MESOP WEST KURDISTAN : HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY PYD

A full Report on the Partiya Yekîtiya Demokrat’s (PYD) Human Rights Violations On Northern Syrian Populations / Tahrir Souri

4.6.2014 –  The following is an excerpt of the report written by Tahrir Souri:

     The regime’s manipulation of the PYD is no different. According to Kurdish and Arab activists Tahrir Souri had consulted in the writing of this investigation, shortly after the outbreak of the revolution, the PYD announced a new programmed aimed at reforming the political structure, it also spoke out against the militarization of the revolution. In 2011, the Syrian regime released 640 imprisoned Kurds, most with ties to the PYD, from prison[i]. According to our sources, some of those released were PKK members, who upon leaving joined the PYD. They continued, adding that the Syrian regime had allowed the PYD leadership access to regime airports and border crossings.

     The regime encouraged the PYD to openly carry arms by around the sixth month of the revolution. These public displays occurred in Al-Jazeera (the most pronounced appearance of the PYD), ‘Ayn Al-Arab, and ‘Afrin. The PYD was also encouraged to organize militarily. The PYD formed training camps, ran patrols, dug trenches, erected barricades, all before the existence of any military operations in the Al-Jazira area. The Syrian regime and PYD also ran joint checkpoints, at one point the PYD was handed control of regime checkpoints (See figure 1). The areas the PYD was handed partial control over were: Al-Malkiyya, Al-Jawadiyya, Al-Rmaylan, Ma’bada, Al-Qahtaniyya, Amuda, Al-Darbasiyya, and Ras Al-‘Ayn. The regime has not given up control of Al-Qamishli and Al-Hassakah city. This is to be expected, as the regime, despite granting the PYD some degree of autonomy, does not want to lose control of the two provinces to Kurdish autonomy. Kurdish autonomy is something the Syrian regime knows the PYD wants, and is thus taking a very calculated risk in allowing the PYD to exercise autonomy to such a degree.

     The PYD’s shameless attack on Tal Burak occurred the night of February 22nd 2013. PYD forces and forces loyal to the PYD massacred civilians of Tal Burak, and the nearby villages. The forces burned over 80 houses in Tal Bruak and nearby villages, and burned ten houses in Tal Faris. The pretext for the burnings was that these were houses belonging to armed opposition sympathizers. Local activists and survivors of the massacre claimed that nearly 60 civilians were executed, many belonging to the same family. The witnesses claimed that some of the bodies were burned, and others mutilated with great prejudice and vehemence. It’s important to note that this is not the only massacre to befall the residents of Al-Hasakah and Al-Qamishli at the hands of the PYD. “They attacked the neighborhood at 2 in the morning, they brought the women out, some dressed and some undressed. They lined us up on the wall [in the school], and said we’re going to search you. One women refused and said ‘I won’t stand on the wall’, so he grabbed her from her breasts and they became exposed and she started to scream, so they shot at our feet. The men they separated from us and took them to the station, and we don’t know what happened to them there. In the homes they killed the men and degraded them for no reason.”

Watch full report on pdf https://www.dropbox.com/s/bbcvxnlmnue2tp2/FINAL%20HQ%20PYD%20PDF.pdf