The Turkish occupation has cut off the water of the Alouk Station for the people of Al-Hasakah and its countryside for more than 22 days, creating a severe crisis in securing drinking water.

Human rights organizations and civil society institutions in northern and eastern Syria issued a statement in this regard and called on the international community to intervene and pressure the Turkish occupation state to re-pump water to the people as soon as possible.

The text of the statement reads:

“An urgent appeal to the United Nations about the Turkish occupation state and the Syrian armed factions cutting off the drinking water supply to the people in the Syrian city of Al-Hasakah.

For the eighth time since the Turkish state and the Syrian armed factions have invaded the city of Ras al-Ain (Serekaniye), Tal Abyad (Gire Spi) and the surrounding villages, they cut off the supply of water from the Allouk station of the occupied Ras al-Ain area, as these wells are the main and only source of water. The facility supplies one million people in the city of Al-Hasakah, the sub-district of Tal Tamr, Al-Shaddadi, its countryside and the following camps; Washokani camp, which houses 11,900 people, Al-Hol camp, which houses the families of the ISIS terrorist organization members, Aresha camp with 12,800 people and 72 shelters inside the city of Al-Hasaka, containing more than 12,000 displaced.

This coincides with the increasing cases of the new Coronavirus in the region that already suffers from weak infrastructure and a shortage in medical staff, supplies, hospitals and health centers, as well as the siege imposed on the region with the closure of the only legitimate border crossing with Iraq to bring humanitarian aid to the people of the region, in addition to the high temperatures in the region, threatening with a catastrophic humanitarian situation in light of the silence of the Global Coalition to fight ISIS as well as Russia’s shy attempts that were thwarted by Turkish intransigence and its refusal to re-pump water.

As it happens in all crises, the lack of water increases the financial burden especially on the employees and the low-income.

We are in the Human Rights Organization in Al-Jazeera - Syria, human rights organizations and civil society organizations as well as all legal and human rights activities condemn in the strongest terms the criminal act of the Turkish occupation state and the Syrian armed factions by cutting off the drinking water supply to Al-Hasakah which amounts to a war crime and genocide according to the Geneva Convention. Likewise, according to the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court, Turkey's illegal and irresponsible actions are contradictory even as an occupying power, which exposes it to the international legal issue.

These inhuman acts came to achieve political and military gains without taking into account the urgent humanitarian needs of the people for water. Therefore, we appeal to the United Nations and all international and humanitarian organizations in the humanitarian and relief field, the Global Coalition to fight ISIS and the guarantor Russia to intervene and pressure the Turkish occupation state to re-pump water to the people as soon as possible, not to exploit the people's need for water and use their thirst as a weapon in its hand, and to work to find an alternative and permanent solution for the Alouk station so that the people do not remain prisoners of these irresponsible acts of the Turkish occupation state and the armed Syrian factions."

The Signatories are: The Human Rights Organization in Al-Jazeera, the Human Rights Organization in the Euphrates, the Human Rights Organization in Afrin - Syria, the Human Rights Defense Initiative - Syria, the Human Rights Committee in Al-Raqqa, the Peace and Civil Society Center in Al-Hasakah, the Sanad Organization, and the Bakra Ahla Association for Relief and Development in Al-Hasakah, The Human Rights Defense Initiative - Syria, Research Center and Women's Rights Protection, Peace Leaders Network, Smart Center, Jumard Charitable Society, Rojava Relief and Development Organization, IPV Organization, Mesopotamia Center for Development and Studies, Shilan Association, Doz Organization, Free Women Endowment in Syria, Jiyan Foundation For Human Rights, Shawishka Association, Orido Center for Civil Society and Democracy, Shams Organization for Rehabilitation and Development, Syrian Women’s Council, Judi Association for Development and Relief, the Yazidi House in Al-Jazeera, NLP organization, Sarah organization for combating violence against women.

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