Is West Papua a country. [129] YPG representatives have persistently reiterated that their militia has an all Syrian agenda and no agenda of hostility whatsoever towards Turkey. Then my son found work in Ras al-Ayn. Thanks! It is unclear if Turkish forces were on Syrian territory or had fired across the border. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria includes Rojava (Western Kurdistan, the territory in the borders of the modern nation-state of Syria) and the Arabic populated areas on the east of the Euphrates. All in all, the story of Rojava is far from over. The Rojava Revolution A Decade On (Part I) It was the first time TEV-DEM officials met with the ADO. [94] The Mesopotamia National Council announced their support for TEV-DEM's requirement for parties to apply to licenses to operate in Rojava. As the YPG, with newfound military support of the US, scored a number of military successes against the Islamic State, the PYD continued to formalise its political regime. [92], On 3 February 2017, amidst clashes between the KDP-S-affiliated Peshmerga group and the Sinjar Resistance Units in Sinjar, a KNC office was burned in Qamishli and another attacked in Dirbsiy. It hasnt happened. The Bloodbath in Syria: Class War or Ethnic War? Since the revolution, efforts have been made to transition the economy to one of self-sufficiency based on worker and producer cooperatives. Image: protest in Manbij against SDF conscription. [48], There has been, however, numerous instances of discrimination toward Assyrians, including policies of seizing the property of Assyrians who had to flee due to conflict, and numerous instances of attacks against the Assyrian minority. [15] The demonstrations were concurrent with rallies conducted across the country by the Arab opposition, though Kurdish parties did not use the same slogans as the Arabs, and also did not the same slogans amongst their own parties. It allows the traditional social collectivism of the Kurdish people to be channelled positively to build a new, alternative economy. Additionally, strong emphasis is being placed on businesses that can bring about self-sufficiency to the region. [1] Kurds also demonstrated in several other towns, but not across the entire Kurdish region. [18][19], In 2011, the Arab Spring spread to Syria. Under such an agreement, defending the north of the country would be the SDFs responsibility.. This will give you priority mailings of Aurora and other free pamphlets as they are produced. At least 30 and as many as 100 Kurds were killed by the government before the protests were quelled. Web5. [74], As of the beginning of August 2016, YPG fighters controlled two-thirds of the northeastern city of al-Hasakah, while pro-government militias controlled the remainder. A Kurdish Supreme Committee, founded a few days earlier thanks to an uneasy agreement between the left-wing Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the centre-right Kurdish National Council (KNC), filled the power vacuum. Activate your online access, The silhouette of a hand indicates a Victory sign behind a Kurdish flag in Kobane, Syria, in February 2015. [24], The National Movement of Kurdish Parties in Syria, a coalition of Syria's 12 Kurdish parties, boycotted a Syrian opposition summit in Antalya, Turkey on 31 May 2011, stating that "any such meeting held in Turkey can only be a detriment to the Kurds in Syria, because Turkey is against the aspirations of the Kurds". The YPG fought various Islamist militias and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) over control of the territory, while internal tensions between the PYD and the KNC continued to rise. [23] By the summer, protests had only intensified, as did violent crackdowns by the Syrian government. They see their model of grassroots democracy as one that can be implemented throughout Syria in the future. Protests grew over the months of March and April 2011. [36], On 1 August 2012, state security forces on the periphery of the country were pulled into the intensifying battle taking place in Aleppo. Initially, Russia gave Afrin to Turkey in exchange for Homs, Ghouta, and a small part of Idlib for the Syrian regime. In response, the Human Rights Watch called on both sides to "immediately" release all "arbitrarily held political detainees". So, for the few of us that aren't, it may be useful to assemble some resources that explain (at least Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [68] Classes on economic independence and social empowerment programs are also held at women's houses. In 2014 the invader was ISIS. The blockade was the third time in two years that hostilities had broken out between the PYD/YPG and locals from Kahf al-Assad. The Kurdish groups and their allies' goal was also to capture Kurdish areas from the Arab Islamist rebels and strengthen the autonomy of the region of Rojava.[98]. Following demonstrations in the town demanding their release and an intervention by the KNC, the four men were released by the end of the day. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) began to coalesce and armed insurrection spread, largely across central and southern Syria. Vote 0 0 comments Best Add a Comment More posts you may like r/Anarchism Rojava: the Revolution Now | Engage! Euphrates Volcano/Syrian Democratic Forces (since 12 September 2014).