On the sixth anniversary of the establishment of the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria, Evîn Sîwêd from the Executive Council said they are determined to bring about a political solution and to preserve the integrity of Syria.
The Rojava revolution established a radically democratic system in Northern and Eastern Syria. The Autonomous Administration continues to work under permanent conditions of war. While villages and cities have been occupied by Turkey and its mercenaries, the free areas of Northern and Eastern Syria are repeatedly attacked. Members of the Autonomous Administration are the target of Turkish armed drones.
The Autonomous Administration for the entire region was established on 6 September 2018. Evîn Siwêd, a member of the Executive Council of the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria, spoke to ANF about the conditions of the institutional construction of the Autonomous Administration and the current situation.
The seventh year of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria has begun. How do you assess the past six years?
The Autonomous Administration of Cizîrê was proclaimed in 2014, followed by the Autonomous Administrations of Kobanê and Efrîn. After the liberation of Manbij, Tabqa, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, the construction of a self-government of the entire region began on the basis of self-defense and service to the peoples. Self-government was a new model. However, the insufficient experience of the peoples of Northern and Eastern Syria did not prevent them from governing themselves and taking a position, attitude and decision on the future of Syria. Because the desired system was clear and open. That is why the peoples worked hard for the territorial integrity of Syria and made great sacrifices for it. On 6 September 2018, it was decided to establish the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria while preserving the existing unique cantonal system and ensuring its harmonious cooperation and integrity.
Its main task is to ensure that the existing seven cantons can work together, cooperate and ensure the sustainability of work. The Autonomous Administration also emerged on the basis of the political will of the peoples and reflects their activities and efforts in line with their desire to build a future Syria. It was created with the perspective of a decentralized Syria, that is, a country built on the inclusive experience of the region’s many religious and ethnic identities.
What political, social, educational, diplomatic and economic steps have been taken in the past six years?
For the first time, all peoples and beliefs in a region have been able to govern themselves according to their democratic will. This has created a very valuable image that embodies the basic positive qualities of human beings, such as love, justice, equality of people and peace. With this model, self-government plays a pioneering role in both Northern and Eastern Syria and in Syria and the Middle East. There have been changes and transformations, such as the reconstruction or reorganization of society, the distribution of roles among all identities and the leading role of women and young people. In addition, important steps have been taken in the Northern and Eastern Syrian revolution in many areas – from education, culture and art to self-defense.
A strategy has been adopted that includes, embraces and accepts all peoples living in Syria. The policy to overcome the crisis in Syria is clear and fundamental. The Autonomous Administration expressed itself in this direction with the statement published on 18 April 2023. Intensive diplomatic activities are being undertaken to convey the system, publicize the activities carried out and protect the region together. In the Rojava Revolution, also known as the Women’s Revolution, women’s diplomacy in particular made important breakthroughs.
The peoples learn in their mother tongue
In Northern and Eastern Syria, many people could not read or write in their mother tongue. Now that the education system is in place, every person has the right to education and training in their mother tongue; trilingual education in Kurdish, Arabic and Syriac has been introduced. They have the right to be taught in their mother tongue from primary school to university.
Step forward in the development of art and culture
It would be incomplete to analyze Northern and Eastern Syria only from a political and military perspective. There has been a step forward in culture and art in the region. Culture and artistic activities are being promoted to a great extent. Artists have also contributed a lot to creating an environment where different nations and faiths come together. Thus, a significant level of artistic activity has been achieved in both Kurdistan and Syria.
What problems have arisen in these six years; what problems have you faced as a new self-government model?
One of the main issues that the Autonomous Administration places particular emphasis on is service activity. As is known, we are in a unique process. Despite the serious difficulties affecting both working conditions and the financial situation, each and every individual feels responsible to society.
We have been and continue to be subjected to attacks aimed at eliminating the system. The Turkish state openly attacked Serêkaniyê as early as 2013 and to this day is mobilizing all its forces to smash this system, displace the people and change the demographics of the region. The occupation of Efrîn, Girê Spî, Serêkaniyê by the Turkish state and the mercenary troops led by it is a bleeding wound in our hearts. The peoples who originally lived there had to flee to Northern and Eastern Syria. The people in northern and eastern Syria are under a severe economic embargo. To this day, we are not officially recognized politically, so the closed border crossings prevent aid supplies from reaching the refugees in Northern and Eastern Syria. Every single person who lives in the region feels the hardship deeply.
How has the war affected the system?
To date, the Autonomous Administration has carried out all its work in a warlike environment. This causes both difficulties in life and psychological problems. It is not a model that was proclaimed in an environment of peace and calm. The war has caused problems in achieving the desired level, which mainly refers to the implementation of work and the provision of services to the population. All work is carried out under attacks and attempted invasions. This has a direct negative impact on our work. In our region, people are attacked every day and there are deaths every day. In such a situation, it is difficult to develop institutionalization. Nevertheless, the Autonomous Administration is doing everything it can to serve the people as best as possible and to convey its political message to the people of Syria and the region.
What are your goals as the Democratic Autonomous Administration?
Everyone is responsible for protecting this project. It was built with a lot of effort and at great sacrifice. The people of North and East Syria are also aware of this. We continue our activities to protect the model, develop it, overcome the shortcomings and criticisms, make the institutionalization that arose in the war environment permanent with the adopted social contract, develop it further and fill it with content. Our main goal is to popularize the new model in Syria and, in general, in the best possible way. Our strategy for resolving the Syrian crisis is clear. Our efforts to bring the peoples of Syria together will always continue. We consider the protection of our territories, the territorial integrity of Syria, the sovereignty of the peoples of Syria and the intra-Syrian dialogue of strategic importance. We will continue our work on this basis. If the regime in Damascus approaches those who join forces for attacks against the Autonomous Administration, the situation in Syria will again be negatively affected. It will lead to conflicts in Syria and ultimately a place called Syria will cease to exist. We have striven to protect the integrity of Syria until today, and we will continue to do so in the future. Furthermore, our main goal is to serve the people of Northern and Eastern Syria in the best possible way, because they deserve it.
