On 13 August 2020, Turkish forces turned off the Alok water pumping station, under their control, to hundreds of thousands of people in northeastern Syria, just as they did earlier repeatedly in March, April and July and that was also followed by a frequent lack of water pumping.

The Alok water pumping station, which is located east of the city of Ras al-Ayn/Sere Kaniye and has 30 wells, which can pump up to 175.000 cubic meters per day, supplies drinkable water to around 800.000 people besides being the main source to fill the tanker trucks that carry water to the makeshift camps of al-Hawl, al-Areesha (or al-Sadd) and Washo Kani (or al-Twaina), according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Sporadic water cut forced the population of Syria's north east to rely on unsafe alternatives, endangering their lives on top of their fight against COVID-19, that has infected 280 and killed 17 in northeastern Syria so far, according to the last u_ cp by the health authority of the Autonomous Administration 00 20 August 2020. Suspending the wok water station puts the lives of hundreds of thousands of people at risk, since washing hands with water and soup is essential to protect themselves against the pandemic.

Turkey and affiliated local councils claim that the forces in control of the Tishrin Dam interrupted power to the Alok water station causing its stop. However, that was refuted by observatory impartial organizations, among them the Human Rights Watch (HRW), which confirmed in a report that the Mabrouka power station does not supply the Alok pumping station and that the latter has alternative power sources enough to operate it.

Signatories of this statement condemn the repeated suspensions of the Alok water pumping station by Turkey and associated local councils, who continue to use it to blackmail. We also would like to recall that this deliberate denial of water to the population is a flagrant violation to their basic right to access clean water and to the international humanitarian law; it also constitutes a war crime.

Accordingly, the signatories of this statement call on the United Nations (UN), the Security Council, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nation International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United States Government, the European Union, the International Committee of the Red Cross ((CRC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to:

1. Pressure Turkey and affiliated local councils to resume the Alok water station urgently and immediately, and ensure that there would be no repetition of such cuts under any pretext.

2. Neutralize the Alok water station from political and military conflicts by suspending Turkey and other parties from using it to blackmail, and to hire a specialized and independent management team to run it under international supervision and control.

3. Ensure that all population in Syria's north east benefit from water and other natural resources fairly and equitably without discrimination of any kind, under impartial international supervision.

4. Investigate into the repeated water cuts transparently and independently, and thus hold those involved accountable whoever they were.

The statement Signatories;

1. Aata'a Organization for Development

2. Adel Center for Human Right

3. Al Diyar Society

4. Aljazera Relief Organisation

5. Anoar Algad Organization

6. Aras Charity Association

7. ASHNA for Development

8. Ashna Organization for Development

9. Ashti Center for Peacebuilding

10. ASO - Center for Consultancy and Strategic Studies

11. Ata'a Al-Baghouz Association for Development

12. Atyaf Organization

13. Baladna Organization for Civil Society

14. Balsam Center for Health Education

15. Better Hope for Tabqa

16. Bonus without Borders

17. Bukra Ahla Association for Relief and Development

18. Civil Society Institutions Platform in Northern and Eastern Syria

19. DAN for Relief and Development

20. Dawlaty

21. Demos Organization

22. DOZ - Syria

23. DREAM - Hlom for Development

24. EMAAR MANSURA

25. Ensaf for Development

26. Euphrates Organization for Relief and Development - EORD

27. Ezdina Organisation

28. Field Response Team

29. Forum Tow Rivers Organization

30. GAV for Relief and Development

31. Hajin Technicians Organization

32. Hdf humanitarian Organization

33. Hevy for Relief and Development

34. HOPE MAKERS

35. Hope Smile - Al Fourat

36. House of Citizenship Organization

37. Human Hope Team

38. Human Rights Organisation in Syria - MAF

39. Inaash Organization for Development

40. Inmaa alfourt Organization

41. International War and Disaster Victims Protection Association - IPV

42. Jan Canter for the Cam and Training of Children with Special Needs

43. Jasmine Association - Raqqa

44. Jian Charitable Society

45. Jinar for Aid and Development

46. Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights - JFHR

47. Jomard Charity Association - JCA

48. Judy Charity for Development and Relief

49. Justice and Building Center

50. Khwtwa Association for Relief and Development - Raqqa

51. Kobani for Relief and Development

52. Kurdish Committee for Human Rights - RASED

53. Kurdish Legal Committee -KLC

54. Kurdish Organisation for Human rights in Syria - DAD

55. Land of peace Organization

56. Lawir Organization for Animal Protection

57. Legal Construction Organization

58. Life for Syrian Association

59. Mahabad Organization for Human Rights - MOHR

60. Mitan Center to Revive Civil Society

61. NABD Team

62. Nour Jan Charitable Society in Amouda

63. Nujin - Nujeen Association for Community Development

64. PEL- Civil Waves

65. People for Human Development - PHD

66. ROJ KAR - for Relief and Development

67. SARA Organization to Combat Violence Against Women

68. Shama! Charity Association

69. SHAMS Organization

70. Shar for Development

71. Share for Community Development

72. Shawishka Association

73. Shaylan Association for Relief and Development

74. Slav Center for Civic Activities

75. Smile Organization 7

6. Swaaed for Development

77. Swaedna Organization for relief and Development

78. Syrian Kurdish civil Forces Gathering

79. Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network - SKJN

80. Syrians for Truth and Justice-STJ

81. TEVNA KURDI

82. The Civil Cooperation Team Organization

83. The Four Seasons Organization

84. TOTOL FOUNDATION for Relaif and Development

85. Violations Documentation Center in Northern Syria - VDCNSY

86. Women for Peace Organization

87. Xunav Association for Relief and Development

88. Youth for Change

89. Zakon Association - Komiteya Zagon

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