Rojava Kurdistan, Murray Bookchin and regional Kurdish politics

[Brainaddict]

Well this is interesting. The PKK have for years produced political writings referencing Murray Bookchin. Now there appears to be a split in Kurdish leadership in Syria, after they took advantage of the chaos to establish Rojava (Western) Kurdistan within Syrian borders. They declared autonomy in 2012 apparently - completely passed me by:
http://springtimeofnations.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/syrias-kurds-are-setting-up-quasi.html

Barzani (KDP), head of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq helped broker a deal between competing leaders in Syria, but now there is a breakaway group, seemingly under the influence of the PKK. http://springtimeofnations.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/kurds-join-hands-with-turkmens.html

But by late in 2013, one part of that coalition, the Democratic Union Party (Partiya Yekîtiya Demokrat, or P.Y.D.), which is more or less a local chapter of Turkey’s armed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan, or P.K.K.), broke away and declared a new Rojava under its authority.

PKK leader Ocalan is supporting this Rojava Kurdistan (I'm unclear whether this name is now used for two different areas) but interestingly the opposition in Iraqi Kurdistan is also supporting them.

the leadership of the opposition political party in Iraqi Kurdistan, the Movement for Change (Bzutinewey‌ Gorran), are supporting Rojava. Gorran is angling for the vice-presidency in the Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (K.R.G.).

But here comes something really interesting - I stumbled across a website supporting Rojava Kurdistan.

The Kurdistan Regional Government - specifically the KDP - is a hindrance to the development of the democratic, ecological and gender liberationist paradigm in all parts of Kurdistan and a wider democratic national unity. This is why the planned national congress is yet to materialise and is also why the KDP is antagonistic towards the Rojava Revolution to the extent of digging trenches along its border with Rojava.

The KDP, as an offset of the global state system and that of capitalist modernity, with its nationalist and statist character is in pursuit of complete sovereignty and hegemony. Along with the support it gets from regional and global hegemonic powers, the KDP is hoping to establish its sovereignty in Kurdistan by blocking any strides towards a Kurdish democratic nation.

http://www.kurdishquestion.com/insight-research/dossiers/kurdish-democracy-by-duran-kalkan.html

So it seems the PKK is still pursuing vaguely Bookchinite bottom-up democratic, anti-state politics, at least in some areas:

KCK - The Union of Communities in Kurdistan - is the name given to this social system. The name of the system - and the preparation of its theoretical framework - was set forth by the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan from within his prison cell in Imrali Island, Turkey; although both Ocalan and the PKK are never too slow in acknowledging Murray Bookchin's invaluable and indispensable contributions. The KCK is the state/hierarchy/exploitation-free Democratic Confederalist umbrella organisation of free Kurdistan.

The concept of money is internally redundant within the KCK system implemented in the mountains of Kurdistan. The economic needs of the inhabitants of the KCK system are internally supplied through a communal management of resources. Although money is utilised in economic dealings with external systems, internally the concept of money is inconceivable. No person or community within the KCK system feels the need to build a surplus of goods or resources.

This is why Rojava Kurdistan is not only fighting to protect its societal system from the attacks of extremist gangs, but also from the attacks of the representatives of the global capitalist system, namely the KDP, the Turkish government, the Assad regime and the deafening silence of the West!

http://www.kurdishquestion.com/insi...al-ecology-in-the-mountains-of-kurdistan.html

Interesting stuff on their feminism too in that link btw.

Course, it's difficult to know whether stuff like this is put out by a few idealists, with the leaders not really committed to it. But I hadn't realised this Bookchinite political discourse had been bubbling along all these years in the PKK. And I hadn't realised a group with this politics was currently operating in Kurdish Syria.

In the face of vicious attacks and extensive embargoes, the people carrying out the Rojava Revolution are counteracting these efforts by forming communes and cooperatives.

http://www.kurdishquestion.com/kurdistan/west-kurdistan/communalism-in-rojava.html

Anyone know more about this?

