The co-chairs of the Kurdish umbrella organization KON-MED are calling for a large demonstration on May 14 in Berlin. The demonstration is directed against the Turkish attacks on the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

The KON-MED statement released on Tuesday includes the following:

"Since April 17, the Turkish state has been attacking Kurdistan again, especially the Medya Defense Zones, aiming at the occupation of Southern Kurdistan. At the same time, the Iraqi army is attacking Şengal and the attacks on Rojava are increasing. Turkish fascism is targeting Kurdistan's achievement across the board and massacre is looming. The attacks of the Turkish state are taking place together with the treacherous collaboration of the KDP and are aimed at destroying the resistance of the freedom guerrillas, leaving all of Kurdistan defenseless.

Against these attacks, the guerrillas and the Kurdish people are resisting extensively in all places. The defense of Kurdistan continues. The Turkish occupying state has suffered heavy blows and is now resorting to chemical weapons. It is trampling on all human values and international law. It is bombing civilian settlements and committing massacres. The international powers that remain silent on these massacres are complicit. The European states loudly condemn the Ukraine war, but when it comes to the Kurds and Kurdistan, they turn a blind eye and continue their dirty alliances.

As KON-MED, we call on the German government, the United Nations and the international community to refrain from their support for the Turkish colonial state, which is guided by economic interests, and to oppose the occupation of Kurdistan.

We call on all people living in Germany, all civil society organizations, all intellectuals and artists who believe in democracy to take a stand, to oppose the Turkish attacks and to participate in the demonstration for the freedom of the Kurdish people.

For Saturday, May 14, Kurdish organizations are jointly calling for a demonstration under the motto "Defend Kurdistan against occupation and betrayal! Through mass participation in the protest, we can break the silence of the federal government. We can denounce the Turkish occupation and the betrayal of the KDP together. In this context, our institutions, intellectuals, writers and academics, especially our associations and councils in Germany, should raise their voices against war and genocide in a spirit of joint mobilization. We must defend Kurdistan alongside our freedom guerrillas with all our strength.

On this basis, we call upon our entire community living in Germany and all friends who are against war to gather at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin on May 14 at 11 am."