 21 août. L’islam inter- n’a aucun sens… », se la- fermées au public de longue plation des fresques de disant les représentations figu- mente sa femme, Nadia. « Il va date pour cause de réfection. Pl’église Saint-Sauveur-in- ratives, les somptueuses falloir habiller l’intérieur de kilo- La préposée à la vente des bil- Chora à Istanbul, Anton Kout- mosaïques et fresques du mètres de tissus », imagine-t- lets ignore quand la conversion senko se dit qu’il est sans XIVe siècle sont vouées à être elle. Nul ne sait quand les va se produire. « On va fermer doute « parmi les derniers » à recouvertes. aménagements auront lieu. ces jours-ci, le temps de procé- pouvoir admirer ces merveilles der aux transformations néces- de l’art byzantin. L’église du « Seront-elles enduites de Samedi, l’église, qui avait saires, ensuite il y aura Ve siècle vient tout juste d’être chaux ou vont-elles disparaître jusqu’ici le statut de musée, sûrement une cérémonie offi- transformée en mosquée sur derrière des rideaux ? », s’in- continuait à recevoir des visi- cielle pour la première prière. » décret du président turc, quiète le touriste ukrainien. teurs bien que plusieurs Recep Tayyip Erdogan, publié « Cacher de telles merveilles parties du bâtiment aient été Située près des anciens rem-

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 55 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

parts de la ville, l’église aux six moine mondial de l’Unesco, dômes est célèbre pour ses qui leur reconnaît le statut de mosaïques et ses fresques by- « chefs-d’œuvre architectu- zantines du XIVe siècle. D’une raux ».L’agence, qui avait dé- finesse et d’une fraîcheur in- claré par le passé que des comparables, elles sont parmi changements de statut de ces les mieux conservées au monuments historiques porte- monde. Sur les murs et les raient atteinte à leur valeur pa- dômes, les principaux thèmes trimoniale, n’a guère réagi aux bibliques sont déclinés, la Dor- décrets turcs. mition de la Vierge, la Résur- rection, le Jugement dernier. « Le siècle sera turc » Les lois du califat La Grèce, actuellement sou- L’édifice a pris sa forme ac- mise aux intenses pressions tuelle aux XIe et XIIe siècles. Il Détail de l’une des fresques de l’église byzantine Saint-Sauveur-in- de son voisin turc en mer Egée a été consacré en tant que Chora à Istanbul, le 21 août. Emrah Gurel / AP et en Méditerranée, a pour sa mosquée par le sultan Bajazet part dénoncé, vendredi, « une II, près de soixante ans après Son décret d’application était de ralentissement économique provocation supplémentaire la conquête de Constantinople attendu avec impatience par et de reprise de l’épidémie de envers les croyants et la par son père Mehmet II. A les milieux islamistes. Publié Covid-19. communauté internationale ». l’époque ottomane, les vendredi au Journal officiel, il En Turquie, seul le Parti démo- fresques et mosaïques ont été ordonne l’ouverture de Sous le règne de l’AKP, six an- cratique des peuples (HDP, cachées sous une couche de la « mosquée Kariye » au culte ciennes églises byzantines ont pro-kurde), s’est exprimé chaux. Transformée en musée musulman, la plaçant sous la été reconverties en mosquées, contre cette conversion. « L’un après la seconde guerre mon- responsabilité de la Direction