People of South Kurdistan emphasized that Kurdish people were going through a difficult struggle, and the closure of the border with Rojava only benefited colonialist forces. People demanded the the South Kurdistan government to immediately give up on its disruptive policies.

‘CLOSURE OF SÊMALKA BENEFITS THE TURKISH STATE’

İhlas Muhammed, an intellectual that called upon the South Kurdistan government to open Sêmalka border gate so that the needed aid is delivered to Rojava, is the mother of a Peshmerga martyred by ISIS gangs and says that the closure of the border harms the Kurds’ freedom movement in Rojava.

İhlas Muhammed called upon the South Kurdistan government to not form border gates in any part of Kurdistan and said that inter-Kurdish relations are a necessity. Muhammed asked who the closure of the border served the most, and said that this closure prevented Kurds from showing solidarity with and helping one another.

İhlas Muhammed said that as the mother of a martyr, she demanded the immediate opening of the border, and said that the people of Rojava need food, medicine and medical treatment. Muhammed described the closure of the border as illegitimate and said that it was the South Kurdistan government that should reverse its policy and open the border.

‘SOUTH KURDISTAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD OPEN SÊMALKA’

Ednan Hadi said that the closure of Sêmalka border gate was imposed by the Turkish state, and criticized the South Kurdistan government’s approval of this imposition, demanding the opening of the border.

Hadi congratulated the federation declaration in Rojava and said that it would benefit all Kurds. Hadi described the closure of Sêmalka border gate as a political decision that developed as a result of the Turkish state’s pressures upon South Kurdistan government, and called upon this government to open the border. Hadi said this decision would have a negative impact on the relations between different parts of Kurdistan in the future, and called upon international forces to object to Turkey and South Kurdistan regarding the border closure. He stressed that the people of Rojava need food and medicine, and called upon everyone to help satisfy these needs.

‘EVERYONE MUST HELP ROJAVA’

Aras Rıfat Sabır recalled the ongoing fight against ISIS in Rojava and called upon all Kurds to support this struggle both materially and morally. Sabır demanded the immediate opening of the border, and said that the closure of Sêmalka was not acceptable and served the interests of Kurdish people’s enemies.

Sabır said that Turks, Arabs and Persian have historically blocked the roads of Kurdish people, and formed states that are now the Kurds’ biggest enemies. Sabır noted that Kurds now have opportunities and should support one another and carry out a joint struggle. Remarking that closing the border would only harm Kurdish people and mean inter-Kurdish hostility, Sabır said that South Kurdistan should help West, East and North Kurdistan when needed, and demanded the immediate opening of the border.