rojava syria relations

As the political bodies, these, too, have been subject to dynamic changes in the past decade. Turkeys aim is clear: to eradicate what all fascist powers fear most, a free people daring to create brave and successful experiments outside the globalised, extractive system. Within a few months, there was a functioning council system set in place based on this idea of an autonomous administration. Since then, it has trodden a careful path between satisfying both the Syrian government and the foreign aid providers to maintain a working administration. On March 17, an SDC assembly of Kurdish, Assyrian, Arab and Turkmen delegates proclaimed, the establishment of a federal system of government as the Democratic Federation of Rojava Northern Syria. Mevlt avuolu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey at the Meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers of the 13th Islamic Summit of the OIC, 12 April 2016, stanbul", "Turkish President Erdoan slams US over YPG support", "How Can Turkey Overcome Its Foreign Policy Mess? Arab Belt was a project by the Syrian Baath Regime to change the demographic balance of Northern Hasakah in favor of the Arabs.[6]. Parallel to the commune and council system, women have their own organizations and institutions. Qamishlo, in particular, proved to be a point of contention. There are also Turkmen, Caucasian (predominantly Chechen), Syriac-Assyrian, Armenian and Dom minorities. Furthermore, it hosted a major SAA base. Turkey-Syria Relations, Terrorism, Military . The two daily flights to Damascus are full of essential cargo, as are the two weekly flights to Beirut and the weekly flight to Kuwait. This one is a great and complete report! The AANES currently covers more than 50,000 km and is home to around four million inhabitants. 19. Moreover, KDP president Masoud Barzani and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan both oppose any strategic axis that opens Rojava up to the outside world and reinforces its geopolitical importance for Iran. 3. The regime tried to divide the different people from each other: Syrians, Arabs, Kurds. The confident assertiveness of young people was striking.. The Rojava courts have already tried and sentenced 7,000 ISIS suspects most of them Syrian, and some Iraqi. All of these actions strengthened the position of the PYD-led and SDF-defended Autonomous Administration as the hegemonic political-military power in northeastern Syria. From Haiti to Lebanon, from Chile to Iraq, from Cameroon to the US, from the UK to Hong Kong, social revolutions are confronting the rise of fascism, short-termism, greed, climate destruction and warfare that are required to prop up our existing economic paradigm. In December 2016, as Manbij was liberated and the battle for Raqqa stood before, the name was changed once again to the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria Rojava was officially dropped. Rojavathe Kurdish word for "west"consists of three leftist enclaves making up an area slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut, in territory dominated by ISIS. For many casual observers, the Syrian conflict has turned stale, and other global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine War currently dominate public interest. The US, the UK, France, Russia and other alleged superpowers are actively betraying both international law and the Geneva convention by allowing and facilitating the ethnic cleansing and occupation of Rojava. In January 2014, the three Kurdish-majority cantons of Cizr, Kobane and Afrin declared their autonomy from the Syrian government. (Jazira) Regions, as well as the local civil councils of Raqqa, Manbij, Tabqa, and Deir ez-Zor Regions. Note: Click on maps for high-resolution versions. The Afrin canton, on the other hand, remained under occupation by Turkish forces, though AANES institutions also exist in Shehba, southeast of Afrin, and in the majority-Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiye in Aleppo. As a project, democratic confederalism functions through these units: the communes, the neighborhood, the (sub-)districts, and the regions. Access to Damascus is essential for medical reasons as well -- Rojava hospitals are poorly equipped, and most of their medicines come from the regime zone. After the collapse of state control, a coalition of Kurdish parties, non-Kurdish groups and organizations, created a transitional alternative administration for the region, based on local councils, which were set up in most cities of northern Syria. Omar urges patience, but is cautiously optimistic: In the last ten years, democratic thought has spread a lot, but its a long struggle. A decade may not be enough to undo nearly a century of Syrian authoritarianism. By enforcing such economic dependency, the regime hoped to avoid any secessionist attempts by the Kurds -- in striking contrast to the Alawite coastal region, which Bashar's father endowed with all the infrastructure needed to establish an independent sectarian bunker if the regime ever lost power in Damascus. Territory is under threat from ISIS cells, from Turkey and from the Syrian government. Decisions are made through the cooperation of citizens and the Administration, and opinions are sought in a democratic manner. Syrian regime avoids talks with Rojava, says | Rudaw.net To solidify the anti-ISIS coalition and attract a broader alliance, in October 2015, at the behest of its US ally, the YPG/YPJ and its allies established the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a multi-ethnic coalition of militias. Turkey then announced its intention to capture Manbij and Tel Rifaat next a threat Turkey is currently repeating. This encompasses the Euphrates (the former Kobane canton, including Tel Abyad, Sarrin, and Ayn Issa), and Cizr (Jazira) Regions, as well as the local civil councils of Raqqa, Manbij, Tabqa, and Deir ez-Zor Regions. However, the Kurds as hitherto a comparatively weak minority in the country, would not be able to induce significant changes in the absence of major transformations first taking place in the broader conditions of the Syrian security state.6 Relatively unexpectedly, Syria was struck by such cross-societal anti-government protests in 2011. Co-operation in Mesopotamia on Twitter: " Spring pictures from # What the World Loses if Turkey Destroys the Syrian Kurds - The New York "While we fight for the liberation of women, we also address all other forms of oppression, albeit based on grounds of gender, ethnicity, class or religion.". In practice, this means the implementation of a decentralized, grassroots approach in the form of a council democracy that puts communes, the smallest unit in the system, at the center and allows them to act autonomously. In doing so, the cantons, consisting of their different district councils, also established their own transitional administrations. It provides an insight into how women in the region are playing a leading role in organizing all areas of life from education and economics to politics and international relations. Rojava has also been synonymous with the war against the Islamic State (ISIS), the occupation of Turkey, overcrowded refugee camps, water shortages, crop failures and widespread poverty. A precondition to the implementation of these ideas of democratic autonomy was rallying the local population, Pervin Yusif told RIC. Political structures can only achieve as much as the people populating them are willing to do (or, rather, are able to do in the face of war, embargos and widespread poverty). Tauris, pp. As RICs own State of the Occupation reports documented since the last Turkish military operation ended at the end of 2019, the situation in Afrin and the M4 Strip has been marked by hundreds of cases of human rights violations. Although the latest developments will facilitate the circulation of goods between Afrin and the rest of Rojava, any such movement is still subject to the regime's goodwill. Later, this was expanded to include the youth and sports committee, the committee of the families of the martyrs, and the arts and culture committee. However, this process does not seek to replace one power with another. Syrian state control over the region vanished in July 2012. From Zionist plots to CIA conspiracies, Turkey's favorite pastime is believing that the world is out to get it", "HDP leader says Ankara has 'neither the power nor means' to eliminate Kurdish movement", "The U.S. should accept a Syrian Kurdish region, says Turkish opposition leader", "Build Kurdistan relationship or risk losing vital Middle East partner", "Syria conflict: On the frontline in battle for IS-held Manbij", "PYD co-president Muslim to speak at UK Parliament", "Salih Muslim will hold a press statement on Turkey's arrest warrant at UK parliament", "Syria conflict: Kurds declare federal system", "Pentagon chief praises Kurdish fighters in Syria", "Ignoring Turkey, U.S. backs Kurds in drive against ISIS in Syria", "Mark C. Toner, Deputy Spokesperson. 70% of the total budget in NES goes to the regions, whereas only 30% goes directly to the higher structures of AANES. Appreciate yur haring this one. Turkey and its allies have also weaponized water against the Kurdish regions of northern Syria by cutting and restricting water supplies. The battle was the first decisive defeat of ISIS and led to its withdrawal from the region. Some have been planted on land that was once virtually destroyed by the war. The institutions there are still based on the 2014 agreement. 26. The only caveats were the major cities of Qamishlo and Heseke, in the Jazeera region (then the Heseke Governorate). As a project, democratic confederalism functions through these units: the communes, the neighborhood, the (sub-)districts, and the regions. Conflict Between Turkey and Armed Kurdish Groups So, we organized ourselves in a struggle for freedom, for our identity and to be able to speak our own language. Rojava in Syria - Rapid Transition Alliance The 'Rojava Revolution' in Syrian Kurdistan: A Model of Development for The report's fundamental conviction is clear: "Without the liberation of women, a truly free society is impossible.". Since then, a democratic, autonomous administration has attempted to create a grassroots, gender-equal and ecological society in these areas. ", "American Leftists Need to Pay More Attention to Rojava", "Statement from the Academic Delegation to Rojava", "Handicap International finds Koban a city of unexploded weapons", "DanChurchAid started removing remnants of unexploded ammunition", "US and British volunteers describe fighting with Kurds in Syria", "Syrian Kurds erect monument in memory of foreign fighters fallen in war against ISIS", "Western volunteers set up Medical Unit in the autonomous region to help Syrian Kurds in war on ISIS", "Syrian Kurdish region witnessing campaign of 'Organic Agriculture in Rojava', "The National Hospital in al-Hasaka