Cemil Bayik, Co-President of the Executive Council of the Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK) spoke to Sterk TV in a special broadcast about current developments in the region. He condemned Turkey’s act of cutting off the water supply from the Euphrates which affects the lives of peoples living in North and East Syria.
“For years, the Tigris and Euphrates waters were flowing freely without any problems. Now, we see that the fascist occupier Turkish state is cutting off this water supply. They use it as a trump card. They use it as a ‘threat’ against people,” he said, adding: “They use it as a war strategy. In fact, cutting off the water is a crime. This is a war crime and a crime against humanity.” He also condemned the international community for remaining silent about it.
Cemil Bayık also spoke about the situation in Sinjar. He mentioned the Sinjar Agreement which was signed between Iraq and the government in Iraqi Kurdistan. He emphasized that the agreement is against the will of the Yazidi people. “However, even the United Nations supports the agreement,” he said. “The powers who left the Yazidi people alone under the threat of a massacre are deciding now about the future of the Yazidis. This is neither true not logical.”
He criticised the basis of the Sinjar Agreement: “The Yazidi people survived a massacre and were subjected to rape. If not all of them died, it is because of the guerrilla. The guerrilla did not allow this. People’s Defence Forces (HPG) and Free Women’s Units (YJA-Star) guerrillas prevented the massacres from happening with the support of the People’s Protection Units (YPG forces). If the Yazidî people are alive today, it is thanks to that resistance. If the Yazidî people love leader Apo, the guerrillas and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) today, they do so because of that.”