Barcelona Council approved emergency aid fund for Rojava

The Plenary of Barcelona City Council, in line with its commitment to support the civilian population who is the victim of bloody armed conflicts, has approved to allocate 400,000 euros for emergency humanitarian projects that are being developed in Kurdish territories, as well as Syria in general, Libya and Yemen. These countries and territories have in common that they suffer wars where there are indications of use of Spanish or European arms, bases or military training, and that they are geographically close countries.

With the declaration, the City Council shows its support for the Kurdish people and their democratic, multicultural, multilingual and multireligious social and political model, and also asks the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate Turkey for war crimes, for suspicions of the use of chemical weapons, summary executions and attacks against civilians.

The institutional declaration also demands the Spanish government to make all possible diplomatic pressure, within the framework of the European Union, the United Nations and bilaterally so that the Turkish government stops its aggression and respects the rights of the Kurdish people. Among the pressures are the imposition of sanctions as provided in international law. Barcelona Council also asks the Spanish government to immediately suspend the new military export licenses of materials susceptible to being used in the Turkish operation in Syrian territory.

The Directorate of International Justice and International Cooperation of the City Council will allocate a maximum of 100,000 euros to each of the four territories object of the call (Syria, Kurdish territories, Yemen and Libya), for projects with a maximum duration of 12 months to begin as soon as possible.

Barcelona Council had already financed between 2017 and 2018 the reconstruction of a public park in the city of Kobane, themed to remember the siege and the defense of the city against Daesh .