is back to service after being sponsored by MSF", "Syrian Kurds provide safe haven for thousands of Iraqis fleeing ISIS", "US sending arms to Kurdish-led SDF in Syria, Turkey's Erdogan outraged", "US general: Syrian Democratic Forces will lead the assault on Raqqa", "Photo exhibition on Rojava in the European Parliament", "Austrian academic to Turkish govt: Rojava exhibit at EU Parliament is not PYD propaganda tool", "PYD leader to European Parliament: Turkey still supporting ISIS", "Syrian Kurds point finger at Western-backed opposition", "Russia finishes draft for new Syria constitution", "Syrian Kurdish PYD to participate in Geneva talks", "Thousands of Iraqis fleeing Mosul 'cross into Syria', "News of arrests of YPG-linked Czechs shocks Turkey", "The 8th conference of PYD held in Europe", "Kurdish militia YPG opens office in Prague", "Syrian Kurdish forces to inaugurate first representation office in Czech Republic", "Czechs release Syrian Kurdish leader, won't extradite to Turkey", "Czech's drop Salih Mslim extradition case", "Tt naista Isis vihaa kuin ruttoa - Suomenkuvalehti.fi", "Turkey lifts objections to Finland and Sweden's Nato bid", "NATO: Finland and Sweden poised to join NATO after Turkey drops objection", "Turkey observed positive approach to lifting arms embargo from Finland, Sweden -Erdogan spokesman", "Syrian Kurds open unofficial representative mission in Paris", "Hollande-PYD meeting challenges Erdogan", "France admits special forces are advising Syrian rebels", "French delegation seeks to open cultural center in Rojava", "PYD leader Salih Muslim meets French President at Elysee Palace", "Syrie: Emmanuel Macron annonce l'envoi de soldats au secours des Kurdes", "Germany warns Turkey from attacking Kurds in Syria", "Kurdish leaders @hdpdemirtas and @serokepyd are at @syriza_gr congress with @atsipras", "Syrian Kurdish PYD, Turkey's HDP leaders attend 'Ocalan conference' in Athens", "Kurdistan's Politicized Society Confronts a Sultanistic System", "YPJ Commander Nesrin Abdullah speaks in Italian Parliament", "Asya Abdulla meets senior officials in Rome", "Syrian Kurds inaugurate representation office in the Netherlands", "After Belonging. After the collapse of state control, a coalition of Kurdish parties, non-Kurdish groups and organizations, created a transitional alternative administration for the region, based on local councils, which were set up in most cities of northern Syria. These were primarily due to the territorial changes that have characterized NES since the beginning of its existence. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. The social contract stipulates a political system based on participatory democracy, gender equality and ecology. Our system is not a centralized system, it is rather based on the principle of decentralization. The existing infrastructure (water, waste collection etc.) Syrian Arab Republic implemented Arabization campaigns in different names. "Self-defense therefore includes all spheres of life, not only the military aspects. Concurrently, communes and councils did not exist in all cities or districts. It is a dynamic process of dissolving the state through the self-organization of diverse ethnocultural communities that self-organize in popular councils and communes, systematically replacing the hierarchical and patriarchal authority relations of existing states with horizontal, gender-egalitarian relations of participatory self-government. RIC is following the development of the draft and will release a more thorough explanation in time with its ratification. The group has also formed a women's academy with a range of courses on offer, including history of the Middle East, law and justice, philosophy of Abdullah Ocalan, equality in relationships and Jineology. These were primarily due to the territorial changes that have characterized NES since the beginning of its existence. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Russian troops and armored vehicles were reported to have been spotted around Afrin. [16], By 2017, Turkish deterrence against international civil society engagement in the autonomous region has been breaking down. All Rights Reserved. As a result of such efforts, in 2017, the SDF included some 30,000 Arab fighters, who made up about 60 percent of the SDF. They learnt from the experiences of the Kurdish Women's Movement in other parts of the Middle East (the report mentions Bakur in southeast Turkey, Bashur in Iraq, and Rojhilat in northern Syria) and established a network of organizations to defend themselves. There are three protection forces of women active in Rojava: the military women's self-defense forcesthe Women's Defense Units (YPJ), the women's security-forces (Asayish a Jin) and the women civil self-defense forces connected to the communes, the HPC. Relatively unexpectedly, Syria was struck by such cross-societal anti-government protests in 2011. A basic principle of our contract is to be flexible and adaptable, says Amina Omar, co-chair of the SDC. The Kurdish enclave in Syria was probably doomed from the start. Copyright 2023 KurdishPeople.Org. As a result of these developments, the structures of the AANES are highly dynamic, which has led to constant changes in council structures, especially at the higher levels. Armenians can be found in every part of Rojava although their number is small. Through this experiment, Syrian Kurds developed a new constitution, supported by diverse interests in the region