The devastating, terrible earthquakes and large aftershocks in southeast Turkey and north Syria at dawn on February 6, shook the Middle East and shocked the whole World. Tens of thousands of people have died, more than a hundred thousand injured and millions displaced in this disaster. The dimensions of the disaster of the two catastrophic earthquakes of 7.8 and 5.7 on the Richter scale and hundreds of aftershocks within the three large and continental fault lines that pass through this earthquake-prone is considered a blessing for the oppressive governments of Turkey, Iran, and Syria and an opportunity for propaganda, corruption, and more looting. This disaster has created death, destruction and displacement for the oppressed people and has deadly consequences that are the result of ignoring the warnings of experts in the field. These governments waste society’s money and resources for warmongering, occupation and oppression of their societies and have contributed to the dimensions of this terrible disaster. These states, which have razed north Syria to the ground with bombings and destructive chemical bombs, and through the proxy forces of NATO, America and Russia, have turned the Middle East into ruins, have so far caused more destruction than the recent earthquake disaster. The occupying government of Turkey had prepared for a new attack on Rojava (Northeast Syria), but this earthquake postponed it.
The response of the capitalist class society to the disaster along with the heavy debris of the earthquake on the workers and toilers who spend their days in more vulnerable shelters has been the most terrifying and deadly. The earthquake which shook both Turkey and Syria, including cities Ghazi Antap, Idlib, Adnna, Amed (Diyarbakir), Hatay, Adiaman, Malatya, Afrin and other cities has made more than 14 million people, under the snow, cold and various diseases, helpless against the curse of death. Millions of people from neighboring Turkey and Syria and freedom-loving people in the Rojava region, with more than 4 million people who have already suffered 12 years of bombings and invasions of the Turkish occupying army, ISIS and various looters mobilized by the Turkish, Syrian and Iranian states, are going through the most difficult conditions at the moment. These people are facing death under invasion and oppression, while fuel and energy sources, electricity and roads have been destroyed, especially in recent months.
Self-governing forces and people’s resistance units, and Heyva Sor Kurdistan (Kurdistan Red Crescent), which is a mass independent organization, as well as freedom-loving and internationalist people, are the only forces who are helping the affected people using limited resources and facilities.
States are responsible for preventing disasters. Solutions must be applied before disasters and accidents happen. With predictions, preventions and crisis management, as well as people’s engagement and trainings, the dimensions of disasters like earthquakes can and should be prevented. It is true that earthquakes are natural phenomena, but for example having good building infrastructures can reduce the casualties of earthquakes in case they happen. Poor building infrastructure cause widespread destruction from earthquake, as it was in Turkey and Syria.
It is the duty of all people to help the mass and trusted organizations and institutions, like Heyva Sor, to overcome this disaster. Most of the aids which are delivered to the corrupt governments and their institutions do not reach those affected and who most need it.
Once again, we express our deep solidarity and sympathy and our readiness to help the earthquake victims as our internationalist duty.
International Bureau of the Communist Party of Iran
09 February 2023