 

[Brainaddict]

More info: http://rojavareport.wordpress.com/2014/01/21/rojave-celebrates-after-declaration-of-autonomy/

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/25266-rojava-revolution-building-autonomy-in-the-middle-east

 

[butchersapron]

Here and follow the refs in article.

 

[Brainaddict]

Good link - I was always suspicous of the PKK's flirtation with Bookchin, as it seemed to be instrumental to the assertion of their nationalist militarised hierarchy. But it's interesting to think that the PYD in Syria might have more autonomy and could actually take the ideas more seriously. Very difficult to tell propaganda from fact at this point though. Anyone up for a fact-finding trip?

 

[J Ed]

Really interesting thread, learnt a lot from the links here! BTW there was an interesting Crossing Continents about the implementation of this dual mayor system.

Bookchin seems interesting, what do people here think of him and his ideas?

 

[butchersapron]

The experiment of West Kurdistan (Syrian Kurdistan) has proved that people can make changes

What you read below is the experience of my visit, for a couple of weeks in May this year, 2014, to North East of Syria or Syrian Kurdistan (West of Kurdistan) with a close friend of mine. Throughout the visit we had the total freedom and opportunity to see and speak to whoever we wanted to. This includes women, men, youth, and the political parties. There are over 20 parties from Kurdish to Christian, of which some are in the Democratic Self Administration (DSA) or Democratic Self Management (DSM) of the region of Al Jazera. Al Jazera is one of three regions, (cantons) of West Kurdistan. We also met the Kurdish and Christian political parties who are not in the DSA or DSM. In addition, we met the top people from the Democratic Self Administration (DSM), members of the different committees, local groups and communes as well as businesspeople, shopkeepers, workers, people in the market and people who were just walking in the street.

On the bookchin question, he was greatbut allowed himself to be rather liberalised by his disgust at the lifestyle anarchists. His work from the 70s onwards always reward the effort spent reading it, regardless of disagreements - some of the best most robust defences of a human-centred approach against a wall of post-modern and misanthropic anti-humanism and mystic bullshit.

 

[redsquirrel]

Really interesting thread, learnt a lot from the links here! BTW there was an interesting Crossing Continents about the implementation of this dual mayor system.

Bookchin seems interesting, what do people here think of him and his ideas?

I'm nowhere near as knowledgable about his stuff as other will be but his Re-Enchanting Humanity is excellent, totally recommended.

 

[butchersapron]

Some related sort of stuff about the female Peoples Protection Units in Rojava . Interesting part of the story. (Backs up what Mama Kurda said about ISIS fighters being drugged up as well).

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

I totally recommend reading 'anarchism, Marxism, and the future of the left' by Bookchin it sets out his beliefs and how they've evolved in increasing divergence from the far left strands he grew up and developed in.

I would have to add, I think his later views have been largely proved correct as far as the community is concerned, and it's only in the industrial sphere he is lacking.

It's been a while since I read it though

 

[gawkrodger]

couple of relevant C4 articles with apparently a short TV report tomorrow

http://www.channel4.com/news/pkk-kurdish-workers-party-islamic-state-syria-iraq-uk

http://www.channel4.com/news/pkk-kurdistan-workers-party-islamic-state-kurdish-spring

 

[gawkrodger]

and the TV report

http://www.channel4.com/news/pkk-kurdish-workers-party-islamic-state-syria-iraq-uk

 

[Brainaddict]

I noted Channel 4 was reluctant to talk about the divide between Iraqi and Syrian Kurds/PKK. I don't think it's anything sinister - just that journos are taught to believe people can only absorb one idea per story, so they simplify to a ridiculous extent.

They also didn't talk about the actual politics of the Syrian Kurdish movement. But that's normal for the mainstream news - they are truly incapable of talking about substantive political ideas.

 

[butchersapron]

He posts here btw. And the idea that he's not clued up about the political/regional differences nah, don't buy it. He may tainted by Vice but he's not stupid.

 

[Brainaddict]

Oh I didn't think it was a lack of knowledge. As I said, I know that journos are usually forced to present a single, simple narrative idea in stories like this, to the point that nuance is actively discouraged. It's a shame - for one thing it just presents the Syrian Kurdish fighters as committed to 'communism', which for most of the UK is shorthand for Stalinism.

