Eid under Tents: IDPs from Serê Kaniyê seek return, end to occupation

In the forced displacement camps in the countryside of Hasaka, in Jazira Canton, Eid is indistinguishable from other days, serving only as a painful reminder of what once was and renewing calls for a safe return to their homeland and an end to the Turkish occupation and its associated forces.

 “We Lived in Peace… Now We Feel Nothing”

 From inside one of the tents, Fatima Hussein, a mother of four from Serê Kaniyê, recalls her memories of Eid: “We only want to return to our homes. We ask for nothing but to live in peace on our land among our people. We used to prepare for Eid by baking pastries, buying sweets and clothes, and welcoming neighbors and relatives. Our homes were filled with joy, but now, everything has faded.” She added with anguish, “Today, we lack even the ability to feel joy. Eid passes like any other day. The children no longer sense its sanctity, and we no longer feel alive.”

 Eid in Tents Bears No Resemblance to Celebration

 Shamsa al-Khalid, a woman in her fifties from the occupied village of Manajir in the Serê Kaniyê countryside, recounts with painful nostalgia the life before displacement: “We would begin Eid preparations days in advance, making kleicha, tidying our homes, and buying new clothes for the children. On Eid morning, we visited the graves of our loved ones, then went from house to house to exchange greetings. Those were unforgettable days, the most beautiful moments of my life.” Pausing briefly, she continued, “Today, nothing resembles Eid. We live in tents covered in dust and scorched by heat. Some families no longer celebrate at all, not just due to poverty, but because their spirits are broken. Our dreams are simple: we want the Turkish occupation and its mercenaries to leave, and we want to return to our land in safety.”

 A Call for Dignified Return

 Majd Suleiman, another displaced resident from Serê Kaniyê, spoke of the struggles faced by the displaced youth: “Everything is lost. We once lived safely in our homes, ran our businesses, and celebrated Eid with our families. Now, we have nothing.” He added with sorrow, “The camps are unfit for life—swelteringly unbearable in summer and flooded in winter. There is no privacy, no stability, and limited services. We used to look forward to Eid for its joy, but now our sole concern is to return. We seek nothing but a dignified return.”

 Eid Transformed into a Call for Justice

 Eid al-Adha, long associated with the people of Serê Kaniyê with traditions of sacrifice, family visits, and communal gatherings, has, in the years of forced displacement, become a symbol of collective abandonment. The displacement, loss of security, and occupation of their land have turned this religious occasion into a painful reminder of a stolen life and confiscated dreams.

With each Eid, the displaced renew their demands with a clear message: “We want to return. We want an end to the occupation. We want to live in peace.”

 a.k

ANHA