Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP

Prime Minister

10 Downing Street

SW1A 2AA

Copy to

Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP

Leader of the Opposition

OPEN LETTER

Systematic bombing against civilian areas by Turkish forces in Northern Iraq

Dear Prime Minister,

We write to you on an urgent basis following the news overnight of the aerial attacks on civilian targets in Northern Iraq by Turkish forces.

On February 1st at 10 pm the Turkish Air Force carried out a systematic bombing campaign against civilian areas throughout Iraqi Kurdistan. These areas include the Refugee Camp in Mexmûr (Maxmur), which is a UNHRC registered camp * Geliyê Kersê,  Barê and Çil Mêra near Şengal (Sinjar) in Southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq); as well as the village of Teqil Beqil near Dêrik in Rojava (northern Syria).

Maxmur Camp houses approximately 12,000 Kurdish people displaced from Turkey in the 1990s. The UNHCR completed a registration process in order to build international confidence in the civilian nature of the camp, countering Turkish state attempts to conflate the camp with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Two were killed and many more were injured as a result of the Turkish air strike on Maxmur Camp.

There were further simultaneous attacks against majority Kurdish regions in Northeast Syria yesterday evening with four members of the Syrian Democratic Forces killed and five civilians injured. At least 20 missiles also struck a number of villages in Shengal region, the home of the Yazidi people.

The West has said “Never Again” regarding genocide, yet Turkey is continually allowed to pursue its genocidal barbarism against millions of Kurds throughout Kurdistan. We therefore call on the UK Government to use all diplomatic means to pressure Turkey to bring these genocidal and racist attacks to an immediate end, to implement economic sanctions if necessary, and to implement its claim to put people and principles at the heart of its foreign policy.

* https://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2011/7/4e11ae916/refugees-iraq-camp-enjoy-services-rights-registration.html

Yours respectfully,

Peace in Kurdistan, Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC) and Defend Kurdistan Initiative UK on behalf of supporters

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, Green Party Member of the House of Lords

Chris Stephens MP, Glasgow South West

Bill Ramsay, Ex-President Educational Institute of Scotland and Convenor of Scottish National Party Mick Antoniw MS, Senedd Constituency Member, Welsh Labour Group, Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution

CND (Campaign Against Nuclear Disarmament)

Prof. Dr Tayseer A.Alousi, Secretary General of the Arab Assembly for Supporting Kurdish Issue and

President Sumerian Observatory for Human Rights Netherland

Lord Hylton, House of Lords

Baroness Christine Blower, House of Lords

Francie Molloy, MP for Mid Ulster, Ireland

Dafydd Iwan, Former President Plaid Crymru, Wales

Margaret Owen. O.B.E. barrister, President Widows for Peace through Democracy (WPD)

Lindsey German, Convenor Stop the War Coalition

Julie Ward, former MEP

Maxine Peake, actress

Mary Davis FRSA, Visiting Professor of Labour History at Royal Holloway University of London

Steve Sweeney, International Editor, Morning Star

Doug Nicholls, General Secretary, General Federation of Trade Unions

Andrew Feinstein , Executive Director, Shadow World Investigations

Dimitri Roussopoulos, writer, editor, publisher, political activist, Canada

Tony Simpson, Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation

Tom Unterrainer, Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation

Shavanah Taj, General Secretary Wales TUC

Dr. Thomas Jeffrey Miley, University of Cambridge

James Kelman, author, Scotland

Nick Hildyard, policy analyst

Ramsey Kanaan, publisher, PM Press

Tony Shephard, musician and graphic designer

Geoff Shears, Vice-Chair of the Centre for Labour and Social Studies(CLASS)

Bert Schouwenburg, International Trade Union Advisor

Rahila Gupta, writer

David Morgan, journalist

Jonathan Bloch, writer

Stephen Smellie, Deputy Convenor UNISON Scotland and NEC member

Dr Goran Abdullah, Edinburgh

Saleh Mamon, Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC)