[7]. The political system worked well. It established its own military force, largely based on the YPG, and its own police force, the Asayish. Nor has the US. Polat Cans verdict was starker: The Turks are killing Kurds with European weapons. Did they cut a deal with Assad, or is he invading as well? Where and how that may come about cannot be predicted but the economic situation in Rojava is tied to that of its neighbours and the world economy at large. The Kurdish democratic revolution in Rojava captured international attention in the wake of the heroic defense of Kobane from ISIS. reality of the Rojava Revolution Nari Mattini, a longtime opponent of the SDC, has now joined them. Such unrest is bound to drive a wedge between the AANES administration and the masses even further. The recent Turkish invasion brought together Kurdish groups that used to oppose PYD dominance. West Papua. Would the Syrian government accept a change that would end decades of centralism and the quest for a single Arab national identity? Security forces fired into the crowd, killing six Kurds, including three children. [82] The same day, armed clashes broke out between YPG fighters and members of the newly formed Jiwan Qatna Battalion of Yekt in ad-Darbasiyah. After declaring autonomy, grassroots organizers, politicians and other community members have radically changed the social and political make-up of the area. [59], A strong political ideology, namely the Democratic Autonomy concept of Abdullah calan, has had a major impact on female empowerment. Purchasing any of the publications listed (see catalogue) can be done in two ways: The CWO also offers subscriptions to Revolutionary Perspectives (3 issues) and Aurora (at least 4 issues): Take out a supporters sub by adding 10 (12) to each sum. (5) For the sake of comparison, according to PwC(6), 18% of New Zealands GDP is generated by cooperatives, and 30% of its population are members of a cooperative, yet no one would claim New Zealand to be a beacon of anti-capitalism. For the first time, a Kurdish curriculum has been introduced to the public school system. United Kingdom - Communist Workers Organisation, Germany - Gruppe Internationalistischer KommunistInnen, 1912: Intransigent Revolutionary Fraction of the PSI, 1918: Abstentionist Communist Fraction of the PSI, 1922-52: Stalin is General Secretary of PCUS, 1937: International Bureau of Fractions of the Communist Left, 1953: Workers uprising in East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, 1977-81: International Conferences Convoked by PCInt, 2011: Tsunami and Nuclear Disaster in Japan, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License, By emailing us at uk@leftcom.org, us@leftcom.org or ca@leftcom.org and asking for our banking details, By donating the cost of the publications required via Paypal using the Donate buttons. In 2004, riots broke out against the government in the northeastern city of Qamishli. Many activists camped out on site. Territory once controlled by the Syrian government in both Qamishli and al-Hasakah has been taken over by YPG forces. Protesters went on to burn down the Ba'ath Party's local office. Demonstrators from the KNC demanded an end to fighting in Ras al-Ayn and the withdrawal of armed groups from the town, while PYD demonstrators stressed solidarity with their YPG units and the Kurdish Supreme Council. Yet, a system of this kind already exists in Rojava, the autonomous self-administrative region of North Syria. [100] In November 2016 a state-run media organization of Turkey, Anadolu Agency, stated that the educational institutions of Rojava had "prejudice against Islam". That unity will depend on how relations between the PYD and the PDK develop; currently the PYD will not allow any other military force on the ground in Rojava. The Syrian army has small military posts every six miles; according to people we spoke to, its role is mainly to discourage further Turkish expansion. Yekt organised a funeral procession in the town of Afrin in the Kurdish-held northwest corner of Aleppo Province on 1 February, which members of both the PYD and KNC attended. In every town and village under YPG control, a women's house is established. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. [84], On 31 January, Kamal Mustafa Hanan, editor-in-chief of Newroz (a Kurdish-language journal) and a former Yekt politician, was fatally shot in the Ashrafiyah district of Aleppo. Although internal and external factions naturally attempt to take advantage of such unrest, it stems from real socio-economic and ethnic tensions at the heart of the Rojava project which cannot be ignored.(8). Trumps Erratic Syria Policy Deserves No Anti-Imperialists Cheers Cracks are reportedly beginning to emerge within the SDF/PYD itself, with a faction around Mazloum Abdi wanting to continue to seek safety in the arms of Washington and another faction around Aldar Khalil looking towards Damascus, an option allegedly preferred by the PKK as well. [75] Another possible factor behind the fighting may have been the recent thaw in TurkishRussian relations that began in July 2016; Russia, a key ally of the Syrian government, had previously been supporting Syrian Kurdish forces as a means to apply pressure to Turkey. In their place, a Constitution of Rojava guaranteeing the cultural, religious and political freedom of all people has been established. Rojava: The Myths and the Reality | Leftcom The Kurdish National Alliance in Syria, part of the SDC also welcomed the proposal of unity. (11) Cf. WebYPG/Kurds in Rojava. