Statement from Kate Osamor MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, on the Current Situation in Afrin, November 2018

I am sorry not to be with you today. But please be assured of me being with you in spirit. I look forward to meeting with members of the Oxford Kurdish Association in Westminster in December. I pass on these words to be read in my absence.

The assault and occupation of Afrin is a scar on the conscience of the international community. From the launch of “Operation Olive Branch” I have had considerable concerns about the Turkish incursion into Syria. While the world hoped for a de-escalation of the conflict, Turkey’s actions led to increased loss of life, displaced thousands of people and has heightened tensions. When access to aid and rebuilding communities should have been the priority, the assault of Afrin has worsened and complicated the humanitarian challenge in northern Syria.

Back in May I passed on the distress of many of my constituents to the Prime Minister, on hearing her portray the assault on Afrin as a defensive exercise on Turkey’s part, and her blanket remarks on “Kurdish Terrorism”. The incursion was neither legitimate nor justified – without basis in international law. Turkey has denied the Kurdish people their dignity, decency and human rights.

The people of Afrin have undergone appalling suffering, trapped between the Russian and Syrian regimes on one side, and the Turkish military on the other. The US and the UK have been poor supporters of their cause. Regrettably, the British approach has been led by an American President whose mind on the matter appears to change on an almost daily basis.

The UK government’s stated desire for peace in Syria is compromised by the Department of International Trade making Turkey a priority market for its promotion of UK arms. The government has worked hard to ease the flow of weapons to Turkey, with BAE signing a £100m deal to develop new fighter aircraft for the Turkish military. According to the Campaign Against the Arms Trade, the total value of UK military export licences to Turkey exceeds £800m over the last three years. Better scrutiny of arms sales to Turkey is urgently needed, and a wholly different approach to the identification of priority trade partners.

I am gravely concerned about the hundreds of thousands of people in Afrin district and those displaced in Tall Refaat, Nabul, Zahraa and the surrounding communities. So far questions in the Commons and the Lords have revealed almost no details of the impact of DFID funding in Afrin and the surrounding area. I will be pressing the Secretary of State to do more, especially as the multi-sectoral rapid needs assessment carried out in Afrin in early May found the humanitarian situation in the district worse than initially expected. May and Erdogan’s pledge to protect civilians in the region rings hollow when the contamination and explosive remnants of war will remain a serious danger, and access to services and markets are so limited by the hostilities.

Instead, a priority of peace building in coherent and consistent, foreign, trade and international development policies is urgently needed. Turkey cannot be allowed to oppress the Kurdish community and flaunt international law. I stand in solidarity with those suffering in Afrin, and those defending freedom, peace and justice there. Thank you.