People from Sulaimani, Hewler and other places in Southern Kurdistan have arrived in Duhok to protest the closing of the Sêmalka Border Gate by the KDP.

The protest march organized by Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) against the dividing of Kurdistan with artificial borders on the centennial of the Sykes-Picot Agreement. The march will be held in the Rojava border gate Sêmalka that was closed by the KDP a while ago. As several political parties and organisations are on their way to Sêmalka, people will gather in Duhok and start marching towards Sêmalka Border Gate.

“CLOSING SÊMALKA IS UPHOLDING THE SYKES-PICOT”

Şilan Şakir, Co-chair of Tevgera Azadi which also supports the march with an extensive participation, spoke to the ANF and said, “We will not let anybody divide our country with borders anymore.”

Şakir stated that Kurdistan was divided into four parts with the Sykes-Picot Agreement and the Kurdish people were subjected to massacres and assimilation, and that they would not allow that anymore.

Tevgera Azadi Co-chair said: “The developments in Rojava and Bakurê Kurdistan today clearly show that our people have voided the division politics. Thus, we will take our place in the struggle of our people until the end. We are joining this march en masse on the call of the KNK. Because KDP is employing dirty politics on Rojava. They are imposing an embargo on Rojava with the closing of the Sêmalka Border Gate. This is not just about sending economic aid. The KDP is actually upholding the Sykes-Picot Agreement with these actions. This is a tragic situation that a party that calls itself “the Kurdish party” finds itself in, against one part of Kurdistan. We do not accept this and we condemn it.”

Şakir said groups from other places will also meet in Duhok and continue on to Sêmalka and that they would meet the people coming from Rojava there.

BROAD PARTICIPATION

Severa NGOs and the following political parties are attending the demonstration organised by KNK:

Hızbi Zahmetkeşan Kurdistan (Kurdistan Laborers Party), Hizbi Ayindei Kurdistan (Kurdistan Future Party), Hizbi Rizgari (Emancipation Party), Tevgera Civaka Azadi Kurdisan (Kurdistan Free Society Party).