Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

While much of today's debate is dominated by Brexit, the reality is that other issues are not getting the attention they should. The European Council list states that it may address specific foreign policy issues, but these are serious foreign policy issues which must be addressed. Last Thursday, Deputy Gino Kenny and I raised the issue relating to the Kurdish people with the Tánaiste. I stated then that President Trump's rationale that the US should not help the Kurds because the Kurds had not helped the Americans at Normandy or during the Second World War left me speechless. He later claimed that because the Kurds are fighting for their own land, it has nothing to do with the US. He is completely oblivious to the fact that the Kurds were America's allies in the fight against ISIS. The President of the United States has abandoned the Kurds in order to satisfy some of his supporters and he recently brought in sanctions against Turkey to satisfy others. In the middle of this is the horrendous suffering of those who already suffered due to the war in Syria, ISIS atrocities and displacement. Do those who should know better, and from whom we expect better, ever think through a decision before they actually make it?

Do they, not just the US President, Donald Trump, but others, ever think to examine the consequences of that? There is no question that the US President has opened the gates to an ethnic cleansing of the Kurds, the US’s ally for five years. It was the Kurdish Peshmerga forces which defended parts of Iraq against ISIS when those areas were abandoned by the Iraqi army.

The history of the Kurdish people is one of abandonment over many years with the result that they do not have a state of their own and are scattered in several countries. They are treated horrifically in most of those countries, especially in Turkey, where their rights to their language, culture, land and jobs are eroded. The motives of the Turkish President, Tayyip Erdoğan, are highly suspect. His popularity and his ego took a bruising in the recent mayoral contest in Istanbul. Turkey and the United States are trading partners. The EU is reliant on Turkey in terms of refugees which has been a lucrative business for it. Turkey is now looking for more money in this regard.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade was one of the first to condemn Turkey’s aggression, recognising how it undermines stability in the region, as well as the prospects for a lasting and just peace in Syria. Just as it appeared that rebuilding Syrian society could advance, there is an escalation in the conflict. Again, there is no limit to the indifference of certain political leaders to the suffering of ordinary people.

The Tánaiste referred to the threat of a resurgence of ISIS. We have already seen some of its members escaping from camps. When some Members were in Syria last year, it was made clear to us that we have no idea of what could be coming towards us in terms of ISIS, what it represents and what it could do to areas it takes over.

The Tánaiste was also clear that the ethnic Kurdish population in north-east Syria should be protected and that international humanitarian law is paramount. How can that be when we see political power is totally indifferent to humanitarian law and completely disregards it? Ireland is supporting the work of the UN special envoy who has called for Turkey to cease military operations. We have called on all to engage with the UN led peace process. Those are fine words. However, this is in the face of an increasing authoritarianism and repression in Turkey with a president who does not care about democracy. There was his reaction in 2016 to an attempted coup with tens of thousands of people jailed, many of whom were teachers, from the media and from the judiciary. Any opportunity is taken to put down protests or criticism.

What has happened in north-east Syria did not happen overnight. The EU had to have known something but it must have looked the other way, perhaps because of the refugee crisis. It is ironic that Turkey is the country trusted to look after refugees from the Syrian war. Mr. Demirtaş, the leader of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic party, was third in the last Turkish presidential election despite being in jail. Any sign of independent thinking leads to sanctions and jail. The EU must be a much stronger voice on this. This is a test for the effectiveness of the EU in upholding its principles.

The so-called safe zone is 32 km into Syrian territory and along the Turkish border. Even if sanctions work, the Turkish President, Tayyip Erdoğan, already has an area of Syria that is twice the size of Gaza. Trying to lodge 2 million Syrian, Sunni and Arab refugees from Turkey into this pseudo-safe zone is problematic. President Donald Trump’s almost overnight decision has created havoc and has given Turkey the space to do what it had obviously planned to do for quite some time. That type of military operation does not happen overnight. There had to have been communications and discussions between Turkey and the US. Now we have an alliance between Syria and the SDF, Syrian Democratic Forces, supported by Russia, also suggesting the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, had prior knowledge. In the middle of all that, we have thousands of jihadis and many senior figures of ISIS fleeing. Where are they going?

I am afraid to mention Brexit because no sooner has one reacted to one aspect of it, another appears. Deputy Crowe hosted a meeting in the Leinster House audiovisual room last week with members of some of the Border communities to discuss the implications for them. It is good to meet ordinary people, rather than the political groupings, who are just talking about the reality in their lives. Apart from their concerns about agriculture, fisheries, business, education or freedom of movement, they were also concerned about a space opening up in which paramilitaries could take advantage. We know there are positive signs. While they may be positive for the EU and British negotiators, there is still a long way to go before the British Parliament will agree to a deal. Regardless of what kind of deal is achieved – be it no deal, a soft deal or a hard deal - it is only after that lead-in period that we will see the real consequences, intended or otherwise.

On the recent sentences handed out to Catalan leaders, officialdom will say this is an internal matter and refer to the independence of the Spanish courts, the legal system, etc. Spain is a member of the EU, however. The sentences were extremely excessive. There had been no violence on the part of the 12 Catalan political and civil society figures in question. They were not planning to assassinate the Spanish King or overthrow Spain’s central government. This was about a referendum on self-determination for Catalonia. The extent of the sentences - 13 years, 12 years, 11 and a half years, ten and a half years and nine years with fines for three others - is excessive. This was about freedom of speech, peaceful protest, rights which we take for granted here, as is the right to self-determination. I can only conclude that the sentences were acts of vengeance rather than justice. Spain has endorsed international treaties which grant territories the right to self-determination. It has chosen a penal route, however, for those wanting Catalan independence.

How does jailing these Catalan leaders resolve the issue? The Spanish criminal code does not say that holding a referendum is a crime. However, that is how the courts interpreted it. The sentences are disproportionate. They will deepen tensions and make a bad situation worse. We have seen reports on television and heard on radio about the increasing violence there which had not occurred before. What has happened to discussion, dialogue and reasoned debate to find a resolution to an issue? Calm heads and common sense are needed now. The EU must step up to its role in this regard.

There seems to be a majority in Catalonia who want independence. There are also plenty of people in the region who do not want independence. All that any of the pro-independence Catalan people I have met want is a referendum. They are clear that they will accept the result of such a referendum, even if it is against independence for Catalonia. Again, there has to be a peaceful way to do this. It was a sad day for democracy when those prison sentences were announced. If the EU cannot condemn what is happening, at least it should show some concern.

This summit will set priorities. We cannot forget about the sustainable development goals. These are a major issue and the clock is running down on them. The EU budget is going to be a significant issue. We know how much groups in the North depend on EU funding, whether it is INTERREG or Erasmus, and the work that funding has enabled those programmes to do. On enlargement, I just came from meeting with a delegation from Montenegro. They very much want to be part of the EU and its respect for values. On the other hand, these values are being allowed to be completely undermined. These are difficult days. However, the big issue is to stop the violence and suffering that has been caused by Turkey and the United States.

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