KONGRA-GEL released a statement about the earthquake and said that “Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê (Kurdish Red Crescent) is now organizing an aid campaign for both North and Rojava Kurdistan. We should lend support to our people affected by the earthquakes in these difficult and painful days”.

Two earthquakes, whose epicentres were the districts of Pazarcik and Elbistan in the province of Maraş, severely hit ten provinces in Turkey on Monday, killing thousands of people. While at least 14 thousand people have been confirmed dead so far, countless people remain under the rubble. Even three days after the earthquake, there are settlements that no government aid has reached yet. People are trying to rescue those trapped under the rubble with their own resources. Instead of strengthening civilian disaster relief and planning further relief measures for the earthquake victims, the Turkish government declared a state of emergency (OHAL) on the second day after the quake.

The KONGRA-GEL Co-Presidency Council released a written statement about the devastating earthquakes, offering their condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a quick recovery to the injured.

“Everyone knew that this earthquake was coming. Earthquake experts repeatedly warned the government and related institutions to take precautions against possible earthquakes. However, the Erdogan government and state institutions did not want to hear these warnings. Instead of resolving the basic problems of Turkey’s society, Erdogan wasted the country's resources in the genocidal war against the Kurdish people and channelled the remaining resources to his supporters,” said the KONGRA-GEL statement on Thursday, which further included the following:

“It is not clear where the funds collected from the public for years as earthquake tax are. Erdogan is primarily responsible for the great destruction and devastation caused by the earthquakes, since he turned the entire country into a construction site.

The most important issue in the case of an earthquake is the rapid removal of the debris and rescue efforts. The AKP-MHP fascist government, which does nothing in this regard, furthermore, hinders those who provide help. The declaration of a state of emergency, the bans on the media, the centralization of rescue efforts through AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency), the blocking of organizations and municipalities that take action to provide effective support, the failure to mobilize public institutions in a timely manner, have showed once again that the Erdogan government does not give up partisanship even while people die under the rubble. All in all, Erdogan's presidential system has remained under the rubble of the earthquake.

Our patriotic people should act without waiting for help from anyone. Our people are organized, altruistic and public-spirited. In this respect, we can say that they are the most experienced and organized people. We believe that they will organize and mobilize against this earthquake disaster. The obstacles of the AKP-MHP government and the AFAD should not stop us. We should not leave our people alone, helpless and hopeless, and we should reach out to them in any case.

Our people from four parts of Kurdistan who live abroad should deliver all aid directly to our people via Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê (Kurdish Red Crescent). Aid delivered by other means is confiscated. Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê is now organizing an aid campaign for both North and Rojava Kurdistan. We should lend support to our people affected by the earthquakes in these difficult and painful days.”