RONÎDA HACÎ

Hasakah- The Washokani Camp is an internally-displaced person (IDP) camp built in Hasakah on October 24, 2019 by the Autonomous Administration in northeastern Syria to host displaced people of Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî due to the Turkish attacks on the cities. According to the camp officials, 2, 365 families (about 16, 322 people) live in the camp now. However, humanitarian organizations ignore forcibly displaced people living in the camp. The displaced people living in the camp face difficulties in both summer and winter. Sûriya Mihemed Hisên, one of the displaced women living in the camp, told us that their tents haven’t been changed for four years.

‘The attacks are the continuation of the attacks on October 9’

The Turkish state attacked Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî on October 9, 2019. Indicating that the current Turkish attacks are the continuation of its attacks on October 9, Sûriya Mihemed said, “The Turkish state aims to occupy our cities by attacking North and East Syria. The aim of the attacks is to change the demographic structure of the region and destroy the Democratic Nation project. The Turkish state aims to occupy all the cities of Northern and Eastern Syria, but thanks to our children's resistance, its plans have failed so far. For this reason, it attacks our region again to occupy our region.”

‘Many children get sick’

Underling that displaced people in the camp face many difficulties especially in winter, Sûriya Mihemed said, “We have resisted in the camp for four years despite all the difficulties. We receive no support from humanitarian organizations. People need many things in the camp. Our tents must be often changed; however, our tents have not been changed for four years. The tents do not protect us from hot and cold weather. In winter, many children get sick. Displaced people need support. Humanitarian aid organizations act according to the interests of their states.”

‘The Autonomous Administration supports us’

Sûriya Mihemed told us that the Autonomous Administration has supported the displaced people in the camp. “The Turkish state wants to destroy the Autonomous Administration. It has been intensifying its attacks to prevent the Autonomous Administration from supporting us. But we know very well what is going on, we are not deceived. The Autonomous Administration built this camp for us and it supports us now.”

‘We will always resist’

Sûriya Mihemed and other displaced people living in the camp want to return to their cities, their homes. “The Syrian government should know this well that the people of Serêkaniyê are also Syrian citizens. The duty of the Syrian government is to help displaced people. One of the main reasons for the occupation is the silence of the Syrian regime. The Syrian government must support these people. However, it ignores the displaced people. The Syrian government is responsible for what we have faced. We call on the humanitarian aid organizations to help and support the displaced people.”