SURUÇ/KOBANÎ REPORT (19 March-23 March 2015)

2015 2015

A study by the HRA committee in relation to the calls made for picking up the pieces after the destructions which occurred following the resistance against the attack carried out by the organisation called the ISIS towards the Suruç/Rojava Region Kobanî Canton and which require urgent working and for rebuilding the city.

SURUÇ/KOBANÎ REPORT (19 March-23 March 2015)

Upon the call made by the Canton administration, people of Kobanî have started returning to the city.

Kobanî Canton has also called on international organisations and non-governmental organisations that the war between YPG fighters and ISIS has caused great destructions and to pick up the pieces and rebuild the city.

Our association decided to see the returns on site, to determine the problems such as sheltering, health and security and to observe the conditions of the camps.

FORMATION OF THE COMMITTEE

Our Committee consisted of HRA Ankara Branch Manager Aslı SARAÇ who has been in Suruç for a long time, HRA Şırnak Branch Member, Peace Activist and Conscientious Objector Yannis Vasilis YAYLALI and HRA Ankara Branch Manager Adnan VURAL.

EXAMINATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE

Our Committee has made examinations in the camps located in Suruç and met with local administrators and volunteers as well as DTK Health Council that provides health services and SES (Health and Social Services Labour Unions).

Examinations were made and meetings were held in six tent cities, namely, Suphi Nejat Ağırnaslı Tent City (former Bulgur Factory), Rojava Tent City, Kobanî Tent City, Arîn Mirxan Tent City, Şehid Gelhat Tent City located in Külünçe village and Kader Ortakaya Tent City.

Observations during Examinations:

Şehit Gelhat Tent City has approximately 800 tents and is located in Külünçe village, 10 km away from Suruç. Even though the electricity problem has been largely solved, as a result of the transformers build after much effort, still, power cuts continue. The water problem still continues and water is not available for a long time of the day. Dry food distribution and cleaning supplies distribution continues according to a certain schedule and within the available resources.

Crossing of people living in tent cities to Kobanî has recently increased and this has created an impression that remigration will increase even more in the upcoming days.

Gradual evacuation of the tent cities, except the Şehid Gelhat Tent City, is on the agenda.

Health services are carried out by DTK Health Council and SES.

According to the meetings held with local administrators, the number of people from Kobanî that they determined in January is: 22.797 in Suruç Centre, 15.900 in Suruç Tents (1899 Tents), 29.865 in Suruç Villages (150 Villages). They stated that they provide services to 68.562 people in total.

Suruç Municipality and Kobanî Crisis Coordination stated that many difficulties were created by the state against them and communicated their following expectations:

-Not making any difficulties about the aid sent to the Suruç Municipality or the NGOs here, by the international NGOs or assistance relief organisations

-Not slowing down or hampering the aid that has crossed the border and is on its way to Kobanî

-Urgently granting the status of customs gate to the Mürşitpınar Border Check Point

-Continuing the AFAD registrations and completing the registrations of the Kobanî people living in tent cities, central neighbourhoods and villages and ensuring that everyone benefits from the health services and removing the 20% commission fee when buying prescription medicine

-Involvement of the Suruç Municipality in the relief works of AFAD regarding food and non-food necessities in cities as well.

In the meetings held in state hospitals:

It has been stated to us, also by the civilian population, that the Suruç State Hospital has provided health care services together with the volunteers during the intense times of war and that they carried out the operations of and cared for the wounded with great sacrifices. However, upon the mandatory return of the volunteer medical staff, the Suruç State Hospital, after the war in Kobanî, provides services to twice as much people and wounded as a result of the war. The number of staff has decreased compared to the past. According to PDC, Suruç State Hospital is working with a capacity of 50%. The hospital is particularly short of nurses, emergency medical technicians, general practitioners and gynaecologists. There is a need for at least 15 nurses, 4 general practitioners, 5 emergency medical technicians and 1 gynaecologist. It has been observed that the staff suffers from burnout syndrome. Violence towards the medical staff has also increased.

IMPRESSIONS FROM KOBANÎ

We have seen that while a large proportion of the city has been damaged as a result of the conflict between ISIS and YPG fighters in Kobanî, there is almost no building not demolished in the east side. The buildings in the east side, including the state house (photos are below)

Municipality

48.street

Sehit Kawa

Mistenur

East side of Kaniya Kurdan Kobanî border

There are many destructions in the Aleppo road which is in the south part of the city. We have seen that, maybe except a few houses, all buildings have been demolished. It is possible to see secondary demolitions in the west side of the city. In the Kobanî Canton, returns to the city has started faster than expected. We are of the opinion that the reason for these returns being this fast, is the rapid evacuation of the city from the ISIS terrorists. We can say that, based on our impressions, in the south-west-east-north direction of the Canton, an area of nearly 40 kilometres is cleared of the ISIS gangs. Rapid returns reveal the necessity of dealing with the living conditions rapidly as well.

DETERMINATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS;

1) It required that professional teams come to Kobanî for the purpose of clearing mines and bombs. We see that civilians come to the city intensively. It is thought that, at the moment, 35.000 civilians are present in Kobanî. During the time of our stay, there were at least four explosions which resulted in the death of civilians. The last one took place in 23 March and children playing games outside the house were targets of the stray bombs. A child was killed and five were injured.

