Category: Ecology
Ecology is one of the three main pillars of the Rojava Revolution and the stateless self-governance model of the Autonomous Administrations of North and East Syria (AANES), as well as the Kurdish freedom movement more broadly, which initiated the revolution.
Although ecology is one of the main pillars of the revolution in North and East Syria, it is also sadly one of the least developed. This is due to the challenges of being at the epicentre of a global conflict and under heavy economic embargo in a desertifying region suffering immense water scarcity that has been forced into a pesticide and chemical fertiliser heavy form of monocrop agriculture for forty years. To add to these troubles, the rivers which flow through the region are controlled by hostile state of Turkey, which frequently detains water flow.
In Bakur (north Kurdistan / southeastern Turkey), ecological destruction is also used as a weapon of war. Hydroelectric megaprojects have been used to control village populations, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and literally submerging entire towns.
Below you can find articles with more information about attempts to create ecological projects in both regions, the ecological pillar of the Rojava Revolution, and the struggle against ecocide in southeastern Turkey.
Dismantling “Power” by building “Democratic Autonomy”
In a time of deep despair, human and ecological crisis, the example of Democratic Autonomy in Rojava has created hope, and given new inspiration to people in Syria and the Middle East. In fact, a lot of people in other parts of the world have become a part of this process and are connecting it to the struggles in their own regions. Despite all the shortcomings and numerous obstacles during the last decade, we have learned that the democratic confederal organization of society can fulfill many spiritual and material needs of society. We have learned that democratic transformation is a continuing process, which requires constant societal and self-reflection. Our achievements are not assured forever, if we do not protect and advance them.
She aims to plant 2 million trees in Dersim
Şükran Yılmaz, who has been making a living by selling grapes growing in her village in Dersim for years, also voluntarily travels from village to village to distribute mulberry and walnut tree seeds to women. The aim of Şükran Yılmaz, who encourages women to take part in the production, is to plant two million mulberry and walnut trees in Dersim.
Recommendations of the International Water Forum in Hesekê
The International Water Forum in North and East Syria has concluded with a series of recommendations from the 300 delegates from inside and outside the country. The Turkish state is to be sued for using water as a weapon of war.
Ecological Council of North and East Syria condemns abuses against nature and environment
The Ecological Council of North and East Syria released a statement about the harm that warfare against Kurdistan and the exploitation and oppression worldwide is inflicting on nature.
Kurdish farmers’ tradition of collective harvesting with sickles and song stands the test of time
Kurdish Farmers in Şırnak follow tradition and sing 'stran' in chorus and harvest in harmony.
Fruits of the women’s revolution: A feminist utopia realised through the ‘Jinwar’ project
A female-only ecological village, which welcomes displaced women of all ethnicities and religions of northeast Syria, represents one of many feminist practices that have been born of the women's revolution.
Ecology in Times of War
In 2021, too, the war in Kurdistan has a great impact on the struggle for an ecological society there. So we need to take a closer look at how these two issues relate to each other and what an ecological stance can look like in times of war. To that end, Make Rojava Green Again conducted an interview with Kamuran Akın from Humboldt University in Berlin.
Turkey is reportedly depriving hundreds of thousands of people of water
The nation has been accused of breaking its agreement to ensure a flow of 500 cubic metres per second of the Euphrates flows through to Syria.
‘A systematic programme to end agricultural production in Kurdistan’
Agricultural workers in the Kurdish-majority provinces of Turkey face obstacles in trying to reach water sources. This problem has been described as part of the government's intentional "systematic policy" by some experts.
Women in Kobane Work Communally to Overcome Drought Conditions
The women in Kobane are coming together to work on the fields and try to give life to the lands suffering from this Turkish-made drought.
Alternative ways to resist the embargo in Tell Tamer: Home gardens
As the Syrian lira continues to lose value, Syrians who have been badly affected by increasing prices of basic food products have faced food insecurity. People in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES, also known as Rojava) have increasingly been adopting alternative projects – home gardening – to support local agriculture.
