Aug 24, 2020
<p class="font_8" style="text-align: center"><em>For the eighth time, Turkey and affiliated local councils use water to blackmail in COVID-19 pandemic</em></p>
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<p class="font_8" style="text-align: left">On 13 August 2020, Turkish forces turned off the Alok water pumping station, under their control, to hundreds of thousands of people in northeastern Syria, just as they did earlier repeatedly in March, April and July and that was also followed by a frequent lack of water pumping.</p>
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<p class="font_8" style="text-align: left">The Alok water pumping station, which is located east of the city of Ras al-Ayn/Serê Kaniyê and has 30 wells, which can pump up to 175.000 cubic meters per day, supplies drinkable water to around 800.000 people besides being the main source to fill the tanker trucks that carry water to the makeshift camps of al-Hawl, al-Areesha (or al-Sadd) and Washo Kani (or al-Twaina), according to the <a href="https://www.icrcnewsroom.org/story/en/1913/north-east-syria-millions-dealing-with-sporadic-water-shortages-crippled-health-services">International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)</a>.</p>
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<p class="font_8">Sporadic water cut forced the population of Syria’s north east to rely on unsafe alternatives, endangering their lives on top of their fight against COVID-19, that has infected 280 and killed 17 in northeastern Syria so far, according to the last <a href="https://www.facebook.com/952306884959249/posts/1397013997155200/">update</a> by the health authority of the Autonomous Administration on 20 August 2020. Suspending the Alok water station puts the lives of hundreds of thousands of people at risk, since washing hands with water and soup is essential to protect themselves against the pandemic.</p>
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<p class="font_8">Turkey and affiliated local councils claim that the forces in control of the Tishrin Dam interrupted power to the Alok water station causing its stop. However, that was refuted by observatory impartial organizations, among them the Human Rights Watch (HRW), which confirmed in a <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/31/turkey/syria-weaponizing-water-global-pandemic">report</a> that the Mabrouka power station does not supply the Alok pumping station and that the latter has alternative power sources enough to operate it.</p>
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<p class="font_8">Signatories of this statement condemn the repeated suspensions of the Alok water pumping station by Turkey and associated local councils, who continue to use it to blackmail. </p>
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<p class="font_8">We also would like to recall that this deliberate denial of water to the population is a flagrant violation to their basic right to access clean water and to the international humanitarian law; it also constitutes a war crime, Accordingly, the signatories of this statement call on the United Nations (UN), the Security Council, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nation International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United States Government, the European Union, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to:</p>
<ol class="font_8">
<li><p class="font_8">Pressure Turkey and affiliated local councils to resume the Alok water station urgently and immediately, and ensure that there would be no repetition of such cuts under any pretext.</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">Neutralize the Alok water station from political and military conflicts by suspending Turkey and other parties from using it to blackmail, and to hire a specialized and independent management team to run it under international supervision and control.</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">Ensure that all population in Syria’s north east benefit from water and other natural resources fairly and equitably without discrimination of any kind, under impartial international supervision.</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">Investigate into the repeated water cuts transparently and independently, and thus hold those involved accountable whoever they were.</p></li>
</ol>
<p class="font_8"><strong>The Statement Signatories;</strong></p>
<p class="font_8">1. Aata’a Organization for Development</p>
<p class="font_8">2. Adel Center for Human Right</p>
<p class="font_8">3. Al Diyar Society</p>
<p class="font_8">4. Aljazera Relief Organisation</p>
<p class="font_8">5. Anoar Algad Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">6. Aras Charity Association</p>
<p class="font_8">7. ASHNA for Development</p>
<p class="font_8">8. Ashna Organization for Development</p>
<p class="font_8">9. Ashti Center for Peacebuilding</p>
<p class="font_8">10. ASO - Center for Consultancy and Strategic Studies</p>
<p class="font_8">11. Ata'a Al-Baghouz Association for Development</p>