2) It is known that, in the east part of Kobanî, hundreds of dead bodies of ISIS terrorists under the buildings face decaying. This situation will cause diseases with the arrival of hot weathers. These should be buried and necessary precautions should be taken as soon as possible.

3) Basic foodstuff is among the most important necessities (vital for children) and the electricity for houses is provided via generators. Fuel for these generators and basic foodstuff should be provided

6 for free (required for the preservation of food during summer).

4) Temporary areas, where the civilians coming to Kobanî can stay collectively, should be created. If such collective areas can be created, uncontrolled orientation to the collapsed houses will be lessened.

5) The water problem in the city already gives the signal that in the upcoming days, many epidemics will arise. It is observed that an international cooperation is required in order to solve the infrastructure problems and our organisation is expected to make an URGENT call.

6) Hundreds of YPG and YPJ fighters are wounded and their medical treatment is carried out in insufficient conditions because of the risk of detention when crossing to Turkey for treatment. Doctors and medical equipment and facilities should be provided very urgently. Doctors Without Borders should be called and the construction of the field hospital should be initiated as soon as possible. Doctors Without Borders have been trying to build a field hospital in Kobanî for a long time now. Dr. Neesan Ehmet, the Minister of Health of Kobanî, has expressed on several occasions the discomfort he feels because the field hospital cannot be built owing to Turkey frequently prolonging the bureaucratic procedures.

Upon overcoming the bureaucratic difficulties that continued for a long time, after the contract made with the Minister of Health of Kobanî, Doctors Without Borders took action for the creation of the field hospital in Kobanî.

7) Efforts should be made for molding public opinion in order for Turkey to create a corridor for meeting the civilian needs. We observed that the Canton authorities fear that Turkey will exploit this process as much as possible and use it to put the administration here in a difficult position.

MEETINGS CONDUCTED

Kobanî Canton Co-chairman Enver Müslim, Siham Muhammed from the Canton Press Office and other Canton authorities have been met. The meetings took place in a very warm environment, our committee took notes of the meetings and complied the below general information on Kobanî Canton before and after the war.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON KOBANÎ CANTON GIVEN BY THE AUTHORITIES Kobanî city centre consists of 13 neighbourhoods. The number of villages around Kobanî is 451. 80% of the city and villages have been demolished as a result of the war that lasted for 5 months. According to the examination made by the engineers, 70% of the houses and buildings in 9 of the 13 neighbourhoods have been demolished. In the city centre, there were a total of 11.750 houses and a generator in each house that supplies the electricity and water. As a result of the war, fields and land of 160.940 hectares in Kobanî were not planted. 4059 tractors and 2255 combine harvesters existed in order to use for planting the fields. Besides, there were 60.765 vehicles (pick-up) that were used for planting the fields. All of these were stolen by DAIŞ.

The number of small cattle in the Kobanî region was presumably 338.250; bovine animals 20.706. In addition, there were approxiameltly 97.000 chicken feeding in the coops. The number of honeycombs was 27.063. All of these (small cattle, bovine animals, chicken and honeycombs) were either stolen or looted by DAIŞ. In the Kobanî region, there are 16 million olive and pistachio trees, however, because of the war, water and necessary maintenance were not provided to these trees.

Inventory works and investigations for the damage determination is ongoing; final results will be shared with the public in the future. The electricity production centre is under the control of DAIŞ and until these facilities are rescued, the Kobanî region will be in need of large generators. There are some projects about the water problem and other matters, however, these will be shared in the future when they are translated to Kurdish from Arabic.

Infrastructure:

There are three sewerage systems under the city centre, however, as a result of the air bombardments and the explosion of the bomb-laden vehicles by DAIŞ, they have become unusable.

Hospital:

There were 4 hospitals in the city centre. Two of these are completely demolished, while the other two are 50% demolished. 2 community health centres that are in the city centre are also demolished in half. The 60% of the pharmacies and clinics in the city are also demolished. Besides, due to the war, a special centre is being used as a hospital. The “Emel” Special Hospital that has started working, needs medicine and equipment.

School:

There were 19 schools and education centres in the city centre. 4 of these are completely demolished and other schools are 70% damaged. Currently, there is only one school in which children are educated.

Municipality Building and Other Administrative Buildings:

Kobanî municipality building is completely demolished together with the furniture inside. Currently, there are only 4 vehicles that belong to the municipality. These are, 2 tractors, 1 articulated lorry and 1 bulldozer. -The police department is completely demolished. -The population registry administration building is completely demolished. -The treasury building is completely demolished. -Women centre building is completely demolished. -The courthouse building is completely demolished. -Kurdish Red Crescent central office building is completely demolished. -The bank building is completely demolished. All preparations have been completed for building a tent city, however, vehicles are required for the construction of the camp area. Efforts continue for getting these vehicles across the border, however, there are problems and impediments at the border gate. The problem of getting these vehicles across the borders is not resolved yet. In the current state of Kobanî, only one bakery is being used in an old building. 120.000 bread for the whole Canton comes from this bakery daily. However, equipment and raw material such as diesel fuel, flour and etc. are required in order to produce this bread every day without any problem. Experts and assistance teams are required in order to clear of the Kobanî Canton from mines. It is not possible for the public to carry this out in the canton of 10 square metres. Until now, approximately 100.000 people have returned to Kobanî.

HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION

Aslı Saraç Yannis Vasillis Yaylalı Adnan Vural

HRA Ankara Branch Board HRA Şırnak Branch Member HRA Ankara Branch Board Member Member