Conflict resolution

Gunter: ‘Post-state entities reshaping Middle East map’

The urgency of the present situation facing the people of Kobane and the longer term implications of the transformation of the Middle East were issues addressed at the public meeting in the House of Lords on 12 January which was jointly organised by Peace in Kurdistan Campaign and Kurdistan National Congress (KNK).

Titled The Collapsed State Systems in Syria & Iraq and the Rise of ISIS & the Kurds, the meeting discussed the Kurdish role in the fight against ISIS and the alternative model offered by the establishment of the self-administration in Rojava.

As host, Lord Hylton stated the Kurds still need all the friends that they can get and this was especially the case in respect of the unrecognised entity of Rojava where urgently needed supplies were only getting through with great difficulty. Continue reading “Gunter: ‘Post-state entities reshaping Middle East map’” →

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Public meeting: The Collapsed State Systems in Syria & Iraq and the Rise of ISIS & the Kurds

PUBLIC MEETING

Peace in Kurdistan Campaign and Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) invite you to

The Collapsed State Systems in Syria & Iraq and the Rise of ISIS & the Kurds

Monday 12 January, 6 – 7.30pm

Venue: Committee Room 3, House of Lords, Westminster, SW1A 0AA

With Professor Michael M. Gunter and guest speakers; hosted by Lord Hylton.

The immediate origins of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) lie in the opportunity spaces provided by two bitter civil wars that challenged the existing state system and borders created by the Sykes-Picot Agreement of World War I: (1) The bloody Sunni-Shia civil war in Iraq that followed the U.S. overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, and (2) the even more horrific civil war that has been raging in Syria since 2011. ISIS has gained its strength from a wide range of political, sociological, economic, and military factors, among others, and Turkey has played a very controversial role in this complex situation.

Continue reading “Public meeting: The Collapsed State Systems in Syria & Iraq and the Rise of ISIS & the Kurds” →

Conflict resolution

“A revolution in daily life”

A delegation to Rojava formed of academics and activists recently returned from the region and the delegates have begun to put their thoughts about the new democratic autonomous administration to paper. Last week, Roarmag published Janet Biehl’s impressions of Rojava, and here, Becky discusses how power is being dispersed among the people in Cizire Canton:

Starting from the moment of coercion: Cizire Canton, Rojava

A revolution in daily life

Across the domains of government in the canton of Cizire, people are working, mostly on a voluntary basis, to make ambitious transformations to society. Doctors want to build a modern free healthcare system but also, they told us, to collect and disseminate suppressed local knowledge about healing and to change the conditions of life in general. They aim, they said, to build a way of life free of the separations – between people and between people and nature – that drive physical and mental illness. Academics want to orient education to ongoing social problems. Continue reading ““A revolution in daily life”” →

Conflict resolution, Kurdish community

Thank you for taking part in the Global Rally for Kobanê, 1 November, 2014

GLOBAL RALLY AGAINST ISIS for Kobane for Humanity 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dontIQzNR4]
The Global Rally was a tremendous success and exceeded expectations – it was huge example of global solidarity which saw hundreds of thousands of people all over the world taking to the streets to participate in demonstrations in support of the Kurds and Kobanê. It represented a clear and unambiguous call for a worldwide recognition of the “democratic autonomy project” in Rojava which promises a free and democratic future for all the peoples of Syria. Continue reading “Thank you for taking part in the Global Rally for Kobanê, 1 November, 2014” →

Conflict resolution, Kurdish community

Rallies set take place across the world in the biggest show of international solidarity for Kobane yet

 

PRESS RELEASE

31 October 2014

Thousands are expected to gather in London’s Trafalgar Square this Saturday following a global call for action by signed hundreds of internationally renowned academics, writers, lawyers politicians and activists.[1] The final list of signatories is attached.

The rally, which will take place from 2pm until 5pm, has been organised in solidarity with the defence of Kobane, a city in the democratic autonomous region of Western Kurdistan in Syria (Rojava) which has been the scene of a fierce battle with ISIS militants in recent weeks. Continue reading “Rallies set take place across the world in the biggest show of international solidarity for Kobane yet” →

Conflict resolution

PYD: Kobani will remain a symbol for the defense of human values

PYD STATEMENT

1.11.14


Kobani, the small city on the Syria-Turkey border, forms a part of the civilization of Mesopotamia and is inspired by the long-standing human values that came into existence in Mesopotamia.