Professor Felix Padel, research associate at Center for World Environmental History, University of Sussex

Professor Kariane Westrheim, Chair of EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC)

Professor Michael Gunter, General Secretary of EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC)

Dr Stephen Hunt, writer

Dr Sarah Glynn, Strasbourg, France

John Hunt, journalist

Dr Federico Venturini, University of Udine, Italy

Ulisse Pizzi, geologist, UK engineering consultancy

Professor Bill Bowring, School of Law, Birkbeck College, University of London

Mike Mansfield QC, barrister

John Hendy QC, barrister

Paul Scholey, Morrish Solicitors

Dr Phil Frampton, author

Andy Walsh, Chair, Greater Manchester Law Centre

Greta Sykes, writer and artist

Aonghas MacNeacail, Scottish Gaelic poet

Dr Phil Frampton, author

Dr Anni Pues, international human rights lawyer

Dr Fiona Woods, Lecturer, Technological University Shannon, Ireland

Professor Barry Gills, Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science

Penelope Dimond, writer and actor

Sarah Parker, Anti-Capitalist Resistance

Maggie Cook, UNISON NEC member

Andreas Gavrielidis, Greek-Kurdish Solidarity

Trevor Rayne, Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!

Dr. Michael Schiffmann, Linguist, English Department of the University of Heidelberg, Translator

Arthur West, Secretary, Kilmarnock and Loudon Trades Union Council, Scotland

Chiara Aquino, PhD Candidate, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Alex Wilson, PhD student at York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Kazhal Hamarashid, Board member of the Toronto Kurdish Community Centre, Canada

 

3 February 2022

 

For more information contact:  

 

Peace in Kurdistan 

Campaign for a political solution of the Kurdish Question

Email: estella@gn.apc.org

https://www.peaceinkurdistancampaign.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peaceinkurdistan1/

Contacts Estella Schmid: 07846 666 804 & Melanie Gingell: 07572 430903

 

 

Patrons: John Austin, Baroness Blower of Starch Green, former GS NUT, Prof Bill Bowring, Julie Christie, Noam Chomsky, Jeremy Corbyn MP,  Maggie Cook, UNISON women activist; Prof Mary Davis, Lord Dholakia, Simon Dubbins, UNITE International Director,  Jill Evans, former MEP, Desmond Fernandes, Lindsey German, Convenor STWC, Melanie Gingell, Christopher Gingell, Prof Dr. Michael Gunter, Secretary-General, EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC), Rahila Gupta, journalist, Nick Hildyard, policy advisor,  Dafydd Iwan, Former President Plaid Cymru, James Kelman, Bruce Kent, Jean Lambert, former MEP, Dr Les Levidow, Open University, Elfyn Llwyd, John McDonnell MP; Aonghas MacNeacail, Scottish Gaelic poet, Mike Mansfield QC, David Morgan, journalist, Doug Nicholls, General Secretary, GFTU, Dr. Jessica Ayesha Northey, Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy, Dr Thomas Jeffrey Miley, Kate Osamor MP, Margaret Owen OBE, Ali Gul Ozbek, Former Councillor and Mayor of Haringey; Gareth Peirce, Dr Felix Padel, Maxine Peake, actor, Dr Thomas Phillips, Liverpool John Moores University, Trevor Rayne, writer, Joe Ryan, Bert Schouwenburg, International Trade Union Adviser; Tony Simpson, Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, Stephen Smellie, PIK Trade Union Liaison Officer, Jonathan Steele, journalist,  Steve Sweeney, journalist,  Gianni Tognoni, General Secretary Permanent People’s Tribunal, Dr Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, Dr Federico Venturini, Associate Researcher, University of Udine, Italy; Dr Tom Wakeford, Dr Derek Wall, Julie Ward, former MEP, Kariane Westrheim, Chair, EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC); Hywel Williams MP.