and opposed only by the Kurdish nationalists. Country-data.com ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Russia's foreign minister on Friday said that the negotiating committees in northern Syria (Rojava) "do not represent all the Kurdish components," describing the . Its tasks were the distribution of food and fuel, as well as organizing education, self-defence and justice. The representation offices of northeast Syria [Rojava] and Southern Kurdistan do not have . In a bid to support the economy in Rojava, Kongreya Star also supports the building up of women's cooperatives in three fields: agriculture, animal husbandry and production and sales. [95][96], In April 2015, the municipality of Rome, capital of Italy, recognised the municipality of Kobani as a sister city. [d] [2] History Ottoman Syria (1516-1920) and prior A similar agreement was reached in the city of Heseke, which is split between Kurds and Arabs, and which also hosts a major SAA base on its outskirts. Turkey arguably poses a greater threat to self-rule than ISIS due to its considerable political influence as a political-military partner of the US and the EU. During the turmoil of the civil war, on the night of July 18th 2012, armed Syrian Kurds took control of the roads leading into and out of the city of Kobane, in northern Syria. Finally, a crowd gathered in front of the citys Syrian Arab Army (SAA) military base. Work on a new social contract, which will better reflect all regions under the AANES umbrella, is currently underway. "Historia de la Revolucin: Mucho por conseguir, mucho por hacer" - LoQueSomos, La revolucin de Rojava - Una dcada despus (Parte I) - ROJAVA AZADI, Rojavas Experiment in Radical Democracy Braces for Turkish Invasion - News, Rojavas Experiment in Radical Democracy Braces for Turkish Invasion - Faith Family America, Rojavas Experiment in Radical Democracy Braces for Turkish Invasion BestInsuranceUS, Rojavas Experiment in Radical Democracy Braces for Turkish Invasion - ReportWire, New Economy Roundup: Confronting Climate Chaos, Youth Co-op Power, Solidarity Economy 101 - New Economy Coalition. Fabrice Balanche, an associate professor and research director at the University of Lyon 2, is an adjunct fellow at The Washington Institute. Rojava - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Interview with Berivan Khaled (April 23th 2022). It also mandates, among other executive council bodies, a Body of Foreign Relations. There are quotas for female participation in the various organising bodies, and ethnic balance is also ensured for example, each municipality council must have one Kurd, one Arab and one Assyrian or Armenian Christian, and at least one of the three must be a woman. STEPS Centre (July 2018) Report from Rojava: revolution at a crossroads. The areas controlled by the democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) have grown since 2012 and now include a third of Syrian territory and nearly a fifth of its population. 21 Later, this was expanded to include the youth and sports committee, the committee of the families of the martyrs, and the arts and culture committee. 70% of the total budget in NES goes to the regions, whereas only 30% goes directly to the higher structures of AANES. The draft of the new social contract now contains 99 articles that define fundamental rights and freedoms, principles and social regulations, such as coexistence between population groups, protection of the environment, and womens rights. The three cantons also called themselves Autonomous Regions or Democratic Autonomous Administration.. Goods continued to circulate between Rojava and regime territory, with taxes levied by the Syrian army as well as various Assad-allied and rebel militias. However, as it is presented at peoples assemblies across NES, the new social contract could still be amended before it is finally ratified by the Executive Council. The Afrin canton, on the other hand, remained under occupation by Turkish forces, though AANES institutions also exist in Shehba, southeast of Afrin, and in the majority-Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiye in Aleppo. On October 9th 2019, Turkey re-launched its invasion of NES under the name of Peace Spring with the help of the Syrian National Army (SNA) and other Islamist groups. In 2003, the PYD was founded as the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, which had operated from Syria and Lebanon until 1998. Shammar tribe which has a leading role in Jazira Region is the most crowded clan in Rojava. Wladimir Wilgenburg (2013): Syrian Kurdish Militia Takes over Oil Fields. In reality, the occupation served to physically prevent the territorial connection of the Kobane and Afrin cantons. This alliance became the main ground force in the fight against ISIS. Turkey subsequently occupied Afrin with little to no international objections. DFNS controls 60% of Syrias oil & gas reserves. The invasion followed the US decision to withdraw its troops from Kurdish areas. As their forces advanced into predominantly non-Kurdish areas, YPG/YPJ commanders had anticipated the need to allay local fears that they were subjugating Arabs. Rojavas democratic organising principles made it easy for existing campaigners for the environment to join forces and work together. The Guardian (2014) Why is the world ignoring the revolutionary Kurds in Syria. Experiences vary widely, from impeccably-functioning communes, with regular meetings and a working council structure, to less active communes with unclear responsibilities, opening hours and missing structures. In some villages, semi-destroyed by the war, surrounded by green meadows and freely grazing cattle, families have decided to return and reinhabit land. Currently, in mid-2022, the contract is again being discussed and revised. In the chaos of the Syrian civil war, a small enclave of three multi-ethnic regions have managed to carve out a hopeful, democratic experiment, based partly on the ideas of the American ecological thinker Murray Bookchin. Civil Defense committees were established and tasked with ensuring the security of the Kurdish-majority regions. Of course, Kurdish wartime trade relations with western Syria were ongoing even before February's Afrin linkup. