Next Monday, politicians from northern Syria will visit the federal office of the Society for Threatened Peoples in Göttingen. In the course of the meeting, Dr. Abdulkarim Omar, representative of the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria (AANES) in Europe, and Khaled Darwisch, Representative of the AANES in Germany, will report on the dangerous situation in northern Syria. You are cordially invited.

Monday, November 28, 2022,

starting at 11:30 am,

at the Victor-Gollancz-Haus für Menschenrechte, 

Geiststraße 7, Göttingen

It is also possible to take part online.

After a years-long armed conflict with the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) and due to the ongoing internationally wrongful attacks by NATO member Turkey, the people in the region need our solidarity and support. The people are in desperate need, as they are suffering from daily attacks with rockets, heavy artillery, and tanks, and especially with fighter drones. Under the pretext of acting as a “peacekeeping power”, the Turkish ruler is trying to sow hatred between the various ethnic, religious, and political groups. Thus, our NATO partner is exacerbating the humanitarian situation in the region, making a normal life almost impossible.

Our guest Dr. Omar has been involved in negotiations with representatives of different governments about the return/extradition of IS fighters that are currently imprisoned in northern Syria. Around 53,000 people are being held in a camp named Al-Hol, including around 11,000 people from other countries. Most of them are former IS members and their families – from approximately 60 countries, including Great Britain, Australia, China, Spain, France, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Sweden, Malaysia, and Germany.  

Apart from the Turkish attacks, the future of the region is being jeopardized by the Assad regime, by Iran, and by IS militias. A normalization of the situation cannot be achieved without support from abroad. Many people will continue to leave the region and try to reach Europe.

There are around 5 million people living in the region represented by the AANES. The leadership positions of the AANES are always filled by one woman and one man. All ethnic and religious groups – Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians/Aramaeans, Armenians, Circassians, Sunnis, Christians, Alevis, and Yazidis – are represented. There are three official languages: Arabic, Kurdish, and Syro-Aramaic. Nonetheless, there are also reports about human rights violations. We will also address this issue with our guests.