by Civil Diplomacy Center in North East Syria
We publish the statement written by the Civil Diplomacy Center of North and East Syria, part of the Permanent Assembly against the War. They call for international solidarity after the shelling by the Turkish government against civilians in North-East Syria worsened since November 20th. The attacks are not simply a local event: they are the consequences of the further legitimation of Erdogan’s authoritarian regime due to the situation opened up by the invasion of Ukraine. For both Russia and Western governments, Kurdish fighters and refugees are pawns that can be sacrificed, so much as Ukrainian civilians and Russian soldiers having to die at the front and all those who will pay the price of the world war we are living in. As the comrades state: there is the need for a global movement against war. In times of war, how can people support each other? How can we oppose the legitimisation of nationalism and the power politics of states? We need to find answers together. Join the Permanent Assembly, join the construction of a powerful no to war, for a transnational politics of peace, let’s break the silence together!
Since the 20th of November Turkey is continuously attacking the region of North East Syria. Turkey is bombing the whole North East Syria with warplanes, drones and shelling. Turkey is especially targeting civilians and civil infrastructure like schools, hospitals, cooperatives, gas and oil fields, power stations, grain silos and so on. As well as targeting the guards of the Camp in Hole, a camp where more as 53.000 women and children of ISIS members live. Eight of the guards were killed and some ISIS members managed to escape. Turkey attacked a place close to the prison where ISIS members are detained as well. All these attacks appear with the consent of the NATO and Russia.
It is clear for everyone that the bombing which took place in Istanbul, is being used as a pretext for attacking North and East Syria. It becomes more and more clear that this attack was carried out by ISIS or another selafist group, but despite this the conspiracy against the people in North East Syria and the silence of the international community continues. It is also clear that the states in power made a decision against the power of the people, not accepting people when they organize themselves and rather having terrorist groups like Taliban, El-Nusra or ISIS in power. The scenario for Afghanistan is now being put in practice here as well as is in the Ukraine.
The attacks on North East Syria face a threat for the whole world. In North East Syria a real democracy, based on ecology, real democracy and freedom of women has been built up. Instead of building up a state the people living here of all religions and ethnicities started to organize their society by themselves in all spheres of societies. Communes and councils have been established as the foundation of this democracy. People of all ethnicities and religions, including Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, Yezidians live in peace together and women play an important role. A quotasystem and co leadership has been established to guarantee that men and women are equally represented.
The ruling powers see people organizing their own society as a threat. That’s the reason why Afrin in 2018 and Serekaniye and Gire Spi in 2019 was invaded. With the invasion a demographic change took place. The Kurds were displaced and most of them until now live as refugees while jihadist moved into their houses. It seems like Turkey, with consent of the international community has the same concept for the whole of North East Syria: displace the local people and replace them with jihadists groups.
We can see that all over the world fascism is growing and we see that it is not enough to fight these threats only locally. There is a need for a global movement against war or at least the need for global solidarity. So, in these times questions emerge, how can peoples support each other? How for example can the people in other places support this struggle? And how can we support you in other places? How can we strengthen in making this struggle more united? Especially in times like these, which are quite dangerous and could destroy a democracy, could destroy a people. North East Syria has become a hope, an inspiration for all people striving towards democracy and peace. Destroying the project of autonomous administration in North East Syria will have implications for the whole world. Fascism, including the fascism of ISIS or El Nusra is always global, facing a real threat for all people who want to live in democracy, peace and plurality. When the democracy in North East Syria will be destroyed, fascism all over the world will grow.
It is important to find answers to these questions together, because the situation we are confronted with is global. At the one side you have the fascist forces and at the other side, the people who just want to be able to live together in peace, plurality and democracy. It is important that all people striving for democracy and peace, all civil society recognizes this threat as its own and start building bridges and at least not become a part of this global war.
We call all civil society to show solidarity with the peoples of North and East Syria through the following actions:
– Protest against this war, discuss, take sides, write articles, write declarations, and turn into a unified voice against the logic of war towards peace.
– Take actions that will put pressure on governments that are silently watching this invasion.
– Work together to establish a common front against aggression, fascism and war.
– Carrying out rapid and emergency support campaigns, such as campaigns to collect signatures to demand the prevention of air attacks on North and East Syria.
Break the Silence!
Stop the Turkish War in North East Syria!
