Kurdish Farmers Suffer in Drought

The Kurdish Coordination Committee, a coalition of four opposition groups based in Qamishli in northeastern Syria, has called on the government to provide aid for the al-Jazeera area following months of drought that has damaged crops in northern and eastern Syria.



In a statement issued on June 11, the Kurdish activist group said al-Jazeera largely depends on cereal and livestock farming, and both have been affected by the drought. Some people are living in tents, while others have left the area to go to the capital Damascus.



The committee accused the government of neglecting people in this largely Kurdish area and adopting policies which restrict their opportunities.



The group urged the government to supply farmers in al-Jazeera with free assistance such as fertilisers and livestock fodder, cancel taxes and encourage private investment. It also called on international organisations to provide aid.