In a recent statement, Kurdistan Regional Government’s Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani ignored the Turkish state’s invasion attacks against Bashur’s (Southern Kurdistan) lands and said, “PKK has invaded the lands of Bashure Kurdistan.” Social media users and the Kurdish people have been protesting these comments, and Martyr Rustem Cudi Refugee Camp (Makhmur) Martyrs’ Families Association Co-chairs and martyrs’ families spoke to Rojnews and condemned Nechirvan Barzanî for the comments.

Martyrs’ Families Association Co-chair and mother of journalist Deniz Fırat, who was martyred in an ISIS attack against the Makhmur Camp, Sultan Yıldıztan started her speech with, “As a Kurdish woman, I condemn Nechirvan Barzani for these comments,” and continued: “The Turkish state is invading Kurdistan. And as Nechirvan makes such statements, he must be an accomplice to the Turkish state. He supports the Turkish state. This was his stance during the Afrin process as well. In the elections in Turkey, he congratulated the government that feeds on Kurdish blood. The people must not believe them. The enemy is burning Kurdistan’s lands right now, and Nechirvan is ignoring it, he doesn’t care.”

Makhmur Camp Martyrs’ Families Association Co-chair Hadî Pusat mentioned the Turkish state’s historic aims for the lands of Kurdistan, and said: “The Turkish state is invading and pillaging Bashure Kurdistan’s lands right now. We were expecting Nechirvan and the rest of the Barzani family to react to this, but in the complete opposite of our expectations, they encouraged fascism and invasion. Maybe they have different calculations. There are examples of this in history. The enemy pats them on the back until their own things are done. We saw how they opposed to Bashur during the referendum process.”

Hadî Pusat continued: “We condemn Nechirvan, who can say such things despite everything that has happened. We invite him to see the truth.”

Meryem Adanmış, mother of journalist Rizgar Deniz who was martyred in the Operation Cizire Storm, said: “We are ashamed in his place when Nechirvan says such things. The people of Bashur are rising up against the invaders, but on the other hand, Nechirvan says things like this. This is a shameful thing. Nechirvan should be ashamed of what he said, and shouldn’t repeat it.”