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), also known as Rojava, is a de facto autonomous region in northeastern Syria. Culture and music centers have formed, hosting dance classes, music lessons and choir practice. There are about 3,000 members and affiliates in the U.S., the FBI estimates. To illustrate, the authority of Rojava has come up with an initiative to install a 40% quote representation of women in every organization and institution. [135] The Syrian Observatory reported on 27 August 2016, about exchange of gunfire between YPG and the Turkish forces in the countryside north of Hasakah. And since the region is home to Kurds, Arabs, Yazidis, Assyrians, Armenians, Circassians, Turkmen, Chaldeans and Chechens, ethno-religious conflicts remain an issue. Probably the least likely, but most deserving country on our list. What are the actual pros and cons of Rojavas This multi-ethnic, feminist, We asked Abdi about future relations between Rojava and Damascus, and he said the priority was a political agreement: We want political autonomy to be written into the Syrian constitution and the SDF to be part of the defense of the whole of Syria. As of 2017, there is a truce between Rojava and the Syrian government. [72], The right to religious expression is also safeguarded in the constitution. We have no so-called professional revolutionaries, nor paid officials. Repression of the Kurds and other ethnic minorities has gone on since the creation of the French Mandate of Syria after the SykesPicot Agreement. Possibly for this reason, the AANES administration has remained relatively quiet on the war in Ukraine (which has split the world along the NATO-Russia divide), to keep its options open. They have fought against Indonesia for many years, but unlike Timor-Leste have failed to actually achieve independence. The Turkish state, with the help of the FSA rebranded as the Syrian National Army now occupies more than 8,000 square kilometres of Northern Syria, including the city of Afrin. We will not let the Kurds lose their rights, and we will not destroy the relations weve established with the Arabs and the Syriac Christians. He suggested everything else was negotiable, including the autonomous entitys name and how its borders would be controlled. We set off from Qamishli for Kobane, which was where Kurdish forces first seriously defeated ISIS in January 2015. Our understanding of Rojava as a political community, and the function of ideology and education within it, is Rojava is today ruled by a Syrian Democratic Council with its own Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in which respectively the PYD and YPG play leading roles. [58] Influenced by the ideology of Abdullah calan, women have taken up their arms and have been fighting for a liberated Kurdistan. These services include counseling, family mediation, legal support, and coordinating safe houses for women and children. The US, for its part, is wary of a potential realignment in the region between Turkey, the Assad regime and Russia, which backs it. [60] A nation should be based on this kind of democracy, as well as ecology and womens freedom. The KNC said the pro-PYD youth group the Ciwanen Soresger was perpetrating the attacks. What has all of this meant for the revolution today? Days later, however, protests again took place, this time in response to the police beating of a shopkeeper. However, the EU, the US, and others cooperate with the PYD and the YPG militia in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and do not designate either a terrorist organisation. Serge Halimi and Pierre Rimbert Does [76], By 22 August, Syrian government troops, Hezbollah fighters, and members of the Iranian paramilitary Basij militia had become involved in the fighting against Kurdish forces in al-Hasakah. Polat Can explained, The Arab clans in Deir al-Zor told us, Dont bring the regime back here. [38] In Qamishli, government military and police forces remained in their barracks and administration officials in the city allowed the Kurdish flag to be raised.[39]. Since the war broke out there have been multiple legal changes regarding womens rights. For example, the committee in Tal Abyad has Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and Armenians. Most of them come from Rojava, mainly from the areas called Sari Kani and Qamishli. The role that the PYD played in this initial phase is however controversial, and linked with the process by which the group came to power in the first place. WebRojava is a Libertarian Socialist society, not a true anarchist society. [65] In the Social Contract of the Autonomous Regions of Kobane, Jazira and Afrin, formulated in 2014, it is stated that women and men have the same rights. [115] Turkey recognizes the PYD and the YPG militia as identical to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK),[116][117][118][119] which is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union, the United States and others. Rojava Local and regional elections were held in 2017, to be followed by federal parliamentary elections which, at the time of writing, have still not taken place. Erdoan wants to change the ethnic makeup of the territory his army controls, according to Abdel Karim Omar, foreign