deux à Istanbul et quatre des symboles de l’identité pro- diale, la Chora (« Kariye », en des affaires religieuses, une autres dans les villes de Trab- fonde, multiculturelle et multi- turc), a pu retrouver ses repré- institution d’Etat devenue toute zon, Kirklareli, Iznik et Edirne. religieuse de notre pays a été sentations bibliques grâce à puissante, dotée d’un budget Les autorités assurent que les sacrifié », a dénoncé, dans un une minutieuse restauration considérable (plus d’un milliard touristes pourront continuer à tweet, le député Garo Paylan, menée de 1948 à 1958 par d’euros) et responsable de admirer les fresques de la élu du HDP au Parlement turc. une équipe de spécialistes 84 685 mosquées en Turquie. Chora, en dehors des heures américains de l’art byzantin. Dans le quartier de l’église, à la Sa conversion en mosquée porte d’Edirne, non loin de la était réclamée de longue date muraille byzantine, le calme par plusieurs associations règne. Dans la touffeur de proches des confréries isla- cette chaude journée d’août, miques. La décision a été prise des hommes assis autour d’un en novembre 2019 par le thé sous une tonnelle près du Conseil d’Etat, la plus haute ju- marché aux pigeons voya- ridiction administrative de Tur- geurs se réjouissent de la dé- quie. Les principaux cision de leur président. arguments des rigoristes ont été jugés recevables. Le statut « Dès que la mosquée Kariye de musée a été déclaré illégal ouvrira, j’irai », clame Abubekir, en référence aux décisions le plus âgé du groupe, la tête prises à l’époque du califat, qui ceinte d’un petit calot musul- avait interdit d’utiliser l’édifice à Des visiteurs de l’église byzantine Saint-Sauveur-in-Chora d’Is- man. La conversation s’anime des fins autres que cultuelles. tanbul, le 21 août. BULENT KILIC / AFP à l’évocation du dernier dis- cours de M. Erdogan, consa- Le même raisonnement a pré- cré à la découverte d’un valu le 10 juillet, lors de la « Chefs-d’œuvre architectu- de prière. Elles promettent de gisement de gaz en Mer noire. conversion de la basilique raux » préserver les œuvres d’art Sainte-Sophie en mosquée. La comme elles l’ont fait à Trab- Bien que modeste, 320 mil- justice turque s’aligne dés- En transformant l’église byzan- zon, sur les bords de la Mer liards de mètres cubes – soit ormais sur les lois du califat − tine en mosquée, comme il l’a noire, où une église byzantine l’équivalent de sept ans de aboli en 1924 par Atatürk − plu- fait un mois plus tôt pour la ba- appelée Sainte-Sophie a été consommation des foyers turcs tôt que sur celles de la Répu- silique Sainte-Sophie, M. Erdo- convertie en mosquée –, le gisement est censé ou- blique, ce qui en dit long sur gan cherche à cajoler la base en 2013, ses fresques ayant vrir « une nouvelle ère » pour l’ampleur de la révolution cultu- conservatrice et pieuse de son été cachées sous des rideaux la Turquie, selon les mots du relle imposée par Erdogan de- Parti de la justice et du déve- amovibles. chef de l’Etat. « Le siècle sera puis dix-huit ans passés au loppement (AKP, au pouvoir turc », lance un jeune homme pouvoir. depuis 2002), au moment où Sainte-Sophie et la Chora sont à la cantonade. Le groupe ac- sa popularité s’étiole sur fond inscrites sur la liste du Patri- quiesce d’un air entendu.