 

[Coolfonz]

The experiment of West Kurdistan (Syrian Kurdistan) has proved that people can make changes



On the bookchin question, he was greatbut allowed himself to be rather liberalised by his disgust at the lifestyle anarchists. His work from the 70s onwards always reward the effort spent reading it, regardless of disagreements - some of the best most robust defences of a human-centred approach against a wall of post-modern and misanthropic anti-humanism and mystic bullshit.

I agree, apart from the lifestyle anarchists thing, on which he was completely fucking right.

 

[gawkrodger]

Unfortunately ISIS have made some considerable gains in the area today

http://kurdishquestion.com/kurdista...-canton-launches-mobilisation-for-kobane.html

 

[butchersapron]

Solid piece from the ICC from last year. Well worth the read for a larger/politcally harder background.

 

[Brainaddict]

Claims that some anarchist have headed to Kobane to help out in the fight against ISIS: https://tahriricn.wordpress.com/201...rchists-join-struggle-against-isis-in-kobane/

 

[butchersapron]

Thee boss has said set turkey ablaze (and he was right to).

How does this fit?

 

[phildwyer]

Thee boss has said set turkey ablaze (and he was right to).

Wishing war on faraway nations from the safety of your armchair.

 

[butchersapron]

Here is The Constitution of the Rojava Cantons

We, the people of the Democratic Autonomous Regions of Afrin, Jazira and Kobane, a confederation of Kurds, Arabs, Syrics, Arameans, Turkmen, Armenians and Chechens, freely and solemnly declare and establish this Charter.

In pursuit of freedom, justice, dignity and democracy and led by principles of equality and environmental sustainability, the Charter proclaims a new social contract, based upon mutual and peaceful coexistence and understanding between all strands of society. It protects fundamental human rights and liberties and reaffirms the peoples’ right to self-determination.

Under the Charter, we, the people of the Autonomous Regions, unite in the spirit of reconciliation, pluralism and democratic participation so that all may express themselves freely in public life. In building a society free from authoritarianism, militarism, centralism and the intervention of religious authority in public affairs, the Charter recognizes Syria’s territorial integrity and aspires to maintain domestic and international peace.

In establishing this Charter, we declare a political system and civil administration founded upon a social contract that reconciles the rich mosaic of Syria through a transitional phase from dictatorship, civil war and destruction, to a new democratic society where civic life and social justice are preserved.

 

[phildwyer]

Here is The Constitution of the Rojava Cantons

With no experience of war yourself, with no idea of what war means in practical terms, with no personal investment in the región, you scream for war as you pour yourself another cup of tea. Or worse.

I´ve often made clear my respect for your learning and intelligence, but Armchair Warriors disgust me. And that´s what you are.

 

[butchersapron]

Here's something from last year i meant to post before but forgot:

Statement by the Kurdish Youth Movement (TCK) about the latest events in the city of Amouda

“Whereas the Kurdish Youth Movement “TCK” continues to organize hunger-strike campaigns from Afrin to Derik covering all the areas of the Syria’s Kurdistan in order to put pressure on the Kurdish factions about the importance of avoiding intra-conflicts in this time and to focus on guaranteeing the Kurdish rights by being Commitment to Hawler Agreement, We were shocked about PYD’s latest detaining operation that targeted Kurdish activists on charges of drug dealing and many false accusations that can never belong to these revolutionary activists

Note the 'latest'.

 

[phildwyer]

Thee boss has said set turkey ablaze (and he was right to).

I wonder whether you´ve modified this unseemly glee in the light of your recent reading.

 

[Patteran]

Here's something from last year i meant to post before but forgot:

Statement by the Kurdish Youth Movement (TCK) about the latest events in the city of Amouda



Note the 'latest'.

Thanks for another interesting link. Some of the 'songs for the revolution' are brilliant - it makes a difference being able to put singing & dancing faces to dry communiques & cold body counts.

