Turkey cutting water to Hasakah.. What are solutions to prevent a humanitarian disaster?

The Turkish occupation and its mercenaries launched an attack on the regions of Serêkaniyê and Girê Spi /Tal Abyad on the 9^th of October 2019, according to which it occupied the two areas including Alouk station, which fed the city of Hasakah and its environs with water.

Since the occupation of Serêkaniyê, the Turkish occupation has stopped pumping water for the Alouk station 8 times, which has deprived more than a million people of water in light of the insane spread of the Corona virus, the last of which was more than 20 days ago and the station is still out of service, which foretells a humanitarian disaster.

The Autonomous Administration has warned many times of the occurrence of a humanitarian catastrophe due to water cuts in the city and its environs, and about three camps: Al-Hol, Al-Arishah and Washokani.

The people of Al-Hasakah city and its countryside assert that the Turkish occupation is cutting water to the region, and it is one of the forms of war the occupation is waging against the people of the region, pointing to the indifference that hangs over international organizations.

Abdul Razzaq Muhammad, a citizen from the city of Hasakah, noted that depriving more than a million and a half of water is tantamount to a "war" carried out by the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries against the components of the region, and the occupation seeks to sow discord and destabilize security and stability in the region, and said, "This war is a continuation of its occupation project in the region".

Several bodies and humanitarian organizations intervened in order to re-pump the water, including the Russian forces as the guarantor of the agreements that took place between the Turkish sides and the Syrian Democratic Forces, but all attempts were unsuccessful due to their lack of seriousness to solve this issue.

Abdul Razzaq Muhammad criticized the organizations, saying: "The humanitarian and international organizations that advocate human rights, unfortunately, do not undertake their role as humanitarian and human rights organizations."

Meetings with the concerned authorities and the SDF's initiatives to reduce the crisis

The Water Directorate in Al-Hasakah canton held and is still holding meetings with the International Red Cross, UNICEF and the United Nations to intervene, to force the Turkish occupation to restart the stalled station, to solve the problem of water cuts to the people, which will cause a humanitarian disaster in light of the Corona pandemic.

For its part, to reduce the water crisis, the SDF intervened and took it upon themselves to protect the people and the land of northern and eastern Syria, and in accordance with its principles, it withdrew its vehicles from water tanks from its military centers in several areas and placed them at the service of the people's municipalities in the city of Hasakah, in order to help deliver water for the people.

Abdul Razzaq pointed out that the Autonomous Administration distributes water in many areas to the people, and the distribution mechanism was through the communes, "but it is not at the required level due to the lack of tanks and the great pressure on the administration. Water cutting left a massive negative impact on the residents, especially in summer as temperature rises. "

Hamma station is an ambulatory solution

The Water Directorate in Al-Hasakah canton sought by all means to find emergency solutions to solve the water problem, and was able to find its way in Hamma station, located 11 km west of Al-Hasakah, to be a solution to the suffering.

Hamma station consists of 50 wells, all of which have entered into service, with an abundance of 30,000 m3. The directorate stated that this station will not meet the needs of the people and will secure only 50% of the water supply.

Abdul Razzaq Muhammad, stated that the water that was pumped two days ago from Al-Hama station to the eastern neighborhoods of Al-Hasakah city, was good in terms of its potency to drink.

While the Arab citizen, Anoud Ibrahim, expressed her suffering with the lack of water, saying: “About four months ago, I have not been able to fully fill the water in my water tank (which contains 5 barrels, meaning a thousand liter) costs 10 thousand SYP.

Water cutting by the Turkish occupation for more than a million people is an act contrary to international laws and covenants, according to many human rights defenders and observers of Syrian affairs. Natural resources cannot be involved in conflicts and wars, and they demanded their neutralization.

 Maha Shabou, from the Syriac component, pointed out that all the components in the city are suffering during this period because they were forced to buy water from the owners of the tanks who were exploiting the people a lot, in addition to digging salty wells that were not suitable for drinking.

The people are unanimously agreed that the owners of the tanks are taking advantage of the people and demanding large sums of money in return for filling the tanks in light of the weak oversight by the Supply Division in Al-Hasakah canton.

The co-chair of the Water Directorate in Al-Hasakah canton, Suzdar Ahmed, indicated that they are facing a humanitarian "catastrophe" as a result of water cuts in the city and its countryside, and said, "Some neighborhoods have not had water for 26 days. We declare a state of emergency and call on all cantons to help the people by sending water tanks."

The Water Directorate in Al-Hasakah canton formed an emergency room composed of a representative of the Water Directorate and a council, in addition to the communes, to reduce the water crisis to determine the process of distributing water to the people in the neighborhoods.

The Hamma project, which was implemented, and the first batch of it was pumped to the eastern neighborhoods. Suzdar Ahmed believes that the amount of water produced for the wells is very small and will not be sufficient to cover all the neighborhoods, but rather it will be distributed in shifts.

After the first experience, the directorate is currently filling the water tanks again to pump it to the remaining neighborhoods, as the filling process lasts 3 days. "After pumping water to all neighborhoods, a serious distribution mechanism will be put in place," said Suzdar Ahmed.

A few days ago, a delegation from the UNICEF visited Hamma station to confirm that the water of Alouk station had reached Al-Hasakah city, but by their visit it was confirmed that Alouk water had not reached the city yet.

A strategic project to solve the water problem will be completed at the beginning of the new year.

During her speech, Suzdar noted that the UNICEF delegation promised to intervene and communicate with the Turkish side to pump water to Al-Hasakah, adding, “We are looking for other areas in the city of Hasakah in order to dig wells for drinking water, and there is another strategic project to reduce the crisis underway that will be completed with the beginning of the new year. "

At the end of her speech, the co-chair of the Water Directorate Suzdar Ahmad called on the organizations to stand against the Turkish state's plans aimed at undermining the gains of the Autonomous Administration and displacement, calling on the humanitarian organizations, the Red Cross and the United Nations to intervene in order to re-pump the water of the Alouk station to the city of Hasaka.

Inspection tours of the Supply Division on wells

During a phone call with the co-chair of the Supply Division in Hasakah canton, Basil Amin, he indicated that they launched their campaigns on the water wells in the city to monitor the tanks, after issuing a special circular for them, following which the price per barrel was set at 500 SYP, and they had witnessed several violations of the tank owners.

Amin pointed out that they have formed three groups, each group consisting of four members, who conduct inspection tours of the tank owners from 8 am to 2 pm, in addition to allocating an emergency group.

He called on the people to extend a helping hand to them and contact them on the complaints numbers of the Supply Division, to limit the exploitation of the tanks' owners.

For its part, the components of the city of Hasakah called on international and humanitarian organizations to stand with the peoples of northern and eastern Syria and work to achieve their freedom and rights and alleviate their suffering in light of the spread of the Corona epidemic.

J.O

ANHA