(en) Rojava report: Communal Economy Grows In Rojava Despite
War
Rojava is quickly becoming a center of trade and production despite the shortages and
sufferings caused by the ongoing war, according to an article from ANHA carried by Özgür
Gündem. ---- Economic development is occurring along the lines set forth by the leadership
of the Kurdish Freedom Movement, and current economic growth is being led by newly found
communes, committees, unions and civil organizing as part of the democratic economy model.
---- In the Efrîn canton alone, where hardly a workshop existed under the Baath regime, a
new 84 thousand square meter industrial park close to the Esefiyê neighborhood is now home
to at least 800 workplaces providing for the livelihood of 5 thousand families. ---- This
growth has been made possible in part to the work of the YPG and YPJ forces in the canton
which have kept Efrîn a place of peace and security despite the civil war engulfing the
rest of the country. Despite having a pre-war population of only around 200 thousand there
are currently over 1 million residing in the canton. The new industrial park is helping to
employ thousands of people.
All work in the industrial park is organized by committees, unions and civil society
organizations attached to the communes.
Despite this success many locals still complain about the expense of vehicle batteries,
agricultural equipment and certain machine and plastic products. Supply shortages due to
the war are largely to blame for the rising costs.
Selah Misto, one of the administrators of the industrial union, explained that procedures
have been developed into order to ensure work proceeds in an orderly fashion and that all
work was organized by committees attached to the production communes. He added that
communes have already been formed to produce such goods as iron products, batteries, and
automotive parts. Coordination between communes has helped to overcome problems with
production and the newly founded committees work to provide expertise and oversight.
At the same time these communes have become a place for the organization of social life,
Misto explained, describing how recently a football tournament had been organized among
the workers.
He added that the economy was developing as part and parcel of the project of Democratic
Autonomous Administration and that a another project was currently under to way to find a
location for 150 new work-spaces.
https://rojavareport.wordpress.com/2015/07/31/communal-economy-grows-in-rojava-despite-war
