Responding to calls by the Kurdish National Council, hundreds of Syrian young men took to the streets in the town of Al-Malkiya in Al-Hasaka province to denounce the practices of the Democratic Union Party (PYD). These practices include compulsory recruitment of young men and girls, abduction of political activists, and the imposition of extremist ideologized education curricula in the areas under its control.
The PYD’s security divisions cracked down on the demonstrations, erecting checkpoints manned by its militiamen at the entrances of the town and in its main street. It also cut off communications and prevented media and independent press from reporting the protests. The PYD also organized a counter demonstration of its supporters who were brought from neighboring villages.
Member of the political committee Fouad Alliko condemns the PYD crackdown on the peaceful demonstration, saying it is following in the footsteps of the Assad regime in the way it dealt with peaceful demonstrators.
Alliko points out that the Kurds are the most affected by PYD’s practices, and this is why they rose up to express their legitimate and just demands. He stresses that denying the Syrian Kurds their legitimate rights violates international humanitarian law and human rights charters.
Moreover, Alliko said these demonstrations lay bare PYD claims about representing the Kurds in the region and defending their rights, adding that the PYD has plans unrelated to the demands of the Kurds or their aspirations. He emphasizes that the PYD is just a tool used by the Assad regime to cause harm to the Kurdish issue.
The Kurdish Youth Movement, which is part of the Kurdish National Council, has accused the PYD’s Asayish forces of kidnapping two of its leaders, Kawa Ismail and Mahmoud Layani. It calls upon the PYD to stop its repressive practices in order to avoid “an explosion of the situation in the area.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
