Region: Germany
Foreign affairs

Open the border – Kobanê must live!

Petitioner not public
Petition is addressed to
The Government of the Republic of Turkey

544 signatures

Petitioner did not submit the petition.

544 signatures

Petitioner did not submit the petition.

  1. Launched 2015
  2. Collection finished
  3. Submitted
  4. Dialogue
  5. Failed

Petition is addressed to: The Government of the Republic of Turkey

For a humanitarian corridor to Rojava – primarily for the rebuilding of Kobanê!

On the grounds of international humanitarian law, we demand that all those in positions of responsibility guarantee a humanitarian corridor to Rojava/Syria – in particular for the rebuilding of Kobanê! We urgently call on the Turkish government: open the border to Kobanê on a permanent basis! Protect deliveries of relief supplies and the entry and exit of reconstruction workers through a humanitarian corridor! Humanitarian aid must be able to flow unhindered – not only for the rebuilding of Kobanê, but to all embattled and endangered areas of Rojava as well.

Reason

According to international humanitarian law, all human beings have the right to humanitarian aid and protection. On the other hand, all people have the right to grant humanitarian aid and protection. The city of Kobanê in Rojava (West Kurdistan/Syria) made enormous sacrifices to liberate itself in January 2015 from the fascist forces of the IS ("Islamic State"). The entire democratic world public very strongly welcomed and supported this process. In the face of the current renewed IS aggression – targeting not least of all major cultural assets of humankind – the victory in Kobanê gains even greater importance. The "IS" left a path of destruction behind it. Eighty percent of Kobanê – infrastructure, housing, schools, hospitals... – is still in ruins today. Large sections of the city have been mined. People returning lack food, water, energy. Warnings have been issued against the danger of epidemics. Most of the 300,000 persons who fled from the city still cannot return. A humanitarian catastrophe threatens. The residents of the city want to rebuild it. They already have undertaken remarkable efforts towards reconstruction under the most difficult conditions. However, electric power, water, medical care, clearing equipment, machinery, helpers – all are lacking... The willingness to help has grown tremendously worldwide: money donations, tools, medicines, medical equipment are being collected. Many helpers want to support the reconstruction work. The border with Turkey is the only possible access route to Kobanê, which otherwise is still encircled from all sides by the "IS". To this day, however, the Turkish government refuses to allow permanent access to Kobanê even for humanitarian aid. The embargo against Kobanê drastically hampers international solidarity and humanitarian aid, making them impossible for the most part and thereby putting human lives in jeopardy. This foments misery, disease, poverty and further streams of refugees. Humanitarian aid must be able to flow unhindered – not only for the rebuilding of Kobanê, but to all embattled and endangered areas of Rojava as well. We request all people, institutions and governments to support this cause with their signatures.

Initial signers: Jean Ziegler, Vice-Chairperson of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (Geneva, Switzerland) Ulla Jelpke, Member of the German Bundestag (DIE LINKE) Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus for Linguistic, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Philosopher and activist for social justice (Boston/USA) Frank Bsirske, president of the trade union Ver.di (Berlin) Berthold Fresenius, lawyer (Frankfurt/M.) Stefan Engel, Main Coordinator of the ICOR – International Coordination of Revolutionary Parties and Organizations (Gelsenkirchen) Yilmaz Peskevin Kaba - leading member of the Federation of the Associations of Yazidis Fabio de Masi, Member of European Parliament (DIE LINKE) Board of directors of the International League for Human Rights (Berlin) Professor Dr. Frigga Haug, President of the Berlin Institut of Critical Theory (Esslingen) Professor Dr. Fritz Haug, Philosopher and publisher (Esslingen) Ayten Kaplan, member of regional board of DIE LINKE NRW (Essen) Prof. Dr. Norman Paech, Expert on international law (Hamburg) Professor Dr. Frank Deppe (Marburg) Professor Dr. Elmar Altvater (Berlin) Professor Dr. Heinz Bierbaum, Member of State Parliament (DIE LINKE, Saarbrücken) Christoph Klug, M.A. in Psychology (Recklinghausen) Dr. Rainer Werning (Cologne), publicist & lecturer at the University of Osnabrück Fritz Hofmann, Opel Works Council member and City Councillor (Eisenach) Rolf Becker, actor, officer of the Hamburg branch of the United Services Trade Union ver.di, Media sector Dr. med. Günter Bittel, physician (Duisburg) Nick Brauns, historian and journalist (Berlin) Fritz Storim, physicist, lecturer at the University of Bremen Rainer B. Ahues, lawyer (Bremen) Fred Schirrmacher, spokesman of the Nationwide Monday Demonstration Movement (Berlin) Max Herre, musician (Berlin) On behalf of all signees. Eisenach, 23 May 2015 (active until 22 Nov. 2015)

