HDP Co-chairs Pervin Buldan and Sezai Temelli issued a written statement on Idlib today.

The statement titled “Civilians must not pay the price for the impending war in Idlib” said: “We see that foreign gang groups and states joining the civil war that has continued in Syria since 2011 has deepened social and political chasms.”

“IDLIB WILL SEE THE MOST VIOLENT CLASHES”

The statement included the following:

“The Assad regime has been increasing their military stockpile in the vicinity of Idlib, which is a sign that the region will see the most violent clashes in recent years. According to the UN reports, the biggest damage was done to the civilian people in the Syrian Civil War which saw just short of 400.000 deaths to date. It can be seen that none of the parties involved wants to take responsibility for these great losses. Unfortunately, it is understood that none of the parties involved has spent enough effort to evacuate civilians to safe areas in Idlib.

As the HDP we consider the safety a priority, and expect all parties including the UN to show the same sensibility towards the matter. We insist on international powers to take necessary precautions so a process where civilians will not be harmed can begin in Syria.

The Syrian Civil War could end, without influence or pressure from foreign forces, and the participation of all local parties. To rebuild a democratic and pluralist Syria, the UN and the international community must fulfill their duties on the basis of a sustainable peace. But statements over Idlib that increase tensions made by all parties involved and the stance they choose to display is putting civilian lives in danger.

We demand that all parties act with an approach that prioritizes the safety of the civilian people. It is imperative that an independent observer force intervene to carry out the evacuation of civilians from the region, and that all parties focus on diplomatic methods. To neutralize all organizations positioned in Idlib that are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity before they cause any more instability, all parties must cooperate.”

PROPOSALS

The Co-chairs listed their proposals as follows:

“We would like to stress once more that instead of locking the Syrian peoples in new borders, we support the reconstruction of the country on the basis of a truly integrating and democratic constitution that focuses on autonomy.

We support all steps taken towards creating conditions of a safe and peaceful return home for the displaced Syrians.

We stress once again that the international powers must have a constructive approach to make Syria liveable and societal peace permanent.”

“TURKEY SHOULD STOP DIVISIONS AND INTERVENTIONS”

HDP Co-chairs Pervin Buldan and Sezai Temelli called on Turkey and all neighbors of Syria to refrain from attempts at divisions among ethnicities and sects and interventions on this basis: “We are calling on the AKP government and all parties involved to refrain from intitiatives that deepen the destruction through the transfer of foreign fighters from far away lands to Syria and logistical support. We also demand that the UN investigate war crimes the AKP government committed such as the displacement of peoples in Afrin, Bab, Azaz, Jarablus and other Syrian regions, the pillaging of cities and civilian massacres at once.”