minister in the Federations autonomous government. The Syrian government (officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic) never officially acknowledged the existence of the Kurds[15] and in 1962, 120,000 Syrian Kurds were stripped of their citizenship, leaving them stateless. In Ain Issa, midway between Raqqa and Kobane, a Russian patrol suddenly emerged from a military base: Russia has replaced the United States here. In these circumstances, the development of a political organisation which defends the independence of working class action faces many obstacles, but the class struggle in Rojava does not sleep. Remember PYD organisers had planned for 100,000 people to participate, but such support did not materialise. The YPG also took control over the towns of Ra's al-'Ayn (Kurdish: Ser Kaniy) and Al-Darbasiyah (Kurdish: Dirbsiy), after the security and political units withdrew from these areas, following an ultimatum issued by the Kurds. Mireille CourtMireille Court is a member of National Solidarity Coordination Kurdistan (CNSK). Abdi told us that, for now, Moscow is working on a solution between the Kurds and the Syrian regime. But he and other prominent Kurds know Russia and Turkey made a bargain over Rojava that benefited the Syrian government. While hundreds of small cooperatives exist, they play a relatively marginal role in the economic life of the region. Raqqa, the ISIS capital from 2014 to 2017, is now SDF-controlled. [58], Within the Kurdish forces, and especially regarding its leadership positions, there is an unprecedentedly high prevalence of female fighters. Still, never say never and they could well get it one day. The agricultural nature of its economy has also allowed the persistence of patriarchal tribal and religious codes. The Autonomous Administration recognizes Democratic Confederalism and the thought of Abdullah calan as its political Youre Kurds and we dont like you, but at least youre Sunniswe can work with you. The Syrian regime used to brainwash the Arab population against the Kurds by telling them were Zionists, atheists, capitalists. How Turkey Can Become an Honest Mediator in the Middle East, Again", "PKK/PYD indoctrinating schoolchildren in N.Syria", "US defense chief admits links among PYD, YPG, PKK - AMERICAS", "Pentagon chief Carter confirms link between YPG/PYD and PKK terrorist organization", "US defense chief admits PYD, YPG, PKK link", "Stenographic Transcript Before the COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES UNITED STATES SENATE HEARING TO RECEIVE TESTIMONY ON COUNTER-ISIL (ISLAMIC STATE OF IRAQ AND THE LEVANT) OPERATIONS AND MIDDLE EAST STRATEGY", "Meet America's newest allies: Syria's Kurdish minority", "A look at battle for Raqqa from a Kurdish perspective", "PYD/YPG terrorists call on Westerners to join group, attack Turkey", "The Tin-Foil Hats Are Out in Turkey. When Erdoan invaded the north, he counted on an Arab uprising against the Kurds. [35], On 24 July, the PYD announced that Syrian security forces had withdrawn from the small Kurdish city of 16,000 of Al-Ma'bada (Kurdish: Girk Leg), between Al-Malikiyah and the Turkish borders. The Rojava economy is a blend of private companies, the autonomous administration and worker cooperatives. [55], Rojava is famous for its attempt at overcoming gender inequality and improving womens rights. In Rojava, Asayish (Internal Security Forces) and HPC (Civil Defense Forces) forces work together in a symbiotic relationship to provide safety and security to the community. (2) However, after 10 years of existence, there is now enough information out there to test the claims of the believers against reality and answer the question of what kind of society actually exists in Rojava. Last week we received 1.200 or 1.300 people every day. While conflict between the YPG and the Syrian government has not been as active as fighting against Islamist forces, there have been several conflicts between the two forces. And as we have seen already, despite all its claims to a progressive political agenda, the PYD is willing to go to great lengths in order to stay in power. Towards the end of 2013 the PYD, under the umbrella of the Movement for a Democratic Society (TEV-DEM) political coalition, declared a new democratic self-administration project to replace the Kurdish Supreme Committee. This, as well as the extreme hostility towards religious minorities in Islamist controlled areas, has led to a large migration of religious minorities to Rojava.[73]. Related Article There is no brighter tomorrow in the absence of the emergence of a real working class alternative, which would unite proletarians of all ethnicities above and beyond arbitrary border lines. Ideologies that include an active fight for gender equality lead to the equal inclusion of women in military positions. The Kurds feel bitterness and anger over how the enclave between Tell Abyad and Ras al-Ayn was abandoned to the Turks. [136], In March 2017, U.S. There are four major forces involved in the Rojava revolution. On 4 January, approximately 10,000 people were participating in the rallies, which also included smaller numbers of supporters of other Kurdish parties,[79] such as the KNC, which staged a rally in the Munir Habib neighbourhood. [54] Committees are representative of the ethnic diversity in their respective area. At a main checkpoint held by the federations