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Petition details

Petition started: 06/05/2015
Collection ends: 12/04/2015
Region: Germany
Topic: Foreign affairs

This petition has been translated into the following languages

News

  • Liebe Unterstützende,
    der Petent oder die Petentin hat innerhalb der letzten 12 Monate nach Ende der Unterschriftensammlung keine Neuigkeiten erstellt und den Status nicht geändert. openPetition geht davon aus, dass die Petition nicht eingereicht oder übergeben wurde.

    Wir bedanken uns herzlich für Ihr Engagement und die Unterstützung,
    Ihr openPetition-Team
  • The reconstruction of Kobane urgently needs a humanitarian corridor from Turkey!
    Since we started our Petition together with a lot of wonderful initial signers like Noam Chomsky from Boston (USA), Jean Ziegler from Geneva (Switzerland) or Stefan Engel from Gelsenkirchen (Germany) the situation for Kobane even deteriorated.
    Please help to increase pressure on the turkish governement! Spread the petition as wide as possible. Remember that translations of the petition are available in german, english, french, spanish, turkish, kurdish and arabic!
    Thank you for your solidarity for the Liberation struggle of the kurdish People!
    In solidarity
    Fritz Hofmann
  • Am 15. September hat eine Kundgebung in Berlin stattgefunden zum Jahrestag des IS-Angriffs auf Kobanê

    Berlin (Korrespondenz), 16.09.15: Gleich am Beginn der Kundgebung zum Jahrestag des Angriffs der IS-Faschisten auf Kobanê am 15. September, die vor der türkischen Botschaft stattfand wurde uns von dort eine Grußbotschaft übermittelt. "Wir Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer der ICOR-Solidaritätsbrigaden zum Wiederaufbau von Kobanê grüßen die Kundgebung in Berlin, die heute die gesammelten Unterschriften für einen humanitären Korridor an die türkische Regierung überreichen. Die mutigen Kämpferinnen und Kämpfer für die Freiheit Kurdistans haben unter größten Opfern den faschistischen IS geschlagen. Kobanê ist zerstört, aber frei - und lebt! ..."

    Knapp 80 Menschen nahmen an der kämpferischen Kundgebung teil. Darunter waren Mitglieder des Solidaritätskomitees, der MLPD, der HDP, von Solidarität International, der Migrantenorganisation AGIF, vom Frauenverband Courage und vom Berliner Kurdistan-Solidaritätskomitee. Hunderte Menschen bekamen dies auf der belebten Tiergartenstraße trotz Absperrgittern der Polizei mit.

    Die von einem Rechtsanwaltsbüro geprüfte und beglaubigte Sammlung von bisher über 21.000 Unterschriften für die im Mai dieses Jahres gestartete Online-Petiton "Öffnet die Grenzen – Kobanê muss leben!" sollte der türkischen Botschaft übergeben worden. Schon im Vorfeld der Kundgebung erhielten wir durch einen Telefonanruf die Auskunft, dass eine Entgegennahme der Unterschriften und ein Gespräch "unerwünscht" seien.

    Dies wirft ein Schlaglicht auf das Demokratieverständnis, nicht nur der Botschaft, sondern auch der Erdogan-Regierung. Den kämpferischen und lebendigen Charakter der Kundgebung konnte dies nicht beeinträchtigen. Ein Siemens-Kollege berichtete von Erfahrungen bei der Spendensammlung im Betrieb. Als er erzählte, dass ein Kollege 500 Euro für den Bau des Gesundheitszentrums in Kobanê - das Projekt der ICOR-Brigaden - gespendet hat, löste dies Begeisterung aus. Die Kundgebung stärkte den Willen aller Beteiligten, in der nächsten Zeit die Unterschriftensammlung für einen humanitären Korridor weiter zu verbreiten.
    (aus rf-news)

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