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy. The Kurdish Path to Socialism in Syria - The Washington Institute The Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Kurdish militia that dominates the SDF, would have preferred to control this link with its own troops rather than relying on the Assad regime, but recent Turkish operations blocked its westward march. We encourage readers to review the Rojavan Charter of the Social Contract for inspiration. Required fields are marked *. For Rojava to survive and for justice to truly prevail, those rising up in their local context must stand together creatively with shared voice, values and visions for global systems change. Simultaneously, the Kurdish militia which defended the city became a global symbol of resistance (the YPJs women fighters, in particular, played a prominent role during this battle). However, the conflict with the Turkish military presence has [], [] Puedes descargar el informe completo con un clic aqu [], [] Kobane University. Major products are grain in Jazira, pistachio in Euphrates Region and olive in Afrin. Before Turkeys illegal occupation, Dom minority had representatives in Afrins local council. Faced with a hopeless situation, the soldiers agreed. Domination versus cooperation, colonisation versus autonomy, oppression versus freedom, patriarchy versus partnership these values are the warp and weft of the defining struggle for the future of humanity. Iflge medlemmene gjr de det som en form for solidaritet sttte Rojava-revolusjonen som brt ut i det nordlige og stlige [], [] The action in June wasnt the first time BOAK claimed responsibility for an act of sabotage. Turkey justified this invasion in a series of letters to the United Nations, asserting its right to self-defence against a direct and imminent threat under Article 51 of the UN Charter and claiming that it will conduct this operation in support of efforts to ensure the safe and voluntary return of displaced Syrians to their homes. However, it has become clear that this was merely a pretext for implementing ongoing ethnic cleansing operations in northern Syria targeting the Kurds living there. One day after the Baath government and the SAA were forced out of Kobane, the people also took control over the government institutions in Afrin and Amude, as well as in Derik and the whole Cizr (Jazeera) Region on July 21st. To this end, the SDF began forging alliances with insurgent Sunni Arab tribes and non-Muslim groups. This has led to a lack of interest (by media as well as on the political level) in the developments in NES. REVEALING ROJAVA'S RELATIONS WITH DAMASCUS. In 2014, the three cantons of Rojava . Cant wait for part 2! In Syria, Kurdish Anti-Terrorism Courts Take On ISIS Cases : NPR Before Turkish invasion, Afrin used to export olive-products such as olive oil, soap etc. Al-Masdar By promoting radically democratic and decentralised self-governance, equity between genders, regenerative agriculture, a justice system based on reconciliation and inclusion of minorities, the Rojava experiment has presented a living example of possibility under the most impossible of circumstances. Focusing on a handful of social fields, this report will measure the developments of the revolution ten years on. Here, he was particularly influenced by the American writer and political thinker Murray Bookchin, who believed passionately in freedom and a return to true democracy at the local level. Only the Left Has the Answer, Syria: Bomb at Kurdish Wedding Kills 20 in Hasakah City, Rebels Close In on Village Crucial to ISIS Ideology, Syrian Rebels Warned to Leave Aleppo as Forces Advance, Russia 'Killed Close to 10,000' in Syria: Monitor, Democrats Pressure Biden to Cancel Student Loans After Supreme Court Ruling, Exclusive: Trump Made Shocking Comments About Ivanka, Says Ex-Staffer, We're Heading for a Social Security Apocalypse, Joe Biden is Weathering the Storm of Hunter's Scandals, Clarence Thomas Attacks Ketanji Brown Jackson Over Affirmative Action. Turkeys air force is raining down napalm and white phosphorus on innocent civilians. In March 2013, the YPG/YPJ took control of the oil fields in northeastern Syria, near Rimelan, providing it with an important source of revenue. It has shown that the way out of social and ecological crisis is not through GDP-focused development, but rather with decentralised autonomous communities. 8, No. For example, the Union of Kurdish Youth Coordination Committees took the lead in the protest movement across Kurdish cities, reaching out to youth groups in the cities of Damascus and Homs in order to unify their political demands.

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