Kurdish people living in Switzerland have been protesting in support of the guerrilla struggle in the wake of media reports that the invading Turkish state is using poisonous gas in its most recent incursion into the guerrilla-held Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq).

As part of ongoing protests, a three-day sit-in has been launched today in front of the United Nations (UN) Office in Geneva.

In the early hours of the morning, a number of activists gathered at the “resistance tent” set up under the leadership of the Swiss Kurdish Women's Movement (YJK-S). The Kurdish activists blamed the UN for being responsible for the attacks.

'UN AND EUROPEAN STATES RESPONSIBLE, TOO'

Fidan Güler, who made a speech on behalf of the YJK-S before the sit-in, pointed out that a massacre plan had been introduced by the invading Turkish state in partnership with the KDP administration since April 17. “We warn the UN and European states, which are the main partners in the Turkish crimes; end your partnership with the murderous and treacherous forces. These states and institutions which regard themselves as defenders of human rights have paved the way for the massacre of the Kurdish people by supplying all kinds of financial support and diabolic weapons. We, the Kurds, will continue to expose these murderous forces,” she said.

“The whole world remains silent. Inhuman attacks are being carried out against the land of the Kurds, their life, nature and animals. We will continue our struggle against those states that continue to support Turkey, which is attempting to destroy the Kurdish people altogether. As Kurdish women, we are starting our sit-in protest here today under the motto Ji Bo Welat,” Zozan Serhat, a member of the Kurdish Women's Movement in Europe (TJK-E), said.

'WE WILL TURN EVERYWHERE AN AREA OF RESISTANCE'

Mehmet Ali Hoca made a speech on behalf of the Kurdish Democratic Societies Congress in Europe (KCDK-E) and stated, “A concept of massacre has been put into effect since April 17 in partnership with the treacherous forces to eliminate all the gains of the Kurdish people. Turkey’s use of chemical weapons is an outcome of this plan. The Kurdish people, who have been under the threat of massacre for a century, have always managed to defeat the murderous forces by putting up outstanding resistance. We will continue our resistance on this basis and achieve victory.”

“Backed by NATO and international powers, the fascist state and its treacherous partners continue to bomb the cities, mountains and villages of Kurdistan. Every place is now a field of resistance for us. The struggle of the resisting peoples, Öcalan and the guerrilla forces will triumph against those who target the history and nature of the Kurds,” Hoca said.

Following the speeches which were endorsed by the United Struggle Forces and internationalist women's organizations, the activists started a sit-in chanting slogans in support of the "Dem dema azadiyê" (Time for freedom) campaign.