A delegation of parliamentarians from Austria has visited the resistance vigil at the border in Suruç district. The delegation spoke to the people in the village of Mehser and expressed their admiration for the resistance and solidarity of the Kurdish people. The delegation called for a humanitarian corridor to Kobanê to be opened and for medical aid to be provided immediately.

While the solidarity vigil on the border of the Kobanê canton of Rojava enters its 44th day, a delegation of 12 people from the Austrian Parliament has visited the ongoing vigil in the village of Mehser in Suruç district. The delegation including Ankara Ambassador to Austria, Kurt Radner, Social Democrat Party President Andres Schieder, Green Party Deputy Berivan Aslan, Popular Party deputy Elizabeth Pfurtscheller and Kurdology expert Niki Kuntrath was accompanied by DTK member Feleknas Uca, Van MP Kemal Aktaş and DBP co-mayors and officials.

Delegation listened to citizens from Kobanê

On arrival in the village of Mehser, the delegation first spoke to the citizens of Kobanê forced to leave their homes by ISIS attacks. On seeing the bruising and swelling on 50-year-old Ahmet Muhammed’s face, the delegation asked him what had happened to him. Muhammed said that the previous evening he and 5 or 6 of his friends had gone to the Elishar area to prevent ISIS gangs looting their vehicles, but been subjected to torture there by Turkish soldiers. Muhammed said when he had gone to the border to retrieve his vehicle he had been chased by two Turkish soldiers and while his friends had succeeded in getting away, he had been caught. Muhammed added: “They began to hit me in the face with the stocks of their rifles. When I told them, ‘what do you expect us to do when the gangs loot our vehicles?’ they began to torture me more.”

‘Humanitarian corridor to Kobanê must be opened immediately’

After listening to the people of Kobanê the delegation went outside the village to observe Kobanê with the naked eye. Feleknas Uca explained to the delegation what was taking place. The delegation then issued a press statement. Uca was the first to speak, thanking the delegation for their visit and emphasising the importance of a humanitarian corridor being opened and for arms and medical assistance to be provided. She added that it was not sufficient just to make appeals for aid, but that it was necessary for a United Nations delegation to come to the border and for a corridor to be opened. Uca added: “For the first time a parliamentary foreign relations committee has passed a resolution for a humanitarian corridor to be opened for Kobanê, which has put up a heroic resistance for 44 days. And our people on the border are demonstrating by their solidarity that Kobanê is not alone.”

‘We admire the solidarity of the Kurds’

Deputies on the delegation spoke, saying they would do all they could in solidarity with Kobanê, adding that they had observed the popular solidarity in North Kurdistan with Kobanê with great admiration, and that a humanitarian corridor should be opened as soon as possible.

Following the speeches Uca showed the delegation the Mishtenur hill where YPJ fighter Arîn Mîrkan had sacrificed her life. Three people from the delegation then went to the Arîn Mîrkan tent city in Suruç, while the remainder left the village to attend a funeral ceremony for 5 YPG fighters at the Suruç Municipal Cemetery. A human chain that was planned to be created in the village at 2 pm was postponed on account of the delegation’s visit.