(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL - Two weeks Rojava (fr, pt)

[machine translation]

Syrian Kurdistan Democratic Revolution ---- An anarchist Kurdish Britain, Zaher Baher, 
traveled to Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) in May 2014. He drew a long and rare example, some 
rather uncritical passages suggest caution. It shows the impression of not social 
revolution, but at least democratic, which is already a giant police after forty years of 
dictatorship. We publish two excerpts. ---- A chart to visualize the Kurdish movement in 
its lines of force. ---- The Arab Spring has shaken Syria in early 2011 and, after some 
time, has spread in the Kurdish regions of Ciz?r? of Koban? and Efr?n. [...] ---- During 
this time, was - with the support of PKK and PYD - the Movement for Democratic Society 
(Tev-Dem), which quickly gained a strong popular base. After the departure of the army and 
the Syrian administration, the situation became chaotic and Tev-Dem has been obliged to 
implement its program [...].

The program of Tev-Dem was very unifying and cover all social issues. Many people from 
different backgrounds - Kurdish, Arab, Muslim, Christian, Yezidi and Assyrian - got 
involved. His first job was to set foot on a range of groups, committees and 
municipalities, streets, neighborhoods, villages, townships, small and large cities. Their 
role was to take care of all social issues: women's issues, economics, environment, 
education, health, self-help centers for bereaved families, trade and business , relations 
with foreign countries. [...] Generally, these groups meet weekly to review progress on 
the social situation. They have their own representative in the village council or the 
city, called "people's house." [...]

Syrian Kurdistan, people were ready and knew what they wanted. That the revolution had to 
be done from the bottom up, not the reverse. That it must be a cultural and educational 
social revolution, as well as political. It was to be against the state power and 
authority. The last word in decision making should return to base. These are the four 
principles of Tev-Dem. [...]

After lengthy discussions and hard work, the Tev-Dem led to the conclusion that it was 
necessary to establish self-government (DSA) in each canton Rojava.
In mid-January 2014, the People's Assembly of Ciz?r? elected its own DSA to implement the 
decisions of the houses of the people, and take over part of the local administrative 
tasks [...]. DSA is composed of 22 men and women each have two deputies. [...] People from 
all backgrounds, nationalities and faiths can participate. [...]

The first page of the Social Contract states that "self-governing territories of democracy 
do not accept the concepts of nation-state, army national or state religion, and 
centralized management of the central government, but are open to compatible with 
pluralistic democratic traditions forms, open to all social and cultural identities all 
groups, the Athenian democracy and the expression of nationalities across their 
organizations. "The Social Contract has many items some of which are extremely important 
[...]:
- The separation of state and religion; - The prohibition of marriage below the age of 18; 
- The protection of the rights of women and children; - The prohibition of female 
circumcision; - The prohibition of polygamy; - The revolution must be the basis of society 
and be sustainable; - Freedom, equality, fairness and non-discrimination; - Equality 
between men and women; - The recognition of all the major languages: Arabic, Kurdish and 
Syriac are official languages in Ciz?r?; - The guarantee of a decent life for inmates, to 
make prison a place of rehabilitation; - Recognition of the right of asylum: no refugee 
should be forced to leave.

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Of what is said Zaher Baher, the political organization of Rojava based on a dialectic 
between democratic self-administration (DSA), a sort of cantonal government and the 
"People's Houses" local, themselves composed of " Commons "crisscrossing the country.

The municipalities are the most active houses of people cells. It's everywhere, who meet 
once a week to discuss current affairs. [...]
Below, the definition of the town, taken from the Tev-Dem manifesto, translated from 
Arabic: "The municipalities are the smallest and most active cells. In practice, they are 
a company taking into account the freedom of women, ecology, and where direct democracy is 
established.

Municipalities working to develop and promote commissions. Without expecting anything from 
the state, they themselves seek solutions to social, political, educational, safety and 
self-defense. Municipalities establish their own power by building organisms such as 
agricultural communes in the villages, but also common, cooperatives and associations in 
the neighborhoods. "We need to form common in the streets, towns and cities, with the 
participation of all and all the inhabitants. Public meet weekly, and make their decisions 
openly, with their members over 16 years. "

We went to a meeting of a joint based in the district of Cornish, in Qamislo. There were 
16-17 people, mostly young women. We were able to discuss in depth their activities and 
their tasks. They told us that there were ten in the district, each consisting of 16 
persons. "We are acting a bit like social workers, they tell us, with all that entails: 
meet people, attend weekly meetings, unravel the problems, to ensure security and public 
tranquility, collect garbage, protect the environment and attend the big meeting to 
debrief what happened during the week."

They confirmed to me that nobody, not even the political parties not to interfere in the 
decisions taken collectively, and cited some examples: "We wanted to use a large plot in a 
residential area, to create a small park . We have requested financial assistance for 
mayor. She was only 100 dollars to give us. We took the money, and collected $ 100 more 
with the locals. "They took us to the park by explaining:" Many people have volunteered to 
complete the job without spending more money. "[...]

When, in turn, they wanted to know if there are similar structures in London, I told them 
that there was certainly more groups, but unfortunately none resembling them - united, 
progressive and committed. In short, I had to confess that they were far more advanced 
than us. Surprise, disappointment and even frustration from them how their area could she 
be at a more advanced a country that has experienced the industrial revolution there 
centuries stadium!

Translation: Alain KMS

Related Link: http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Dossier-Kurdistan-Infographie-la