Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Co-presidency released a statement on the anniversary of the Halabja massacre, also pointing to the recent attacks on Afrin.

"Today is the 30th anniversary of the Halabja massacre. Thirty years ago, one of the biggest massacres in human history was committed. The Iran-Iraq war has also turned southern Kurdistan into a war zone. In 1988, the Saddam Hussein regime perpetrated a massacre in Halabja by using chemical weapons. Children, women, the elderly, over 5,000 people were murdered at that time. This chemical weapons attack aimed a genocide. Once again, the Kurdish people were sacrificed in the Middle East.

SADDAM WAS NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE

The government of Saddam Hussein was in no way brought to account for the Halabja massacre. Later, when political power relations changed, the Baath regime in Iraq was declared an enemy by the US and the world, and in this context, the chemical weapons attack by Halabja was declared a massacre. While the massacre was simply ignored, a massive campaign was carried out following the change in political conditions with this genocide. When the genocide was committed against the Kurds, there was silence, but when it came to their advantages, this genocide was placed on the agenda of the world public. The suppression of the Kurds became propaganda.

GENOCIDE POLICY AGAINST KURDS

An intensive policy of oppression and massacre was pursued against Kurds, especially in the 20th century. These massacres were hushed up because of inter-state relations. A concrete example of this is the Dersim genocide of 1938, in which tens of thousands of women, children, the elderly and the young were murdered. In the 20th century, the Turkish state practiced all forms of oppressive and genocidal policies, but the Kurds were repeatedly sacrificed to interstate politics.

IT MUST FINALLY BE SAID “STOP THE INVASION OF AFRIN

This policy of the 20th century continues today. Those who entered into relations with the Kurds in the fight against IS and al-Nusra, received Kurds in their palaces, published reports in their media, and praised them in the fight against IS, and withdrew as soon as IS was pushed back. It is the same spectator attitude as in the 20th century towards the Kurds. Kurds are to be sacrificed again to inter-state relations. The silence on the attacks on Afrin reminds of the time of Halabja. Although the fascist AKP-MHP government has murdered hundreds of civilians and is practicing genocidal policies, nobody says "stop the invasion".

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MUST BE PUT INTO PRACTICE

The European Parliament has called for an end to the military invasion of Afrin in a resolution. That's positive, but this decision comes late. If the decision is not made in time, it is not possible to prevent massacres like in Halabja. If one does not want to become the accomplice of a new Halabja, then this decision must be put into practice. In particular, the peoples and the democratic forces should put pressure on their governments in this sense. If this happens, then the massacre can be stopped and the decision of the European Parliament can be implemented.

Today, on the anniversary of the Halabja massacre, we strongly condemn its perpetrators, supporters and spectators. We promise once again, in solidarity with the martyrs of Halabja, to intensify our struggle for a free Kurdistan and a democratic Middle East."