Conversation (in Kurdish, with English subtitles) with Nourshan Husain of Civil Diplomacy Centre, North & East Syria, on the Kurdish freedom movement, the feminist science and philosophy of Jineoloji, radical democracy, and other aspects of their revolutionary practice and worldviews. With Ashish Kothari and Shrishtee Bajpai during the first physical Assembly of the Global Tapestry of Alternatives, at Bantu Mountain Lodge, Kenya, 8-13 August 2023.
My name is Nourshan Hussein. I work as a spokesperson at Civil Diplomacy Center in North East Syria. In general, we can say that the Kurdistan Liberation Movement has been running a societal revolution for fifty years and continues its struggle. We are in Rojava western part of Kurdistan (Rojava) which is located in the north and east of Syria. For 12 years we have been living in a mental revolution, a comprehensive societal revolution. Since 2014, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has been declared. I work with the goal of building democratic relationships and agreements between civil society organizations in Rojava – North and East Syria and the world. Our work at the Civil Diplomacy Center began nearly four years ago. We are based on the idea of strengthening relationships between communities, not relations between states. We also know that the region of North East Syria is not recognized internationally yet, but we get the support of communities across the world and movements fighting for freedom and democracy, socialist and leftist movements. All internationalists in the world support us, so we want to strengthen relations with them.
- For instance, each commune takes its own decissions. How does the decission making happen over a larger schale?
In the system of North and East Syria/Rojava Kurdistan thousands of communes were built. The commune is an essential part of the structure of the Autonomous Administration. It is the smallest cell of the management structure. The system of direct democracy is applied from the bottom up. The structure starts from the commune, then the neighborhood councils, and then the town councils, then the city councils, until it reaches the cantons councils and then the regions. There are 3 autonomous administration regions and 4 civil administration regions. In total, we will have seven regions in North and East Syria. Decision making in the commune is done through participatory democracy. The concept of participatory democracy is very important: radical democracy that allows everyone to have the right to decide without distinguishing between ethnicities, religions and beliefs or nationalities, or languages. We have no concept of minorities – all individuals with their identity, culture and color participate in the decisions of the commune. It is true that communes were built on a large space in the region but we still make efforts by training in order to apply the theory correctly. The struggle in this field continues. We cannot say everything is perfect. Committees were built within each commune. Training committees, women’s committees, communal economy committees health committees and many more to meet the daily needs of the people. This is being applied on the ground in Rojava/NES.
- In Rojava you have the kurdish population but you also have other etnicities. How do you work together?
We know that the regions of North and East Syria not only Kurdish population Kurds make up the majority in the city of Qamishlo or the Jazeera region, Kobani, Afrin. But the areas liberated by the Syrian Democratic Forces from ISIS areas such as Deir Ezzor, Menbij, Tabqa, and Raqqa. These regions have many nationalities such as Arabs, Syriacs, Turkmen, Chechens, etc… Many nationalities live together. The strategy or paradigm that we work with as I mentioned, rights are not distributed on the basis of minorities because each nationality has rights to the same extent as other nationalities Everyone lives together. The co-chair system is implemented in the communes, councils, and administration of the cantons. There is a quota of components in the co-chair system as well. For example, a Kurdish man with an Arab woman run the council equally, or a Syriac woman and a Turkmen man run the commune and so on. Therefore, those problems that the state has created between us, problems created by the centralized state regime which was based on one party and one nationality, they were eliminated in the regions of Rojava/North and East Syria. In its place a pluralistic, multicultural, decentralized system was built.
- How are you doing this in the middle of the Turkish invasion and what are your challenges.
In fact, there are many difficulties because until now, the threats of the Turkish state continue. The threats of the global capitalist system continue. Every day, the Turkish state carries out attacks using drones and tactics of psychological warfare, and send intelligence in our regions. This war is still going on and we face it daily. There are also occupied areas in northwest Syria such as Afrin, Sarikany, Gire Spi and other areas with an Arab majority. These areas must be liberated. Until now, the Syrian regime has been silent in the face of the Turkish occupation because it is still protecting its agenda of central control in Syria When it comes to the Kurds, the regime does not take a clear position towards the Turkish occupation. Therefore, we can say that we are facing very big challenges We need a continuous struggle to liberate these areas. Every day human rights are violated by the Turkish occupation forces. Civilians are being killed. Suicides have increased in those areas. People’s property is being looted and stolen. More importantly, the demographics of those regions are changing in order to settle extremist factions, terrorist groups and mercenaries in the Syrian border areas with Turkey. This is very dangerous. So we struggle to liberate these areas.
- How can the internationalist communities support the movement
We can say in general that international movements in the world have many concepts in common with us. Our struggle is based on freedom and democracy ecological awareness, women’s freedom, protecting cultural diversity in society. Therefore, it is very important for us to be recognized in the world. This is progressing quickly. I believe that the Rojava Revolution has spread throughout the world, especially when ISIS was defeated in their alleged capital, Raqqa. But so far we are somewhat invisible in the south of the world. This is important, because indigenous peoples are struggling against centralized regimes. They must support each other.
The support that comes from states is tactical. Relations with states are tactical. Relations with communities are strategic. Therefore, it is very important that… our movement in Rojava to be seen among the internationalist movements. They will see that we have a lot in common to work together and achieve change in the dominant regimes which inflicts violence on societies.
- Thanks Nourshan. The kurdish movement is one of the most inspiring in the world, so we’ll keep learning from you
Thank you all, thaks for GTA, the Global Tapestry of Alternatives. It was a great opportunity for us to participate in such a gathering. We get to know each other and continue our common struggle.
Women… Life… Freedom!
Long live the Rojava resistance!
Long live the Kurdistan resistance!
