At the start of February 2019, over thirty women* from across the UK, from three parts of Kurdistan, and some from other countries like Spain, Sweden and Mexico, gathered in a snow covered hostel in Hebden Bridge to discuss patriarchy, history and Jineolojî. Jineolojî is a social science being developed by the Kurdish Women’s Movement. As well as asking questions about women’s and feminist struggles and their history, both ancient and contemporary, and analysing approaches taken to dismantle patriarchy, Jineolojî is also a way for the movement that developed in the mountains, villages and cities of Kurdistan to connect with…
The largest show of political solidarity by UK co-operators took place in London on Sunday 27 January when a ‘co-op bloc’ was formed as part of a demonstration in support of the Rojava Revolution and Kurdish population of Northern Syria against attacks by the Turkish state.
Rojava is now under threat of a full-scale attack and invasion from Turkey, which would mean an all-out war. Turkey’s dictator Erdoğan has threatened to crush this progressive revolution, invade and occupy Northeastern Syria and ‘bury’ the Kurds. There are calls coming from all related democratic structures in the region, and internationally from the diaspora and solidarity groups, for people all over the world to rise up in defence of Rojava and its values of direct democracy, gender liberation and ecology. Some of our followers have been asking if we will continue working on our long term plans under these conditions. What if…
Sunday 27 January, 12:30 pm, Cavendish Square, London The people of Northern Syria and its democratic self-administration are under severe threat of attack by the Turkish military and Turkish-backed Islamist militias, who are threatening to invade and occupy the Autonomous Administrations of North and East Syria (Rojava), just as they did with the predominantly Kurdish region of Afrin this time last year. An attack like this could lead to the massacre and displacement of up to three million civilians, open a new and bloody phase of the Syrian ‘Civil’ War, and threaten to crush a unique model of democratic…
Today, Kobane is once again under attack. For the past few days, the Turkish army has been heavily shelling towns and villages of Kobanê and Girê Spî (officially Tel Abyad, another city in the Kobane region) along its border from the other side. Zormaghar, Ashma, Selim, Kor-Ali are, Charikhli, Silib Qiran, Yabisah, Til Findir, and Suskah are just some of the villages reportedly being shelled with tanks and artillery. A number of civilian casualties have already been reported, including a 12 year old girl and a woman in Girê Spî.