Student demonstrations in al-Shahba, calling for lifting government blockade

 Organized by the Education Authority in Afrin region, today, Tuesday, hundreds of primary, preparatory and secondary school students and their teachers took part in 3 demonstrations, condemning the strict siege imposed by the Damascus government on al-Shahba canton.

 The demonstrations took place in Sardam camp and the districts of Ahadath and Babins in al-Shahba canton.

 Sardam camp

 Dozens of students gathered in the last section of Sardam camp, located in the village of Tal Susin in al-Shahba canton, heading towards the camp's primary school, which has been closed for about 3 weeks, while chanting "We want to learn."

 There, they made a statement by Abdullah Othman, and Zainab Lulu.

 The statement said at the beginning: "Education and a safe life are a legitimate right for children and people, but many methods are used to violate this right in front of the eyes and silence of the whole world and human and child rights organizations."

 The statement indicated that thousands of students were deprived of education due to the siege imposed by the Damascus government on the region, and the lack of heating fuel in schools and many other necessities.

 At the same time, he drew attention to the Turkish occupation state's daily attacks on al-Shahba, targeting schools and children and killing many of them, such as the children of the Tal Rifaat massacre.

 Stressing that the government blockade robs children of their legitimate rights (referring to their right to education), he strongly denounced the blockade imposed by the Damascus government amid the silence of the world, international organizations, and human and child rights organizations.

At the end of their statement, the students called on "all global and international organizations, children's rights and human rights to follow their laws and put pressure on the Syrian government to lift the siege imposed on the region."

 Al-Ahdath

 In the same context, primary, preparatory, and secondary students in Ahadath sub-district of al-Shahba canton staged a demonstration at the railway station in the sub-district.

 During which the students carried their bags on their shoulders, and raised banners written in the Arabic and Kurdish languages, on which it was written: "It is my right to learn, do not deprive me of my right", "No to the siege imposed on al-Shahba areas", "We are the children of the future", "With our knowledge, we build the future."

 The demonstration stopped in front of Martyr Akid School, then a statement was read by student Rossef Hassan in Kurdish, and student Amal Omar in Arabic.

 The statement indicated that as a result of the almost complete halt of transportation in the region, thousands of students were deprived of their studies.  He added that the siege endangered "the future of many students of institutes and schools, and aims to keep Afrin students away from learning in their mother tongue."

 Noting that the Damascus government seeks, through its siege, to impede "the march of the Kurdish language revolution and its failure to achieve a free future and a decent life for the Kurdish people."

 The students denounced the siege, and at the end of their statement appealed to organizations for the protection of children's rights and human rights "to lift the siege on the region, especially the displaced from Afrin urgently (..) and make way for the passage of life necessities and heating materials, because the continuation of the siege will lead to real disasters."

 Babens district

 A student demonstration also took place in the Babens district of al-Shahba canton, starting from the Babens junction and marching to the martyr Damhat primary school in the district, and there a statement was made that was read by students Fidan Hajo and Miriam Khan Muhammad in Kurdish and Arabic, respectively.

 The statement said: "One of the legitimate rights of children is education, and this right is taken away from them in front of the eyes of the whole world. The blockade caused the lack of fuel oil, which led to the closure of all schools."

 He added, "In all countries of the world, every child has the right to study, but the children of al-Shahba region and the displaced people of Afrin are deprived of their basic right."

 He added, "On behalf of the students of the Education Authority in al-Shahba and Afrin, we strongly condemn the siege imposed by the Syrian government on the region, and the silence of the world, international organizations, children's rights, and human rights."

 At its conclusion, the statement called on global and international organizations, children's rights and human rights to put pressure on the Damascus government to lift its siege.

 Let the demonstrations end with the slogans of "shame and disgrace to the siege", "No to the policy of starvation and siege", "Shame and disgrace to the silence of children's rights and human rights organizations", "Long live the resistance of al-Shahba and Afrin."

A

ANHA