A handful of people gathered outside of parliament today in protest against the recent Turkish attacks on Kurdish forces in Syria.

The Kurdish Human Rights Action Group (KHRAG) organized the picket to create awareness among South Africans around the situation in north-east Syria as well as the circumstances surrounding the attacks on the people of Rojava and other surrounding areas. KHRAG chairperson, Mahmood Patel intended to hand over a memorandum to a parliamentary official before 2pm, but was asked to leave the memorandum at the visitors entrance until permission was granted from the High Court.

The memorandum addressed a variety of matters, such as KHRAG’s argument as to why they feel there is an urgent need to end the Turkish operations against the Kurds, and included demands to seek a political solution through dialogue that would result in the recognition of Rojava – a de facto autonomous region within the greater Syrian territory – as a “thriving”, autonomous administration.

Among those attending the picket were prominent groups such as COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) and the SACP (South African Communist Party).

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