124 organizations condemn Turkey’s water blocking, calling for firm action to bind Turkey

124 organizations condemn Turkey’s water blocking, calling for firm action to bind Turkey

  • Date: May 5, 2021
  • Categories:Rights
124 οργανώσεις καταδικάζουν το μπλοκάρισμα των υδάτων των γύρω περιοχών από την Τουρκία

124 organizations condemn Turkey's water blocking, calling for firm action to bind Turkey

Today, 124 civil society organizations issued a joint statement denouncing Turkey's decision to withhold the Euphrates River's water from Syria and Iraq, and demanded the United Nations and the international community to effectively pressure the Turkish government to abide by the rules of water sharing, consider the needs of the communities in Syria and Iraq and not threaten the already fragile lives of their residents.

The text of the statement issued by civil society organizations stated the following:

"River water sharing treaties are considered a very important issue in international relations and good neighborliness between countries that share the water of rivers crossing their lands. It is also a human rights issue par excellence because it expresses the respect for the rights of the peoples of these countries by all the countries concerned. The water issue strongly expresses the people's needs for water in their economy, food and drink."

Over recent years, Turkey has exploited the disastrous conditions in Syria and began diverting the water of the Euphrates River to dams it recently built within its borders. This policy resulted in the scarcity of water in the Euphrates River that reaches Syria and Iraq, as the water level declined sharply from about 600 m3 / s to below the sufficient level for irrigation and the extraction of drinking water 200 m3 / s according to the latest Syrian-Turkish agreement signed in 1987, which reflects the life of communities depending on the Euphrates River in the Syrian Jazirah and in Iraq in a catastrophic impact, especially since the dry season has begun in the two countries. In addition, specialists confirmed the amount of damage that will be caused to the pumps and projects built on the river.

More than 4 million people live in the Syrian region of al-Jazirah. They depend completely on the Euphrates water for agriculture, industry, generating electricity from the Euphrates, Tishreen and al-Baath Dams, and in order to obtain drinking water. Residents have begun suffering from water shortages in Spring, Summer and Autumn due to the oppressive extraction of Euphrates water by the Turkish authorities, from which the Euphrates River originates. In light of the drought caused by the lack of rain for this year, Turkey's overstepping the allocations of Syria and Iraq from the Euphrates water will have a disastrous impact on the livelihood of the residents of these areas.

The Turkish government must consider its policies towards the neighboring countries and abide by water sharing treaties with Syria and Iraq for the sake of equitable distribution of water resources, especially since the inhabitants of these areas are already suffering from major disasters due to the difficult conditions, the outbreak of the Corona epidemic, and the deficiency of health institutions in their areas for the water shortage problem to increase their suffering exacerbated for years.

We, in civil society organizations condemn and denounce the actions of the Turkish government, and we call on the United Nations and the international community to effectively pressure the Turkish government to adhere to the rules of sharing water and consider the needs of the communities in Syria and Iraq and not threaten the already fragile life of populations, especially as we are on the verge of a long season of dehydration.

Organizations and associations signed:

1- GAV for Relief and Development

2- The Peasant Union in Tabqa

3- The Intellectuals' Union of al-Jazirah region

4- The Agricultural Engineers' Union

5- Teachers' Union of North and East Syria

6- Teachers Union of North and East Syria

7- Raqqa Contractors' Association

8- Better Hope for Tabqa

9- Create a Path

10- Good Imprint

11- Citizenship House

12- Bell - Urban Waves

13- Taa Marbouta

14- Task for Development

15- Ronahi TV

16- Rojava University

17- Bridges of Love for Development

18- The Land of Peace Association

19- Al-Baraka Association

20- Life for Syria Association

21- Al-Diyar Association

22- Al-Yasmin Association

23- Judy Association for Relief and Development

24- Jumard Charitable Society

25- Khutwa (Step) Association

26- Khonav Association for Relief and Development

27- Dijlah Association for Environmental Protection

28- Soze Society for Relief, Development and Protection

29- Shemal (North) Charity Association

30- Shemal (North) Charitable Society for Relief and Development

31- Intensive Care Association

32- Media Association for Development

33- Nujeen Association for Community Development

34- Weqaya (Protection) Association

35- Democratic Society Movement

36- Better Life

37- Dan Relief and Development

38- Synergy Association - Hevdestî

39- Jin Women's Association

40- Newroz Cultural and Social Association

41- Rose for Support and Empowerment

42- Peace for Development

43- Syrians for Truth and Justice

44- Solderte

45- Oxygen Youth

46- Youth for Change

47- Afrin Post News Network

48- Peace Leaders Network

49- Rojava Activists Network

50- IRC Construction Company

51- Shelan for Relief and Development

52- Hope Makers

53- Tender of Euphrates

54- Better Tomorrow

55- Engineers' Chamber in Raqqa

56- Humanitarian Hope Team

57- Al-Furat Medical Team to Combat Covid-19

58- Nabd (Pulse) Team

59- Cloud

60- Mary for Development

61- Al-Ahram Al-Arabi Journal

62- Syrian Women's Council

63- Aso Center for Consultation and Strategic Studies

64- Center for Research and Protection of Women's Rights in Syria

65- The Egyptian Arab Center for Human Rights

66- Amuda Research and Studies Center

67- Balsam Center for Health Education

68- Jan Center for Special Needs Care

69- Slav Center for Civic Activities

70- Metan Center for the Revival of Civil Society

71- Al Furat Hospital

72- Together for Al-Jaraniya

73- Together for Deir Ezzor

74- Civil Society Organizations Platform in North and East Syria

75- Civil Society Organizations in Tabqa

76-Partners International Organization for Relief and Development

77- Ashna Organization for Development

78- Atyaf (Spectra) Organization

79- Al-Mansoura Emar (Construction) Organization

80- Peace Horizons Organization for Development

81- Al-Jazirah Relief Organization

82- International Organization for the Care of War and Disaster Victims

83- Al Rajaa Relief and Development Organization

84- Al-Ahd (Covenant) Organization

85- Al-Furat Organization for Relief and Development

86- Four Seasons Organization

87- High Future Organization for Development

88- Amal Al-Baghouz (Al-Baghouz Hope) Organization

89- Insaf Organization for Development

90- Inash Organization for Development

91- Al-Jazirah Development Organization

92- The Euphrates Development Organization

93- Anwar al-Ghad (Lights of Tomorrow) Organization

94- Basmet Amal Al-Furat Organization

95-Good News Organization

96- Hope Imprint Organization

97-Trahum (Mercy) Organization for Development and Tender

98- Cooperation Organization for Development

99- Hajin Technologists Organization

100- Helm (Dream) Organization for Development

101- Haneen Al-Furat (The Euphrates Nostalgia) Organization

102- Steps Organization for Social Development

103- Dawes Organization

104- Rawafed Organization

105- Rojava Organization for Relief and Development

106- Sawaed (Forearms) Organization for Development

107- Sawaeduna (Our Forearms) Organization for Relief and Development

108- Tayf (Spectrum) Organization

109- Ataa Al-Baghouz (Al-Baghouz Tender) Organization

110- Ataa Organization for Relief and Development

111- Odeh (Return) Organization for Development

112- Organization of the Civil Cooperation Team

113- Future Makers Team Organization

114- With You Organization for Development

115- Nour Jan Development Organization

116- Humanitarian Goal Organization

117- Hevi Organization for Relief and Development

118- Optimism Youth Organization

119- The Tutol Foundation for Relief and Development

120- Al- Narjess (Narcissus)

121- Danish Journalists Syndicate

122- The Kurdish Red Crescent

123- Engineering for Services

124- The Woman's Body