56 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

30 août 2020

Kurdes de Syrie : "Ils sont tombés dans le trou noir de l’information alors que rien n'est joué"

algré des tensions et taine d’années sur quelques incidents, les notre masochisme Mcombats en Syrie se occidental constant, sont raréfiés. Que sont devenus sur l’érosion de les Kurdes de Syrie qui sur le notre volonté de terrain ont chassé le groupe dji- vivre libre, sur la do- hadiste état islamique ? Après mination complète avoir aidé la coalition internatio- sur nos vies du con- nale, les Kurdes de Syrie sont sumérisme, tout tombés dans l’oubli. Ils ont été cela est dû au fait délaissés voire trahis par les Oc- que nous baissons cidentaux. les bras quand il faut faire trop d’ef- Entretien avec Patrice Fran- forts pour défendre ceschi, écrivain-aventurier fran- nos libertés çais et auteur de "Avec les Kurdes, ce que les avoir aban- Est-ce que les Kur- donnés dit de nous" récemment des n’ont pas aussi publié chez Gallimard. été victimes de la géopolitique, les Patrice Franceschi : Des combattantes kurdes des Forces démocratiques syriennes (FDS) se rassemblent Américains, les "Kurdes, ils sont tombés dans le lors d'une célébration sur la place emblématique Al-Naim à Raqqa le 19 octobre 2017, Turcs, et les Rus- trou noir de l'histoire" après avoir repris la ville aux combattants du groupe État islamique (EI).• Crédits : Bulent ses aussi ? Kilic - AFP Qu'est devenu notre lien avec Ils sont victimes de- les Kurdes ? abandonné nos alliés qui avaient yaient profondément, ne pouva- puis toujours de la Realpolitik qui combattu avec nous Daech. ient pas faire grand-chose face fait que ce plus grand peuple du La tragédie des Kurdes est à la à la fois aux djihadistes dans son Moyen-Orient sans Etat est tou- fois la nôtre parce qu’on a com- Mais aussi faute politique, sim- ensemble et face aux Etats de la jours tiraillé entre les volontés battu ensemble le même en- plement parce que s’il y a bien région, à commencer par les hégémoniques ou impérialistes nemi, et maintenant que nous une chose qu’il ne fallait pas Turcs qui veulent leur disparition des Etats régionaux. Pour l’af- croyons avoir gagné contre faire, c’était de croire que la vic- absolue. faire qui nous préoccupe, les Daech, nous les abandonnons toire était déjà à portée de main. Kurdes de Syrie contre le groupe alors que tout n’est pas fini. En fait, dans ces affaires, ce Avec nous, ils ont vaincu Daech. Etat islamique, il y avait réelle- D’autre part, ils sont tombés sont des luttes et des combats, Je vous rappelle qu’ils ont payé ment un ennemi commun qui à dans le trou noir de l’Histoire, des guerres sur un temps long. le prix fort : 38 000 tués et bles- Raqqa avait planifié les attentats dans le trou noir de l’information, sés dans la lutte contre le en France et qui nous avait po- ils ont disparu des radars, Que s’est-il passé ? Pourquoi les groupe Etat islamique. La ussé à intervenir. Nous voulions comme on dit, alors que rien Kurdes sont-ils tombés dans le France a perdu un seul soldat que Raqqa disparaisse de la n’est joué. trou noir de l'Histoire, quels sont pendant cette guerre. Qu’est-ce surface du globe pour qu’il n’y ait les ressorts de cet abandon ? qui nous est arrivé pour que plus de terrorisme chez nous. Tout est encore en jeu et aban- nous ne voyions plus que défen- Donc, on aurait pu comprendre donner les Kurdes aujourd’hui, Il y a un grand mystère dans la dre les Kurdes, nos amis, nos al- que pour la première fois avec c’est à l’avenir le retour des dji- tragédie kurde. Une sorte de liés contre nos ennemis les Kurdes, notre volonté de hadistes, le retour de Daech malédiction pour certains peup- communs, était essentiel, que nous défendre en commun ait sous un autre nom, et donc le re- les qui ne font pas l’actualité in- n’importe quelle guerre pour la été totale. Cela a été le cas pen- tour du terrorisme en France. ternationale au moment où il faut préservation de nos libertés et dant cinq ans. Mais au moment le faire ou dans le temps long. notre sécurité ? C’est ce dont je où Raqqa disparaît, au moment Nous avons par conséquent Le sous-titre de ce petit livre parle dans la dernière partie de où le groupe Etat islamique est commis une faute morale en paru chez Gallimard - "Ce que ce livre qui pour moi était peut- décrété cérébralement mort, eh abandonnant les Kurdes il y a les avoir abandonnés dit de être le plus excitant à écrire, par bien nous avons tourné le regard près d’un an lorsque les Turcs nous" - dit tout pour moi. C’est- rapport au thème des Kurdes. et laissé les Etats régionaux rep- avec leurs supplétifs djihadistes à-dire que les Kurdes sans les Faire une cartographie de ce qui rendre la main contre nous alors les ont attaqués. Nous avons Alliés occidentaux, en qui ils cro- est arrivé depuis une cinquan- que rien n’est terminé.

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 57 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

August 31, 2020

Nearly 150 ISIS attacks in 2020; Erbil and Baghdad yet to agree on joint-security: Peshmerga official

Peshmerga official said on Sunday that Athere was no timeline for the resumption of security talks between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal Iraqi govern- ment to, among others, con- front the so-called Islamic State.

Since its territorial defeat in late 2017, the terrorist organi- zation has continued to stage regular attacks in several areas across Iraq, prominent among them the disputed ter- ritories.

