Open the border – Kobanê must live!

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)