The Executive Council of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) issued a call for help for the victims of the earthquake in North and West Kurdistan, Turkey and Syria.

The statement said: "Early this morning, a massive earthquake struck the North of Kurdistan (Turkey) and Rojava/North and East Syria, leading to a humanitarian catastrophe.This earthquake, with a reported magnitude of 7.8, had its epicenter near Mereş (tr. Kahramanmaraş) and Dîlok (tr. Gaziantep) not far from the Syrian border, and has caused hundreds of deaths, destroyed thousands of buildings, and rendered countless people homeless. With thousands still trapped under rubble, it is expected that the number of victims will unfortunately increase many times over."

The statement added: "The effects of this devastating earthquake are compounded by pervasive corruption that has been institutionalized during two decades of rule by Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Appointments to ministries, including the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, and other government bodies are determined by nepotism and loyalty to Erdogan and the AKP rather than merit, and construction projects, long touted by the Turkish state as symbolic of its success, are assigned to companies with close relations to the AKP."

The statement continued: "It is well known that Turkey and Kurdistan are located precariously near major geologic fault lines, putting the region at risk of major earthquakes. A deadly earthquake of similar magnitude struck South and East Kurdistan (Iraq and Iran) in November 2017, and areas within Turkey in August 1999. Nonetheless, sufficient measures to address this well-established risk have not been taken despite the presence of urban areas of increasing population density and two of Turkey’s major dams, located in Riha (tr. Şanlıurfa) and Elazîz (tr. Elazığ), throughout North Kurdistan."

The statement said: "Areas throughout North Kurdistan and Turkey have been devastated, with many buildings toppled in Amed (tr. Diyarbakir), 300km away from the epicenter, and this earthquake has also affected predominantly Arab-populated areas of Hatay in Turkey.

South of Turkey, Rojava/North and East Syria, a region already affected by the Turkish state’s ongoing campaigns of aggression and occupation, has experienced great loss. With hundreds of thousands within Syria displaced by Turkish military aggression, this horrible earthquake in the dead of winter will deepen the humanitarian crisis affecting the peoples of the region, including Kurds, Arabs, Christians, and others."

The Kurdistan National Congress "shares the pain of all who have experienced a loss as a result of this tragedy and sends its condolences, and wishes all the wounded a speedy recovery.

We know from experience that the Erdogan regime will address this natural disaster in a cynical way and with strong anti-Kurdish bias, and we ask all who can to heed the call of the Kurdish Red Moon (Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê), who operate on the ground in Kurdistan, and help as much as possible to aid those affected by this tragedy and keep them from also falling victim to the political calculations of the Erdogan regime."

Addresses and Bank accounts of the Kurdish Red Moon (Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê)
Germany – Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê e. V. https://www.heyvasor.com/ Bank: Kreissparkasse Köln
Bank account Nr.: 40 10 481
BLZ: 370 502 99
IBAN: DE49 3705 0299 0004 0104 81
BIC/SWIFT: COKSDE33XXX www.paypal.me/heyvasorakurdistane

France-Association Humanitaire Soleil Rouge – Roja Sor
Tel: +33 (0) 180 89 42 67
E-mail: [email protected]
CIC TROYES HOTEL DE VILLE
IBAN: FR7630087335000002074770150
BIC/ SWIFT: CMCIFRPP
www.rojasorfrance.com

Switzerland – Kurdistan Roter Halbmond Schweiz (Croissant Rouge du Kurdistan Suisse)
Rue des Savoises 15, 1205 Genève
Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (Kantonalbank)
Konto N°: 10-725-4
IBAN: CH62 0076 7000 L543 3416 5
BIC/SWIFT: BCVLCH2LXXX
www.heyvasor.ch

Netherland – Stichting Koerdische Rode Halve Maan (Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê)
Fokkerstraat 539 Links, 3125 BD Schiedam
Email: [email protected]
www.stichtingkrhm.nl

Sweden – Insamlingsstiftelsen Kurdiska Röda Solen (Roja Sor a Kurdistanê)
Ankdammsgaten 33, 171 67 Solna
Tel.: +46 (08)-27 36 85
Email: [email protected]
Org nr. 802481-5782
SWISH:123 40 138 68
BANK GIRO: 5589-7672
IBAN: SE04 5000 0000 0537 4106 6753
BIC: ESSESESS
www.rodasolen.se

Austria – Roja Sor a Kurdistanê
Brünner Straße 130-134/3/8, 1210 Wien
Tel: 00 43 (0) 676 9126884
BAWAG
IBAN: AT751400003010314274
BIC : BAWAATWW
Konto No: 030 103 14 274
BLZ : 14 000
rojasor-osterreich.org

United Kingdom – Kurdish Red Moon (Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê)
Fairfax Hall 11 Portland Gardens London N4 IHU
E-mail:[email protected]
Registered Charity No: 10 93 741
Company No: 42 85 714
The Co-operative Bank
Bank Sort code: 089299
Bank Account No: 65863091
IBAN: GB55 CPBK 0892 9965 8630 91
BIC: CPBK GB22 www.heyvasoruk.org

Norway – Kurdiske Røde Halvmåne Norge (Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê)
Hausmanns gate 6 0186 Oslo / Norge
Tel: 0047 98 46 33 28
Organisasjonsnummer: 009124. 84734
VIPPS: 21957
DNB BANK ASA OSLO
Account/Hesap/Konto No: 1503 40 52953
IBAN: NO 15 1503 4052 953
BIC/ SWIFT: DNBANOKKXXX

Italy – Mezzaluna Rossa Kurdistan Italia ETS (Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê)
Via Forte dei Cavalleggeri,53 Livorno
Banca Etica
IBAN: IT53 R050 1802 8000 0001 6990 236BIC/ SWIFT: ETICIT22XXX www.mezzalunarossakurdistan.org

Belgium – ASBL Croissant Rouge du Kurdistan-Koerdische Rode Halve Maan VZW (Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê)
Gospertstr. 78
4700 Eupen
Tlf:0032 (0) 470 94 64 19
Numéro d’entreprise:465 073 725
BNP PARIBAS FORTIS
IBAN: BE04 0013 2448 9631
BIC/SWIFT : GEBABEBB
www.koerdischerodehalvemaan.be

Japan – Kurdistan Red Moon – Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê – ( クルディスタン 赤月)
Saitama ken kawaguchi shi shiba shinmachi 8-22 Sanko build 501
( 埼玉県川口市芝新町8ー22 三幸ビル 501)
Tlf: +81 90 2149 9979
JP BANK
Konto Nr:10100 – 56545271 https://www.facebook.com/Heyva.Sor