After the two major earthquakes on 6 February rocked ten cities with predominantly Kurdish and Alevi populations in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria, people all over the world started to organise solidarity events for the victims of the earthquakes.
A solidarity night was held in Sydney, Australia on Saturday, as a fundraiser for the aid campaign launched by the Kurdistan Red Crescent (Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê) for the earthquake-affected areas.
Australian Labor Party MP Paul Lynch, Greens MP Jamie Parker, clergyman Bill Crews, Sydney aldermen, and various non-governmental organisations attended the solidarity event.
Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-Chair Salih Muslim, European Kurdistan Democratic Societies Congress (KCDK-E) co-Chair Yüksel Koç, Van Metropolitan Municipal Mayor Bedia Özgökçe and Faruk Akalan on behalf of the Kurdistan Red Crescent, who took part in the event via video link, all talked of the gravity of the situation in the region and called for solidarity.
In many cities in Britain, Kurdish and Alevi institutions formed crisis desks and launched fundraising campaigns for earthquake victims together with the Kurdish Red Crescent, to provide relief to earthquake survivors who are currently living in particularly harsh conditions due to the lack of aid in Turkey and Syria.
In London, several Kurdish and revolutionary left organisations continue to collect donations for earthquake regions with donation boxes in train stations, stadiums and in the streets.
In Cyprus, the Commission for Solidarity with the Kurdish People and Kurdish representatives launched a fundraising campaign on 9 February. Their press conference was attended by members of the diplomatic commission of the Kurdish People’s Assembly of Cyprus, the Movement for Social Democracy (EDEK) MP Constantinos Efstathiou, and Greens’ Chairman Giorgos Perdikis. There was widespread media coverage of the campaign.
Polish-Canadian MP Tomasz Kmiec referred to the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria during a Canadian parliamentary session, stated that two of the worst-hit cities, Pazarcık and Elbistan, have been unable to benefit from earthquake aid because of their Kurdish nature, and pointed out that Turkey’s Foreigners Communication Centre provides telephone support in every language but Kurdish.
Pointing out the importance of cooperation with the Kurdish Red Crescent for the equal distribution of earthquake aid, the parliamentarian said that Canada should consider the Kurdish Red Crescent when providing earthquake aid to Turkey.
Spanish actress Itziar Ituno Martínez from the Basque Country, known for her role in the worldwide popular Netflix series La Casa De Papel, published a video on Sunday calling for donations to the Kurdish Red Crescent for earthquake victims.
“As you know, Turkey, Kurdistan and Syria were shaken by a devastating earthquake,” Martínez said. She stressed that the aid sent to earthquake victims was not enough and added: “I want you to donate to Heyva Sor a Kurdistanê, which operates in areas where aid is scarce. Please donate to Heyva Sor.”