<p class="font_8">12. Atyaf Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">13. Baladna Organization for Civil Society</p>
<p class="font_8">14. Balsam Center for Health Education</p>
<p class="font_8">15. Better Hope for Tabqa</p>
<p class="font_8">16. Bonus without Borders</p>
<p class="font_8">17. Bukra Ahla Association for Relief and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">18. Civil Society Institutions Platform in Northern and Eastern Syria</p>
<p class="font_8">19. DAN for Relief and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">20. Dawlaty</p>
<p class="font_8">21. Demos Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">22. DOZ – Syria</p>
<p class="font_8">23. DREAM - Hlom for Development</p>
<p class="font_8">24. EMAAR MANSURA</p>
<p class="font_8">25. Ensaf for Development</p>
<p class="font_8">26. Euphrates Organization for Relief and Development – EORD</p>
<p class="font_8">27. Ezdina Organisation</p>
<p class="font_8">28. Field Response Team</p>
<p class="font_8">29. Forum Tow Rivers Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">30. GAV for Relief and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">31. Hajin Technicians Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">32. Hdf humanitarian Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">33. Hevy for Relief and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">34. HOPE MAKERS</p>
<p class="font_8">35. Hope Smile - Al Fourat</p>
<p class="font_8">36. House of Citizenship Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">37. Human Hope Team</p>
<p class="font_8">38. Human Rights Organisation in Syria – MAF</p>
<p class="font_8">39. Inaash Organization for Development</p>
<p class="font_8">40. Inmaa alfourt Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">41. International War and Disaster Victims Protection Association – IPV</p>
<p class="font_8">42. Jan Center for the Care and Training of Children with Special Needs</p>
<p class="font_8">43. Jasmine Association – Raqqa</p>
<p class="font_8">44. Jian Charitable Society</p>
<p class="font_8">45. Jinar for Aid and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">46. Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights – JFHR</p>
<p class="font_8">47. Jomard Charity Association – JCA</p>
<p class="font_8">48. Judy Charity for Development and Relief</p>
<p class="font_8">49. Justice and Building Center</p>
<p class="font_8">50. Khwtwa Association for Relief and Development – Raqqa</p>
<p class="font_8">51. Kobani for Relief and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">52. Kurdish Committee for Human Rights – RASED</p>
<p class="font_8">53. Kurdish Legal Committee -KLC</p>
<p class="font_8">54. Kurdish Organisation for Human rights in Syria – DAD</p>
<p class="font_8">55. Land of peace Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">56. Lawir Organization for Animal Protection</p>
<p class="font_8">57. Legal Construction Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">58. Life for Syrian Association</p>
<p class="font_8">59. Mahabad Organization for Human Rights – MOHR</p>
<p class="font_8">60. Mitan Center to Revive Civil Society</p>
<p class="font_8">61. NABD Team</p>
<p class="font_8">62. Nour Jan Charitable Society in Amouda</p>
<p class="font_8">63. Nujîn - Nujeen Association for Community Development</p>
<p class="font_8">64. PÊL- Civil Waves</p>
<p class="font_8">65. People for Human Development – PHD</p>
<p class="font_8">66. ROJ KAR - for Relief and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">67. SARA Organization to Combat Violence Against Women</p>
<p class="font_8">68. Shamal Charity Association</p>
<p class="font_8">69. SHAMS Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">70. Shar for Development</p>
<p class="font_8">71. Share for Community Development</p>
<p class="font_8">72. Shawishka Association</p>
<p class="font_8">73. Shaylan Association for Relief and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">74. Slav Center for Civic Activities</p>
<p class="font_8">75. Smile Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">76. Swaaed for Development</p>
<p class="font_8">77. Swaedna Organization for relief and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">78. Syrian Kurdish civil Forces Gathering</p>
<p class="font_8">79. Syrian Kurdish Journalists Network – SKJN</p>
<p class="font_8">80. Syrians for Truth and Justice-STJ</p>
<p class="font_8">81. TEVNA KURDI</p>
<p class="font_8">82. The Civil Cooperation Team Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">83. The Four Seasons Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">84. TOTOL FOUNDATION for Relaif and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">85. Violations Documentation Center in Northern Syria – VDCNSY</p>
<p class="font_8">86. Women for Peace Organization</p>
<p class="font_8">87. Xunav Association for Relief and Development</p>
<p class="font_8">88. Youth for Change</p>
<p class="font_8">89. Zakon Association - Komîteya Zagon</p>