UN must reverse its aid cuts in Syria

PEACE IN KURDISTAN

 Peace in Kurdistan is dismayed by the UN decision to cut humanitarian aid to Northern Syria, which exposes 4 million people who are already facing a dire situation, to the prospect of no daily aid, including food and basic medicines. We call for this short-sighted decision to be urgently reversed.

German-based project raise money for health and social centre in Rojava

This German-based Initiative is close to raising €150,000 to build an ecologically-sustainable health and social centre for the people of Kobane. You can still make a donation (see details below):

Nationwide initiative for ecological rebuilding in Kobanê / Rojava,

Assist us – 150.000€ for the ecological arrangement of a health and social center in Kobane as a model for the ecological rebuilding of the Region

The city of Kobanê in Rojava (West Kurdistan / Syria) disengaged itself in January 2015 by / under big sacrifices from the Fascist powers of the IS (“Islamic State”). The IS left a trace of destruction behind itself. 80% of Kobane is still destroyed today. The new local community, which the Syrian- Kurdish population builds up in Rojava, is a prototype for the whole Middle East. It puts into practice equality for all people, democracy, religious freedom, equal rights for women and men and the unity of mankind and nature as a guideline of the sociological development.

Global Rally for the freedom and reconstruction of Kobane

Thank you to everyone who took part in the Global Rally for Kobane on 1st November – now World Kobane Day. It is the second year in a row that thousands of people in dozens of countries have raised their voices for Kobane, which still suffers the consequences of a brutal 6 month ISIS siege which caught the conscience of many across the world. This time, over 400 separate actions took place in over 25 countries as far apart as India and Brazil, Denmark and Australia, Venezuela and Afghanistan, all calling for people and governments to support the reconstruction of Kobane and the lifting of the blockade. Demonstrations also took place in Rojava. Once again, it was a remarkable demonstration of solidarity and the spirit of internationalism. We send our thanks and solidarity to all those who took part and hope that collective efforts will lead to freedom and a new future for Kobane – and Rojava.

Global call for city of Kobane reaches activists across the world

PRESS RELEASE

29 October 2015

One year since a mass mobilisation of activists across the world created the largest-ever simultaneous action in solidarity with the Kurdish people, another appeal has inspired activists to once again rally for Kobane on 1st November.

Executive Board of Kobane Canton calls for international solidarity on 1 November

The Kobane Canton Executive Board has released this statement calling for all people to take part in this Sunday’s Global Rally for Freedom and Reconstruction of Kobane: 

A Call for an International Solidarity Day with Kobani

1 November 2015

Kobani and Rojava have faced numerous military campaigns and attacks since the birth of freedom and justice on their soils on 19 July 2012. Ever since, militant extremists have laid siege to this geographic area that aspires to build a new life and new approach that is open to socio-cultural, religious and ethnic diversity.

However, the will of the people in Rojava and the power of their desire for a new era and new administration were invincible, defeating extremists’ campaigns, which culminated in the Kobani’s humane resistance. This resistance marked the beginning of the end of ISIL’s myth of its ability to control any town or city, and proved to the world that the union between the will of the people and local institutions in a geographic area is sufficient to defeat terrorism, and thus safeguarding humanity and peace.

Appeal for a “Humanitarian Corridor” released

Peace in Kurdistan Campaign is supporting this important appeal from the Reconstruct Kobane platform calling for a humanitarian corridor to be opened up into Kobane. Still, after years, Rojava and Kobane and suffering a complete embargo with essential goods like food, medicine and clothing being refused entry through the Turkish border. It appear the only thing the border does not apply to is ISIS-affiliated fighters. This hypocrisy must stop and the demands are simple. Sign the appeal today!

To add you name, please contact estella24@tiscali.co.uk with your name, organisation and profession.

OPEN UP A CORRIDOR TO KOBANE

Kobane desperately needs our help to rebuild itself and for this to take place, the establishment of a humanitarian corridor between Kobane and Turkey is an urgent requirement.

As of today, July 2015, the city of Kobane, located on the Syrian-Turkish border, remains subject to the merciless attacks of ISIS. Equipped with far less sophisticated weapons and with limited resources, the people of Kobane’s unflinching determination to survive is their only real means of opposing ISIS, to hold on to their independence and to be free from this brutal violence. And this is what they have undertaken, at times supported by the US air force as part of the international coalition to resist the advance of ISIS. The price of Kobane’s resistance has been high: countless dead and injured, and an almost completely destroyed city infrastructure, which has left essential supplies of water, electricity, food and medicine in a state of collapse. And the threat from ISIS has still not been eliminated.

Call for an International Convoy for Kobane

The Kobane Reconstruction Platform has issued a call for a huge international mobilsation for Kobane. With humanitarian aid still urgently need and very little getting through Turkeys’s blockade on Rojava, this action calls on solidarity activists across the world to travel to Suruc, just across the border, to participate in demanding that a humanitarian corridor be opened into Kobane. 15th September will be the anniversary of ISIS’ first attack on Kobane, which led to a four month siege. We join their call and will be working to ensure activists from the UK can join this effort in Suruc.

Call for Participation in an International Convoy for the Opening of Humanitarian Corridor from Turkey to Kobane

via Help Kobane

On 15the of September 2014, the Islamic State (ISIS) launched the first large scale attack against the canton of Kobanê in Syria. The Kurdish people living there, led by the People’s Protection Units of (YPG and YPJ) organized a historical war of resistance to defend themselves against the attack. The resistance of the men and women in Kobanê was, and remains, a fight for democracy, human rights, a common future, and equality of women in society.

Crowd-funding campaign initiated for reconstruction of Kobane

We would like to draw your attention to an urgent appeal for funds from a project which was developed by the official Kobanê Reconstruction Board.

Obviously, this is deserving cause. But it urgently needs your support to continue and expand its vital work to help the people of Kobane to rebuild their community. Every little helps. Please respond to the appeal, which states:

“Our infrastructure is secure and tested. We are capable of crowdfunding Kobanê. But we are still in beta, and we have much to do before we can offer this tool for movements around the world. Under normal circumstances, we would have waited on the final version.”

Damages to Kobane and plans for its reconstruction

The Kobane Authorities have released two documents that detail the damages suffered by the city and the plans for its reconstruction. The first, by the Kobane Administration, provides a detailed list of infrastructure damage and the what is needed in terms of water, healthcare, energy services, agricultural production, transport and more. The second, by the Kobane Reconstruction Board, summarises ecological and social principles that will underlie the rebuilding of the city, and makes suggestions of the kind of architecture and spatial design that could be implemented in the city’s reconstruction.

Download the documents below.

Kobane Canton Damage Report- April 2015 –  Democratic Self-Management, Kobane Canton – Syria (pdf)

Report for the Ecological and Democratic Reconstruction of Kobanê– Kobane Reconstruction Platform (pdf)

REPORT ON URGENT AND ESSENTIAL NEEDS IN KOBANÊ

A new board has been established to oversee the reconstruction of Kobane, which has been left devastated after 6 months of siege. Currently 25,000 people are living or have just moved back into Kobane and many more are waiting their chance to return home, but an absence of basic food and water supplies and the physical destruction of the city’s infrastructure makes the situation extremely precarious. In addition, ISIS left land mines and explosive materials behind as they fled Kobane and the surrounding villages, even placing them inside kitchens and bedrooms of abandoned homes.

The Kobane Reconstruction Board has written a report, available for download, which provides an overview of the damage and lists the urgent needs facing the region.

You can download the report here: Report on the urgent and essential needs in Kobane, February 2015