HESEKÊ – Stating that they are carrying out extensive studies and preparing projects to solve the Syrian refugee problem, North-East Syria Autonomous Administration Immigration and Refugee Affairs Office Co-chair Şêxmûs Ehmed said, “We held talks with international organizations and explained our projects for the safe return of Syrian refugees to their lands. So far, they have not taken action for a mechanism that can do this. On the contrary, they remained silent to the ongoing invasion attacks of the Turkish state against the region, causing new waves of migration.”
Speaking to ANF, Co-chair Şêxmûs Ehmed reminded that millions of Syrians had to leave their lands due to the Syrian war. Ehmed pointed out that the Syrian crisis and war has been going on for more than 12 years and said, “In this long and difficult process, millions of Syrian citizens had to leave their lands and migrate to other countries. Many powers have used Syrian refugees for their own benefit. As the Autonomous Administration, we are carrying out extensive work to end this situation and to ensure that the Syrian refugees are not used by the colonialists and are located in the safest way.”
20 CAMPS AND SETTLEMENTS
Ehmed shared the information that more than 1 million citizens living in other parts of Syria are also located in their own region and said: “There are 20 official refugee and migrant camps in our region, as well as scattered camps. There are also refugees staying in some schools and homes in cities. Around 1 million 100 thousand refugees from other regions of Syria such as Hama, Aleppo, Homs, Tedbur and Idlib live in our regions. The Autonomous Administration treats them as their own citizens. We also provide uninterrupted service to the camps where refugees live.”
LIABILITY AND ACCEPTANCE OFFICES ESTABLISHED
Noting that citizens fleeing the Syrian crisis continue to come, Ehmed said: “Because they see that human values such as honor and rights are protected in our fields. Many liaison offices have been established in our regions for Syrian refugees and refugee camps have been opened. There are also dozens of small camps created by refugees. The regions of Northern and Eastern Syria have always embraced refugees within the framework of international standards and ensured their safe lives. The Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria has mobilized all its resources for refugees and migrants. So far, there has been no violation of rights or problems regarding refugees living in our regions.”
COMPREHENSIVE STUDIES AND PROJECTS
Şêxmûs Ehmed stated that the Autonomous Administration has prepared projects for the safe return of Syrian refugees living all over the world to their lands and said, “We are working to ensure that Syrian refugees are not used by colonial powers and that they return to their lands in the safest way possible. We have also started a study for the return of Syrian refugees living in Lebanon. As we mentioned before, as the Autonomous Administration, our door is always open to Syrian refugees. The United Nations and the international community should provide support for these studies to be carried out faster and more comprehensively.
THEY DID NOT FULFILL THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES
Ehmed underlined that although they held support meetings for the studies, no action was taken and said, “Although meetings were held with other international organizations, especially the International Organization of the Red Cross, for the return of Syrian refugees, no action has been taken for a mechanism to do this so far. The Damascus government and humanitarian organizations failed to fulfill their duties to ensure the safe return of refugees fleeing the war. Only the Autonomous Administration worked in this direction.”
THEY CAUSED NEW WAVES OF MIGRATION
Stating that international forces cause new waves of migration, contrary to supporting the return of refugees, Şêxmûs Ehmed, Co-Chair of the Autonomous Administration Office of Migration and Refugee Affairs, added: It caused hundreds of thousands of citizens to emigrate. The Turkish state also made a demographic change in the region by placing people it brought from outside to the occupied lands.”
