Turkey-affiliated paramilitary groups “occupied” Afrin, Serekaniye, Gire Spi and many other regions in 2018. Paramilitary forces are frequently on the agenda with kidnapping, ransom, torture, rape and murder in these regions. After the collapse of the Baath regime and its replacement by HTS, they are trying to legitimise these practices through the newly established institutions. 

 

 

Lawyer Hussein Naaso from Afrin, who has carried out many activities in European countries to defend Afrinis in international institutions and organisations due to these practices, spoke to Mezopotamya Agency (MA) about the practices and the newly established “Economic Committee in North and East Syria” by Turkey and the Damascus government. 

 

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE COMMITTEE?

 

Providing information about the members of the committee, lawyer Hussein Naaso said that Abud Faisal, who is constantly involved in legitimising all human rights violations in the region, was elected as the chair of the committee, and that it consists of 7 members, including lawyer Mohammad Haj Abdo, Deputy Chair of the Local Council Mohammad Sheikh Rashig, one of the most senior figures affiliated with Turkey. Hussein Naaso stated that the members of the committee are viewed with scepticism by everyone who knows te region, especially Afrin residents, and asked whether the committee was established to handle complaints and restore rights, or whether it was established to usurp the property of displaced people under the name of expropriaton. 

 

PROPERTIES WILL BE CONFISCATED 

 

Underlining that this committee has a mission that exceeds its jurisdiction, Naaso said that the committee was established for the occupied Kurdish regions of Afrin, Serekaniye and later Gire Spi. Stressing that there are claims that the committee is designed to resolve complaints and restore rights, Naaso said: “On the contrary, it aims to usurp and legitimise the property and land of the people of Efrîn and Serêkaniyê under the name of expropriation. The property of the forcibly displaced Kurds and the ownership of these properties and assets are to be confiscated by the economic offices of mercenary groups, and in doing so, they want to use the justification that 'if we do not do this, they will be given to the PKK members'. It is estimated that there are hundreds of thousands of olive trees and tens of thousands of private properties in the area."

 

JUSTIFICATION FOR CONFISCATION

 

Naaso said that the committee held meetings with the heads of local councils and mukhtars in Afrin a few days ago and told the participants that "we will take the properties, real estate and lands belonging to the PKK and currently held by the organisations' economic offices and use them for public benefit". Noting that this argument is absurd, false and without legal basis, Naaso said that not a single square metre of land in the Afrin region is officially registered in the name of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). 

 

"They are using this to confiscate the property of displaced Kurds and seize it for the so-called public good. They prevent displaced people from returning to their homes. Suppose some Kurds are members, supporters and defenders of the PKK. What religion or law authorises the seizure of their property and land for the public good? Such a punitive measure against dissidents has never been taken by the world's most brutal fascist regimes. This shameful behaviour was never used by the fascist Baathist regime against those who took up arms against it. However, those in power now apply it against their opponents," he said.

 

COLLABORATIONISTS IN ACTION 

 

Naaso said that this organisationis cooperating with some Kurdish political parties, “betrayers” and paramilitary groups, noting that they want to seize the lands before te agrrement between Mazloum Abdi and Ahmad al-Shara is implemented. Naaso said: “Among the measures they have taken are appointing Kurdish-linked names to the positions of regional director and deputy director. They are trying to bring more than a thousand mercenaries from the Hamza Brigade to Afrin under the name of ‘general security’ and to create a protection battalion led by Abu Duhane al-Kurdi, a Kurdish tribesman and a Kurdish organisation leader from al-Bab, Tal Arn and Tal Hasil villages. The visits of the Anqasa authorities to Tal Arn and al-Bab are for this purpose and goal only, and they want to allow the implementation of political activity only for the Anqasa party members and give them a licence to open offices and other procedures."

 

Naaso pointed out that this committee may help some Kurds to return to their homes and reclaim their property and real estate, but that tens of thousands of displaced Kurds will still have their property and real estate confiscated and expropriated under the pretext that it belongs to the PKK for the benefit of the de facto authorities in Damascus. Naaso noted that in "fascist" and dictatorial regimes, special committees or exceptional courts are set up to adjudicate property disputes that exceed the authority and jurisdiction of the judiciary in a manner that protects the interests of the government.

 

KURDS MUST BE VIGILANT

 

The Kurdish movement and the negotiating committee emanating from the Kurdish Conference must stand against these measures, such as agrarian reform and the Arab Belt, which violate the property rights of Kurdish citizens, Naaso said.

 

He concluded: "We demand that Mr Mazloum Abdi put pressure on the government party, which is a signatory to the March 10 Agreement, to fully implement its provisions according to schedule. We call on Kurdish citizens not to cooperate with such dubious committees and to refer all the negativity to the judiciary, which lacks independence and integrity, to file complaints and demand their rights, document them and send them to Kurdish and international human rights organisations in order to frustrate the dastardly plans targeting the occupied Kurdish areas, especially Afrin."

 

MA / Erdogan Altan