Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative

The Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative (ICSSI) is dedicated to bringing together Iraqi and international civil societies through concrete actions to build together another Iraq, with peace and Human Rights for all.

We Can No Longer Be Kept Silent, Hear Us Now!

The Turkish forces, and over a decade ago, has been launching their numerous terrorist attacks across the Iraqi borders in various places and targets in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The set of successive Iraqi governments have not yet responded throughout all those years to put an actual end to those condemned assaults. The statements of vain denouncing took the scene and there was no actual, serene, sever, nor at least firm measurements or stand points relative to the level of the crime to prevent the Turkish disregard of Iraq’s sovereignty in the terrorist, obscene military operation conducted against our country and our people.


Over 48 hours passed since the Turkish assault occurred on a summer resort located in Zakho in which 40 innocent people fell as victims and martyrs. In return, the Iraqi response came as weak and lacking full responsibility. It included summoning Turkish ambassador at once and filling and charging an official complain against the Turkish Government prepared by the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign affairs to the International Security Council. These few measurements are not satisfactory especially because the bombardments were not recent but rather repetitive. The Iraqi Government must proceed with further serious, concrete actions in tackling this file. However, we do hope that the nature of these steps are more in depth by not only using retweets, filling complains and summoning on social media platforms as if their role is limited to denouncing via tweets!


The insisted, suspicious silence of the rest Iraqi authorities over the continuation of crimes effecting our peoples is unacceptable nor justifiable by all means. It can only be interpreted as non-announced pro-collusion of the conspiring political parties in charge; in order to maintain and preserve the ethnical, sectarian political system. The political body that clearly proved its failure and inability of protecting/ defending Iraqis’ internally and externally. This weakness goes in favor of serving the foreign neighboring countries and their malicious agendas to interfere with and effect the Iraqi situation!

Forty – eight hours are more than sufficient to Implement a portion of strict measurements and sanctions on behalf of Iraq to: Punish Turkey’s recklessness in shedding more Iraqi Blood, to force Turkey to commit and respect treaties, charters and principles of good- neighborliness. But we are still waiting for the Iraqi
Government to put an end to its silence and listen to the echoing voices of angry people who took the streets. Whereas the collective mobilization stands as useless without lobbying the Iraqi Government to act right, accordingly. Especially for that Iraq has a good accumulation and points of strength: in the side of tourism and investment on various levels; which enables Iraq to make multiple justified decisions in favor of its sovereignty and best interests!


Being satisfied with investigations and termination of diplomatic relations or holding it as well as closing Turkish visa application centers is not fair towards the victims and their heartbroken families. The Government must follow the best tools to expose the Turkish terrorism on a nation- wide, regional and international levels. Also, to oblige Turkey to compensate the casualties and their families and to secure their moral and financial rights. In addition: to acknowledge and admit the responsibility of the Turkish military in committing the crime of bombarding Iraqi grounds and civilians; by following-up the official complain against Turkey in the Security Council and lobbying to initiate an international stand against the Turkish government. Those are the only reasonable tools and solutions to force near and neighboring countries to stop their abuse, in separation of the justifications used by Turkey to deny their unprecedented attacks.


In the midst of our anger, we do not let go nor forget the criminal activities being practiced directly against us. We indicate to what neighboring countries are doing especially Turkey and Iran of denying Iraq’s its water rights putting our lives and our Iraqi marshes at risk of extinction in addition to killing our fellow Iraqi citizens; we can no longer be kept silent, hear us now!

The National Committee of Iraqi Social Forum

22nd of July, 2022