Hundreds have been taken by ISIS; 19 have been released last week and have found refuge in Hassaka city. Over the remaining people in hands of ISIS and local Arab tribes we try to negotiate a prisoners swap as the Democratic Self-Administration forces have taken more ISIS prisoners than the number of Syriac- Assyrian civilians that ISIS took captive.
B- The case for international support for the Democratic Self-Administration
We welcome the international air support by the US and other allied forces in the battle of Kobani and Al- Hassaka region. We note furthermore the following.
1. President of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Mr. Barzani rightly stated in the 51st Munich Conference that it is insufficient to defeat ISIS in Iraq. It has to be defeated in Syria as well. The Western powers are (for good reasons) very reluctant to put their ground forces in Syria and rightly refuse to choose Assad as ally against ISIS. The logical conclusion is that the Alliance against ISIS supports those forces in Syria that stand for freedom and democracy and lead the fight against ISIS. The Democratic Self-Administration fits in this category.
2. The Democratic Self-Administration represents not just a program or political movement but the people who live in the Democratic Self-Administration Cantons. The goal of the Democratic Self- Administration is to have a secular state that offers fundamental rights and freedoms to its peoples. This includes democratic rights and freedom of religion.
3. Its geographical positioning in Syria makes the Democratic Self-Administration the most obvious partner in defeating ISIS in Syria. Almost all ISIS forces in Syria are concentrated on the East side of the Euphrat river. The Democratic Self-Administration is the only force against ISIS on the ground on the East side of the Euphrat river in Syria.
4. The new peace talks between the PKK and the Turkish government create an opening for the international community and allied forces towards co-operation with the Democratic Self- Administration.
5. There is no Syrian state that protects our peoples. We ask therefore the international community to step in and support our rightful self-defence.
6. As Syriac-Assyrian Christians we have taken up our self-defence, as we will not idly stand by and let others (like the Kurds) fight and die for us.
7. As long as ISIS is still present in Syria, young people from Europe will have the chance to join it.
8. Recognition of the Democratic Self-Administration as partner to the allied forces, EU and EU Member States and international community for military and humanitarian aid is not only crucial for the survival of the many refugees in our areas but also for the victory of humanitarian values over the barbary of ISIS.
C- In this light our immediate needs are:
• Lifting embargo on the Jazeera / Gozarto canton.
• Official recognition of the cantons Jazeera, Afrin and Kobane, which had been put in place with the will of people.
• Official visit to the Jazeera / Gozarto cantons from European Union (there is a safe area around Qamishli).
• Military support to Syriac Military Council, Sutoro and Nineveh Plain Forces. Immediate air drop of ammunition in the Khabour region.
• Political support to the organisations of Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people.
• The support from the EU for the minorities (Syriac-Assyrian, Yezidi and Turkmen) in Iraq to their partner in negotiations with the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government and Iraqi Central Government in achieving a reasonable and needed degree of self-defence and self-government as expressed in the Common Declaration of these three peoples which has been presented in the European Parliament at 19 November. In all of this the survival of the mosaic reality and many peoples of the Middle East is at stake.
D- Overview – Background Info.
The Jazeera / Gozarto Canton is (roughly) the same area as the Al-Hassaka governorate, which is in the utter North-East of Syria. This canton is the largest of the three cantons of the Democratic Self- Administration areas in Syria. These three cantons share their common Social Contract, expressing their goal for a democratic and multi-ethnic and multi-religious Syria. Recent years have proved that these are not hollow words but a reality that is hold firm against all onslaught from both ISIS and the Syrian regime. Kurds, Syriac-Assyrians, Arabs and Yazidi’s as well as others live and stand together through this incredible difficult time. The Democratic Self-Administration based on these principles and putting it in practice is unique in the Middle East.
The Syriac Military Council (SMC/MFS) is the self-defence force in this region of the Syriac-Assyrian people, who are predominant Christian. It operates under the political and social framework of the mentioned Social Contract. Its allies are the YPG/YPJ and the YBS (Yezidi’s) as well as Peshmerga in the war against ISIS.
After the joint military operation of YPG/YPJ and SMC/MFS on 22nd February against ISIS in Tal Hamis frontline (East of Al-Hassaka city – see attached map) 22 villages have been liberated from control of ISIS. This military operation proved very successful and is still ongoing with major breakthroughs. So far Tel Hamis and Tel Brak have been liberated (1st March) as well as the villages around these places.
However in the Khabour region along the Khabour river (North-West of Hassaka city), ISIS attacked on 23rd February several villages and after days of fierce battle they managed to keep control of several villages on the south side of the Khabour river. Then ISIS took several hundreds of Syriac-Assyrian villagers. Both the ISIS offensive and the capturing of these people was possible as Turkey had opened the floodgates in the dams that control the waterlevel of this river. The unusual high waterlevel prevented supporting reinforcements to reach these villages in time and prevented villagers from escaping ISIS. Already at 23rd February the Democratic Self-Administration allied forces prevented further gains by ISIS and ISIS lost many of its gang members. SMC/MFS lost 13 fighters and around 25 YPG fighters were killed. The preparations for liberation of the places taken by ISIS are underway and we need international support to defeat ISIS in that specific area and defend the Syriac-Assyrian villages.
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