security forces, we were redirected to avoid the M4 east-west highway, as it was too dangerous: Turkish military drones overfly it and pro-Turkish militias, based just 400 yards from the road, make regular incursions. [56] In the Rojava Revolution, womens participation has achieved a lot of media attention in recent years. She is also the author of the forthcoming book "The Kurdish Women's Movement: History, Theory, Practice" (PlutoPress). In theory, TEV-DEM is supposed to be a check on the higher organs of the AANES administration, but TEV-DEM itself consists of a coalition of parties among which the largest is the PYD itself. [124] U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said there were links between the PYD, the YPG, and the PKK. Above them stand the councils these are not working class organs but branches of local government in which political parties, unions, professions and tribal leaders are all represented. VIDEO: People in Denmark Are a Lot Happier Than People in the United States. Although there were plans to establish a central bank in Rojava, for now the Syrian Central Bank still operates in the area. It was cold and wet in Kobane, and reconstruction work in the town was on hold because of fears of another invasion. Elections were held, popular assemblies established and the Constitution of Rojava was approved. Rojava conflict - Wikipedia It's still miles better than the rest of the Rojava is today ruled by a Syrian Democratic Council with its own Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in which respectively the PYD and YPG play leading roles. Between Us, We Cover the World Theoretical background and justification for research. The Turks have put a price on the head of SDF military commander Mazloum Kobane Abdi, who said of the Syrian army, Its largely a politically symbolic presence. He added that there is no other Syrian military presence in SDF-controlled zones. The many oil tankers on the road made the air almost unbreathable. On 18 August, Syrian government aircraft bombed YPG positions in Hasakah, including three YPG checkpoints and three YPG bases. Armed Yekt members returned fire, injuring one PYD member. It consists of self-governing sub-regions in the areas of Afrin, Jazira, Euphrates, Raqqa, Tabqa, Manbij, and Deir Ez-Zor. [64], Aside from the military victories, Rojava is the witness of a legal revolution. The KNC led by the KDP-S, in response, demanded the release its political prisoners detained in Rojava. [65][68] This has the consequence that in every layer of government, from a local organization to the parliament, women must be assigned as vice presidents or co-presidents. The ultimate vision is a federal democratic system that one day will encompass all of Syria. WebRojava: An Island of Peace in Shark Infested Waters By: Farris Al-Banaa Im a second year MAIA student concentrating in security studies. Rojavathe Kurdish word for westconsists of three leftist enclaves making up an area slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut, in territory dominated by [34] The next day it was reported that Kurdish forces were still fighting for Al-Malikiyah, where one young Kurdish activist was killed after government security forces opened fire on protesters. Let us be clear from the outset: Rojava is not a product of a revolution, but simply of one special armed body stepping in for another special armed body. [21] On 12 March, major protests took place in Qamishli and Al-Hasakah to both protest the Assad government and commemorate Kurdish Martyrs Day.[22]. (Photo by Antonio Pampliega / picture-alliance / dpa / AP Images), The Supreme Court Just Told Student Debtors to Go to Hell, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, and Their Nazi Fanboys, Pakistans Crackdown Is Unprecedented, Says Imran Khan, Jamaal Bowman Knows Exactly How to Win the Next Fight Over Affirmative Action. The autonomous government runs public services and funds infrastructure projects through oil revenue and taxes on goods crossing the Iraqi border in both directions. 17 of them were later released but 6 were still imprisoned. Turkey, which has had a presence in northwest Syria since it invaded the Afrin region in January 2018, has split the territorial integrity of this Kurdish region, Rojava (west in Kurdish) or the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria, politically autonomous since 2013. To subscribe to LMD, go to mondediplo.com/subscribe. An example of such a political organization was the Kurdish Workers Party, the PKK. These are demands we wont compromise on. By 2014 a number of cantons declared their autonomy under a new constitution drafted by the PYD, and the KNC was effectively pushed out of the picture. Quick Answer: Java may be over two decades old, but its far from extinct. [91], On 16 January 2017, more than 270 Syrian Kurdish activists signed an appeal calling for unity talks between the main Syrian Kurdish parties. Not just another effort to [46] Civil councils exist to promote social and political rights in the community. Does Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend said "I have seen absolutely zero evidence that they have been a threat to, or have supported any attacks on, Turkey from Northern Syria over the last two years." [30] The cities fell without any major clashes, as Syrian security forces withdrew without any significant resistance.