Establishment
Since 1978, the Kurdistan Worker’s Party has sought ways to provide financial support, logistical support, a ways to transfer funds to the Kurdistan region easily, and to influence the public opinion for the Kurdish cause. At the PKK’s third congress in 1986, the decision was made to establish several non-profit, humanitarian organizations in Europe to reach these goals. The Association for Assistance and Solidarity with Martyrs and Imprisoned Families (HEV-KOM) was among these organizations, created in Bochum, Germany, to provide the group with funding. Long strings of ‘cultural organizations, and committees were founded in the early 90’s. Cadre members of these organizations were tasked with taxing Kurdish civilians throughout Europe to fund the armed struggle Abdullah Ocalan’s PKK had started in Turkey.
When the PKK was included on the European list of terror organizations, and many of these organizations were closed, the Kurdish Red moon or Heyva Sor was founded on 15 march 1993 in Dusseldorf, Germany. HEV-KOM still continues its activities in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Recognition
Legally, the establishment, recognition and representation of associations such as the Red Crescent and Red Cross are regulated by the Geneva Convention and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), under which only independent countries are permitted to establish such organizations. Member countries are only able to found one Red Cross or Red Crescent association each.
Heyva Sor applied to the ICRC to be recognized in 1997. However, the ICRC left the application unanswered because the association was not known internationally and did not belong to an independent state. In 2010, the Supervisory and Service Directorate of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany ruled that the Kurdish Red Crescent could not use the Red Crescent or the Red Cross symbols because only one state-authorized aid society in each state is permitted to use that logo and therefore the organization cannot collect donations in Rheinland Pfalz.
In a 2007 lawsuit filed against the so-called aid agency in Germany, the Kurdish Red Crescent was determined to be a subsidiary of the banned terrorist organization PKK in Germany.
Activities
‘Heyva Sor a Kurd’ was founded on 12 December 2012 by a group of doctors and healthcare professionals operating under the ‘Heyva Sor a Kurdistane’ foundation in Amuda, Syria. In northeastern Syria, the Kurdish Red Crescent currently has branches in Kobanî, Al-Darbasiyah, Tel Tamer, Al-Hasakah, Qamishli, Amuda, Al-Qahtaniyah, Al-Malikiyah, Al-Muabbada, Sheikh Maqsood, as well as the Al-Hawl, Newroz and Roj refugee camps. There were also branches in Afrin and Ras al-Ayn before the capture of these towns by Turkey and the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army.
It sends money to the wounded members of the organization and the families of the killed and prisoners and provides financing to the separatist organization. It also has several ambulances that accompany the SDF fighters in battle and provide medical support. It is supported by advertisements/announcements in social media and affiliated press organizations, thus trying to gain a legal appearance.
The Kurdish Red Crescent has six main projects for its activities in northeastern Syria: “The Children’s Project”, “The Sibling Family Project”, “The Health Project”, “The Emergency Aid Project”, “The Prisoner Solidarity Project”, and “The Project for Cooperation with Like-Minded Aid Organisations”.
It gets most of its money from fundraising campaigns targeting Kurdish people and foreign sympathants. In 2019, the Kurdish Red Crescent received a €۲۵۰,۰۰۰ donation from the German political party Die PARTEI.
European branches
This organization has different names in other countries, and is called the Kurdish Red Moon in the U.K and Japan, Koerdische Rode Halve Maan in Belgium, Holland and Switzerland, Crossant Rouge Kurde in France, Stotteforeningen Mesopotamiens Sol in Denmark, Roja Sor a Kurdistan in Austria, Kurdiska Rode Halvmanen in Sweden and Mezza Luna Rossa in Italy.
