Religious Freedoms: Turkey's entry into Syria is existential threat to peoples’ democracy

NEWS DESK

The Religious Freedoms Group (IRF), an International Coalition of the supporting groups of Religious Freedom Groups, in a statement appealing Trump's administration to prevent Turkey from entering north-eastern areas of Syria

Washington Free Bacon newspaper quoted the IRF saying, "We thank President Donald Trump for his work on religious freedom, but we criticize his decision to withdraw from north and east Syria and condemn Turkey's attempts to enter the region through a so-called" safe area."

Turkey's actions in Afrin over the past 12 months and its planned military actions in the Middle East illustrate its intention to commit genocide, ethnic cleansing, destruction of Christians, Yazidi and Kurds, and its entry will destroy the precious religious freedom, human rights and democracy that these minorities have created and enjoyed since 2013 with equal rights for all religions, races and women. "

The group added "This breaks the commitments made by our government to protect the region and support its democratic aspirations, especially after the (Syrian Democratic Forces) liberated most of the land from IS terrorist organization."

The roundtable includes a wide range of religious freedom and human rights organizations, such as the Religion and Democracy Institution, the Freedom Law and the Jubilee Campaign.

The statement said "The Christians and Kurds in northeast Syria have made great steps towards democracy and it is surprising that their non-sectarian and pluralistic democracy is now operating in this whole region through the Autonomous Administration of northeast Syria,"

Apart from international government, the letter also quotes prominent US conservatives, such as Franklin Graham, who are putting pressure on Trump to remain committed to US allies in Syria.

The group says a safe area of ​​20 miles inside Syria "will include all the cities of north Syria, which contain most of its Christians, Kurds and Yazidi."

"We are echoing the local (attached) requests that US forces will remain until a full booster is crushed and alternative security arrangements are put in place, which means a no-fly zone," the statement said.

The group addressing Trump's administration "Your administration must ensure the participation of representatives of the Democratic Autonomous Administration in north Syria in the Syrian peace talks and retain the freedoms they have acquired with difficulty in post-war Syria,".

The roundtable concludes that Autonomous Administration will have no choice but to ally itself with the Syrian regime to prevent Turkey from destroying it if the United States allows Turkey to enter.

The roundtable pointed out that religious freedom in a pluralistic society is the best way to deter IS revival.

"Democratic Autonomous Administration in north and east Syria is a unique and democratic experience that has struggled for this experience, and the American administration must defend this pioneering experience in the Middle East."

H/S

ANHA