During the Syrian people’s revolution, Kobani was the first area in the West of Kurdistan (Rojava) that was liberated from control of the Baath regime. Practically, that was the first step toward establishing the democratic system in Rojava. This system has the potential to offer a model for a future democratic, pluralistic and decentralised Syria. Kobani became a safe haven for Syrian IDPs who fled their homes during the bloody civilian war. As a result, Kobani has become a target of the enemies of democracy, freedom and the values of humanity. Continue reading “PYD: Kobani will remain a symbol for the defense of human values” →

Uncategorized

New KNK joint committee issues appeal on Kobane

The appeal below has been issued by the newly established Joint Diplomatic Committee consisting of several Kurdish political parties and organsiations:

An Urgent Appeal to the International Community

Protecting the Kurdish people and preventing the forced displacement of our nation in our land can only be achieved through a mutual stance on this matter.

Following a series of brutal ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Levant) attacks on Kurdistan, on 10/08/2014 the Foreign Relations Commission of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) sent an urgent request to the foreign offices of all the Kurdish parties across the diaspora to initiate joint lobbying and diplomatic relations. Continue reading “New KNK joint committee issues appeal on Kobane” →

Conflict resolution

The Battle for Kobani is a Historic Struggle between the Past and the Future



David Morgan, Peace in Kurdistan Campaign, 7 October 2014

President Erdogan of Turkey has said “For us the PKK is the same as Isis. It is wrong to consider them in different ways.” What a clear admission of cynical collaboration with what President Obama, David Cameron, President Hollande and others, have all described as the greatest threat to the world – namely ISIS.

Turkey’s conduct during the current crisis in Kobani is further proof of Ankara’s cooperation with ISIS to advance its own political aims – to defeat the Kurds.

Continue reading “The Battle for Kobani is a Historic Struggle between the Past and the Future” →

Conflict resolution

HDP: Solidarity call for Kobane

The HDP has released the statement below today calling for solidarity with the people of Kobane, who are still under siege from ISIS and their backers. The statement has been reproduced below.

SOLIDARITY CALL FOR KOBANÊ

 

Kobanê lies 160 km north of Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city, on the border with Turkey. Also, it is the capital of Kobanê Canton, the smallest of the three cantons established in Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan or Western Kurdistan).

Continue reading “HDP: Solidarity call for Kobane” →

Conflict resolution

DTK delegation reports from visit to Rojava and Kurdistan

Selma Irmak and several other DTK delegates visited towns and cities across the effected regions of South Kurdistan and Rojava in August following the massacre of Yezidi Kurds in Sinjar by ISIS mercenaries. They produced the following report, which is also available for download.

 

DTK DELEGATION

REPORT ON SHENGAL, MAXMUR AND ROJAVA

August 2014

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

SELMA IRMAK (Spokesperson of the Delegation)
GÜLSER YILDIRIM
FAYSAL SARIYILDIZ
AYLA AKAT ATA
MÜLKİYE BİRTANE
İBRAHİM AYHAN
EROL DORA
FIRAT ANLI
GÜLTAN KIŞANAK
FELEKNAS UCA
FEBRUNİYE AKYOL
SABRİ ÖZDEMİR
EMRULLAH CİN
MUSTAFA UYGUNER
SAMİ AKYOL
REPORTERS

ÖZGÜR AMED & VEDAT YILDIZ

 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The smallest part of Kurdistan, known to Kurds as Rojava, has gifted “Rojava Revolution” from Kobanê to all over the world on 19th July 2012. The fate of nearly three million Kurds who have been occupied by the Syrian regime has emerged as an upheaval against nation-state in which very important developments and overwhelming events were experienced, and its status quo cringed everywhere and this upheaval has become a revolution.

Continue reading “DTK delegation reports from visit to Rojava and Kurdistan” →