Olives stolen from Afrin on the world market

Since the occupation of Afrin in March 2018, the Turkish state has established a regime of looting and exploitation. Olive and olive products were the main source of income in the region before the invasion. With the Turkish invasion, Afrin’s olive groves have been plundered and have become a source of funding for militiamen from the Turkish-established mercenary “Syrian National Army” (SNA). The SNA militias loot the region’s olive production and bring it to the world market via Turkey.

The co-chair system

The goal of the revolution in Rojava has been to build up a system that genuinely represents all parts of society, according to the concept of the “democratic nation”. The democratic nation is a paradigm of cooperation and co-governance between all ethnicities, groups, beliefs and religions. According to the political philosophy of respected Kurdish leader Abduallah Ocalan, gender equality must be at the heart of this effort. This fundamental assertion has resulted in the successful implementation of a system called co-chairing, in North and East Syria. Under the co-chair system, institutions at every level of government are headed by both a man and a woman. As a result, there is no place in the political system in which the needs and will of both women and men are not acknowledged. This is a unique system in the world, and a living laboratory for true gender equality.

Water as a Weapon – Çay at the Women’s Front podcast

The access to water in Rojava and NE Syria is becoming more and more limited. The severe drought that has been lasting for over two years is connected to the global ecological situation and the Turkish state cutting the water supply to the region. Water is a source of life and as such it is one of the most direct ways to attack the society. The water is being used as a method of war. A friend joined us to talk about Heyva sor, the Kurdish Red moon structure and her current project on assessing and improving water infrastructures, access to water and the quality of water.