PYD attacks demonstrations in Qamishli

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Armed members of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) broke up a demonstration organized by the Kurdish National Council in the city of Qamishli in al-Hasakah’s countryside on Friday. 

Demonstrators were demanding the release of several Kurdish political prisoners. 

Omar Kawajir, the editor in chief of Kawardistan newspaper, explained to Zaman al-Wasl that five of the people have severe wounds as the PYD members beat them as they broke up the demonstration, and they arresting three people. 

Kawajor said, “The Kurdish National Council had called for the demonstration at the end of last month, but it was postponed due to some understandings that were reached following Bernard Kouchner, the former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, visit to the city of Qamishli and his calling for calm including the postponing of the demonstration and the release of the Kurdish prisoners.”

Kawjor said the Kurdish Council announced the new date for the demonstration as 02/12/2016, because the Democratic Union Party did not keep their promise, but members of the PYD called the “revolutionary youth,” held a counter demonstration in front of the Kurdish National Council. 

He pointed out that the “revolutionary youth, are youths between 14-16, they attacked the demonstrators, and they hit everyone including women and children, they attacked the Kurdistan flag and they tried to insult it, while the Asayisha (Kurdish security), fired live bullets above the heads of the demonstrators, protecting and supporting the attackers. 

The Kurdish Yekiti Party announced on its electronic site, “Supporters of the Democratic Union Party separated a peaceful demonstration called for by the Kurdish National Council before the eastern office of the Kurdish Democratic Party- Syria, demanding the release of political detainees.”

The Yekiti Party announcement added that the supporters of the Democratic Union Party chanted slogans calling the Kurdish National Council, the leaders of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the KRG president Masouad Barzani traitors. They then attacked the eastern office of the Yekiti Party destroying the office and intimidating those inside it according to the Kurdish Yekiti Media website. 

Armed members of the PYD launched an extensive arrest campaign in the past two weeks. They arrested several Kurdish politicians form the area of Amuda in the northern countryside of al-Hasakah. On 15 August, they arrested Mohammad Ismail, the office secretary for the Kurdish Democratic Party-Syria, and Nashat Thatha a political office member, and two central committee members, Abdul Karim Haji and Nafa Abdullah.