 

[durruti02]

Most of these articles and many many more are posted / archived at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kurdish-Revolution-Info-Page/367557846728510

 

[butchersapron]

Some interesting stuff here in the last few answers:

Interview with the Kurdistan Anarchists Forum (KAF) about the situation in Iraq/Kurdistan

Thirdly, there are internal reasons as well. The Kurdistan Regional Government, (KRG) has dominated every aspect of people's life in Kurdistan for the last 22 years. They have worked on changing the mentality of the citizens to be corrupt, to be materialistic, to lose their own self-confidence and independence, to be dependent on them mentally and financially. The KRG has created such an atmosphere in Kurdistan that the majority of the people just think about how to get rich and compete with one another in becoming richer and in getting to better positions. In a very rich country like Kurdistan, its people are dependent on everything imported from abroad, there is no independent economy as the policies of the parties in power have destroyed the independent economy of Kurdistan.

We believe that what happened in Syrian Kurdistan in terms of setting up the military Units and also self-rule in its three cantons, that the PKK and PYD are behind them and the DSAs under their influences. This means that if something like that happened in Sinjar, neither the KRG nor the Iraqi central government and the countries in the region and US would allow this pair of forces (the PKK and PYD) to stay in Sinjar for a long time, supporting people there to announce their own self-rule

 

[phildwyer]

Some interesting stuff here in the last few answers:

Interview with the Kurdistan Anarchists Forum (KAF) about the situation in Iraq/Kurdistan

Particularly interesting to see them arguing that the "left-wing"/"right-wing" metaphor is obsolete.

ETA: or rather, to be more precise, differentiating themselves, as anarchists, from "leftists." I suppose that does boil down to challenging the "left/right" dichotomy really.

 

[butchersapron]

Parts 1 and 2 of a 3 hour conference/debate/discussion/info-circulation (In english, not yet watched myself)- Stateless Democracy: The Revolution in Rojava Kurdistan



The fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has often been portrayed as a fight between the West and its Arab allies against Islamic ultra-fundamentalists. Over the last several years, however, a progressive Kurdish-led resistance has been forming in Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan) amidst the Syrian Civil War. The resistance has successfully implemented new models of grassroots democracy, gender equality, and sustainable ecology, its members practicing a political project they refer to as Democratic Confederalism. Women and men stand side-by-side in its armed forces in the face of both ISIS and the Bashar al-Assad regime. Despite the resistance’s efforts, Rojava is currently threatened by a massacre, and the international community continues to stand by silently as tragedy unfolds.

This conference discusses the current Kurdish resistance in Kobanê, Rojava against ISIS. With help of representatives from the Kurdish movement as well as specialists in the field, it explores the politics and culture of Rojava and the reasons behind the formation and growth of the self-proclaimed Islamic State. The question as to what and how the international community and civil society can help is also addressed—not only to stop ISIS, but more crucially, to support a movement from within the region that is offering a new democratic horizon from which the world can learn.

Keynote speeches by Dilşah Osman (co-president of the Kurdish Democratic Society Congress in Europe, KCD-E) and Dilar Dirik (PhD researcher and activist of the Kurdish Women’s Movement), contributions by Joost Jongerden (researcher and Kurdish specialist, Wageningen University), Jolle Demmers (co-founder of the Center for Conflict Studies, Utrecht), Jonas Staal (artist), Jasper Blom (Director Scientific Bureau Groenlinks / Green Party), Dilan Yezilgoz-Zegerius (Amsterdam council memberfor Liberal Party VVD, former Amnesty International specialist on Turkey) en Golrokh Nafisi (artist) and many others.

The conference is hosted by New World Academy; BAK, basis voor actuele kunst, Utrecht; Center for Conflict Studies, Utrecht; and De Balie, Amsterdam.
Stateless Democracy: The Revolution in Rojava Kurdistan is the first of a series of events on stateless democracy organized by New World Academy in collaboration with the Kurdish Women’s Movement.

 

[butchersapron]

Bit of adam curtis rubbish - this happened, and meanwhile, and little known. What happens when history is just privileged access to a publicly funded library and no political commitment.

Pretty disgusting.