On the morning of 9 October, Turkish state military forces began to bombard cities of North and East Syria – the region commonly known as Rojava – and also began incursions across the border, particularly in the region around Girê Spî (Tel Abyad) and Serê Kaniyê, which is now under full occupation by Turkish forces. Turkey has faced accusations of ethnic cleansing and war crimes, including the use of banned chemical weapons. On top of this, and emboldened by it, ISIS regaining strength in the region and sleeper cell attacks have increased by 48% since the start of the invasion. The Turkish military and their allied…
Campaigners and co-operative members in London took part in the 3rd Global Days of Action for the defence of the 12,000 year old town Hasankeyf and the Tigris River on 7 June, 2019. The Turkish Government had announced their intention to begin filling the dam reservoir on 10 June, leading to the call for the days of action to take place. The Corner House and Peace in Kurdistan have since penned an open letter to Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, signed by Solidarity Economy Association and many others, urging that he underline to the Turkey Government the extent of international concern over…
The Solidarity Economy Association wish to send our heartfelt solidarity and congratulations to the over 7,000 Kurdish people around the world who have just ended their hunger strikes in victory. The hunger strikers had been demanding the end of the aggravated isolation which has been imposed on Kurdish leader and political prisoner Abdullah Ocalan, who has been held in largely solitary confinement for over 20 years by the Turkish state, in contravention of international law. An announcement on Sunday 26 May confirmed the strikes to have been successful and the isolation to have ended after Ocalan was able to meet…
UK co-ops: We need you to join us in speaking up for the tens of thousands of people who are likely to be displaced when the ancient town of Hasankeyf and 200 villages in southeastern Turkey are flooded, as part of a Turkish government hydroelectric project. The Turkish government recently announced that on 10 June 2019 it will start filling the Ilisu Dam reservoir, flooding the 12,000 year old town of Hasankeyf. Not only is this a vibrant market town, it has a rich and significant history: surrounded by Neolithic caves, it’s the site of medieval Islamic architecture, including a…
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…