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Peshmerga, General Jabar Yawar. (Photo: Kurdistan 24) There have been several at- tacks in recent weeks that led to the killings of members of form committees to jointly ad- ministers one of them and the best way to ensure a lasting the security forces and civili- minister the security of the federal Defense Ministry's defeat of the terror group is ans. disputed territories, which in- commander of the joint ope- through such measures. clude many cities, towns, dis- rations in Iraq the second Members of the Islamic State, tricts, and villages stretching one. The Peshmerga official also according to the official, have from the provinces of Kirkuk explained that Erbil and been behind 147 separate in- and Diyala in the east to Ni- The official added that the Baghdad first introduced the cidents in territories disputed neveh in the west, near the Kurdish and Iraqi sides had idea of jointly administering by the regional and federal Syrian border. conducted two meetings in the security of the disputed governments, based in Erbil Yawar explained that the Kur- July 2020 to discuss security areas in 2009. and Baghdad, respectively, distan Region, at this time, coordination in the disputed resulting in 650 casualties. has one delegation in Bagh- territories, with no deal in The plan, according to Yawar, dad, working to create a stra- sight as of yet. consists of three phases: es- The Secretary-General of the tegic basis for the federal tablishing a general coordina- Peshmerga Ministry, Jabar budget for the years of 2021, "Erbil and Baghdad are still in tion center between the Yawar, pointed out that the 2022, and 2023, and KRG's the discussion period, with no Peshmerga and Iraqi forces; Peshmerga does not cur- share of it, including that of agreement regarding coordi- forming a second coordina- rently have a delegation in the Peshmerga. nation and cooperation yet." tion center tasked with setting Baghdad to hold meetings a line of defense in territories with officials from the Iraqi Mi- Joint Security Yawar said that the US-led witnessing terrorist activities; nistry of Defense, as the two "The Peshmerga forces and Coalition had affirmed its sup- a third phase would see the sides have not set a date for Iraqi Security Forces have port for the Peshmerga and two sides carrying out military such discussions. two high-level joint commit- Iraqi forces attempts to estab- operations against terrorist tees," Yawar said, noting that lish "intelligence, and security groups such as the Islamic Such gatherings would aim to the Peshmerga Ministry ad- cooperation," adding that the State.

58 Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

31 Aout 2020

Macron en Irak mercredi pour des entretiens avec les dirigeants du pays, selon des responsables du pays

La visite, pas encore confirmée par l'Élysée, sera la première d'un chef d'État étranger depuis la nomination du premier ministre Moustafa al-Kazimi. CHRISTIAN HARTMANN / AFP

e président français cussions avec plusieurs (aut- celui de son chef de la diplo- Emmanuel Macron ef- res) acteurs politiques», a in- matie, Jean-Yves Le Drian, L'Irak est pris en étau depuis Lfectuera mercredi 2 sep- diqué une source qui a souligné, lors d'une vi- des années entre Washington tembre sa première visite gouvernementale à l'AFP. site en Irak en juillet, la néces- et Téhéran, une position de officielle en Irak, où il rencon- sité pour Bagdad de «se plus en plus difficile depuis le trera à Bagdad le premier mi- L'Elysée n'a pas confirmé jus- dissocier des tensions de son début en 2018 d'une cam- nistre et son homologue, en que-là le déplacement, qui l'a voisinage». Le 27 août, la mi- pagne de «pression maxi- signe de solidarité avec ce toutefois été auprès de l'AFP nistre française des Armées, male» des Etats-Unis contre pays en crise, ont indiqué des par deux autres responsables Florence Parly, a elle aussi l'Iran. En janvier, un puissant sources gouvernementales irakiens. Les entretiens seront mené des entretiens à Bag- général iranien et son lieute- irakiennes à l'AFP. axés sur la «souveraineté», dad et Erbil, capitale de la ré- nant irakien ont été tués par ont précisé les sources iraki- gion kurde (nord), rappelant une frappe de drone améri- Emmanuel Macron, qui effec- ennes, affirmant que Bagdad notamment l'importance de cain à Bagdad. Téhéran a ré- tuera cette visite d'une jour- cherchait à emprunter son poursuivre la lutte contre le pondu avec des frappes née après son déplacement propre chemin à l'écart des groupe djihadiste Etat islami- contre les troupes américai- au Liban, sera le premier chef vives tensions entre ses deux que (EI). Contrairement à la nes présentes dans l'ouest de d'Etat étranger à se rendre en alliés, Washington et Téhé- plupart des responsables ét- l'Irak. Deuxième plus impor- Irak depuis la nomination en ran. rangers en visite en Irak, Em- tant producteur de l'Opep, mai du premier ministre Mo- Emmanuel Macron ne se ren- manuel Macron ne se rendra l'Irak a été fortement touché ustafa al-Kazimi. «Il rencon- dra pas à Erbil pas à Erbil, et espère rencon- par la chute des prix du pét- trera le premier ministre et le trer les leaders kurdes à Bag- role et la pandémie de coro- président (Barham Saleh) ira- Le message du chef de l'Etat dad, selon les mêmes navirus a encore aggravé la kiens et espère avoir des dis- français devrait faire écho à sources irakiennes. situation économique.

Bulletin n°425 - Août / August 2020 59