PYD responds to government criticisms of the party in recent report

The Democratic Union Party (PYD), one of the leading parties in Rojava, has responded to criticisms about the party that were laid out in a recent Government report. The report was written as a response to a Foreign Affairs Select Committee document, entitled UK Government Policy on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which was the result of an inquiry into theUK’s relationship with the KRG, including investment, foreign policy implications, and diplomatic relations.

The government’s response to that enquiry included a section on Syrian Kurdistan and the PYD, which it accused of maintaining links with the Assad government and refusing to work with the official Syrian opposition. It also suggested the party should make a greater commitment to pluralism and human rights, in total ignorance of the pluralism being engendered in Rojava’s political sphere which is no small part due to the PYD’s policies. It is worth giving the report a read.

The PYD’s co-chair Salih Muslim, recently submitted a response to the UK government’s accusations, which we reproduce below.

Appeal by Co-chairman of the PYD, Mohamed Saleh Muslim, on behalf of the people in the cantons of Rojava, Qamişlo, 01.09.2014

To the international community,
To the members of the United Nations,
To all international aid organisations,

On the occasion of the World Day of Peace, I want, as someone who has not lost his hope for peace, to address this letter to you. The purpose of this letter is not to describe to you the tragic events that have occurred in Syria over the past three years. However, I hereby appeal to you to take responsibility to make an end to this tragedy: I also want to tell you how we are trying to live up to our responsibilities.

PYD co-chair calls for urgent assistance from international community

Full statement below:

Appeal to International Public Opinion

The international community is aware that Middle East is exposed to a conflict between peoples demanding freedom, democracy and a dignified life on the one side and on the other side the tyranny of ISIS and terrorist gangs and the peoples’ enslavement. Thus, the Kurdish people and other peoples who live together in Rojava have become a main target of the brutal ISIS terrorist gangs including their very existence and its holy places and historical roots. Previously, this brutal force destroyed and eradicated what they could in Rojava, Mosul and Nineveh, and currently are attacking Shingal to exterminate people who stuck to their land and faith over thousands of years.

This human tragedy is taking place in front of the eyes of humanity and followed moment by moment, where civilians are beheaded, killed, displaced and so far, we have not seen any serious effort to stop this humanitarian tragedy whether to fight against these dark forces or to give aid and a helping hand to those people who are displaced from their villages and towns and from their historical homeland trying to escape the slaughter and genocide to save their lives.

We, in the democratic self –administration areas, endeavour to protect all the peoples that are exposed to extermination by defending them, we do our utmost to help and assist whether in their regions or in the areas that they are fleeing to in Rojava and we do this to defend human values ​​and human civilization.

We call on the United Nations, the European Union and all organizations and global institutions who claim to defend human values ​​and on humanitarian relief organizations all over the world to stand with us in our adversity and to provide us with all possible means of assistance and support so that we can maintain our presence and to prevent the ethnic genocide against the peoples of Mesopotamia, one of the oldest of human civilizations.

For further information please contact the administration of Al-Jazeera canton:

Mr. Akram Hissou 00905386195775 – E mail: ekrem-hasso@hotmail.com

Mr. Akeed Ibrahim (Heyvasor). Telephone: 0090539672732 – egid77ms@gmail.com

We look forward for your cooperation and support

Kind regards

Salih Muslim Muhammad

Co-chair for PYD

6 August 2014

 

 

Report: The Kurdish Perspective on the Conflict and How to End It

REPORT

8 July 2014

 

A report of a political briefing hosted by Green Party peer, Baroness Jenny Jones, held in Westminster on 2 July and organised by Peace in Kurdistan Campaign.

The keynote speakers were a senior delegation of leading representatives from Rojava, Syria: namely, Saleh Muslim, co-president of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Deputy General Coordinator of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria (NCB); Basam Ishaq, chairman of Syriac Council (representing the Christian community); and Abdul Karim Omar, the spokesperson of Jazira Canton Foreign Affairs Department.

The delegation, visiting the UK to urge support for the people of Rojava, explained their independent perspective on the Syrian conflict before a specially invited gathering of parliamentarians, policy advisors and researchers. The majority population of Rojava are Kurds but the self-administration that has been established in the past few months had brought together all the region’s communities. This highly positive development needed to be more widely understood.

Latest news from PYD Europe media office

Latest news briefing from the PYD media and public affairs office in Europe:

News Briefing Regarding The News and Events in West Kurdistan

Head Lines

• Democratic Self-Management in three provinces.
• National Coordination Body and the social contract.
• A Message from the leader of the Kurdish people Abdullah Öcalan to the Armenian people.
• The “Azadiya Lawn Kurdistan” Organization assures its support for the Rojava revolution.
• Families of martyrs Conference.
• Educational and cultural activities.

 

Latest news briefing from the PYD information office

News Briefing Regarding The News and Events in West Kurdistan

Head Lines

• Geneva Conference 2
• Demonstrations in Europe to demand participation of Kurds in Geneva 2
• The dossier of three assassinated Kurdish activists
• The Declaration of the Transitional Self-Administration government in the Jazeera region
• Clashes and the displacement of people from Manbej to Kobanî
• Educational and cultural events

Details:

Geneva Conference  2

News center : The representatives of the Kurdish people and Syriac who have not been invited to participate in the Geneva 2, held a press conference, pointing out that the conference does not represent all people of Syria, saying, “The solution lies in the self-management model in western Kurdistan, which includes all components of the Syrian fabric”.

Transitional self-management in West Kurdistan – PYD statement

Latest statement from the Democratic Union Party – West Kurdistan Council:

 

The formation of a preparatory committee to establish the Transitional Self-Management project in western Kurdistan, encompassing all components of the region

30 November 2013

 

The revolution in Syria, which began as a popular movement three years ago, has been hijacked by foreign powers which have enabled and further worsened the tragedy of Syria.

The revolution reached Western Kurdistan as well. It was initiated on the 19th of July in 2012 in Kobanê and quickly spread as people took control over cities and villages. Despite the imminent danger to their lives people accepted this new development, which brought with it a life of isolation caused by embargos and great suffering. They built new institutions which would include all peoples of Syria and which would enable peoples to lead a dignified and just life.

Salih Muslim joins conference in Brussels

Last week (22 November 2013) a joint conference by Centre Maurits Coppieters together with the Kurdish Institute of Brussels and Belgian Senator Karl Vanlouwe took place in Brussels on the situation of Kurds and the Syrian civil war.

You can see video clips from the main conference speakers here:

 

Salih Muslim @ The Kurds and the future of Syria. 22 November 2013. Brusels from Centre Maurits Coppieters on Vimeo.

PYD: News Briefing Regarding Events in West Kurdistan (Northern Syria)

Latest news briefing from the PYD media and public affairs office – Europe:

 

Head Lines

•  People’s Protection Units
•  Open Letter to the Parties of the Political Union
•  A Delegation of the Geneva Convention heading to West Kurdistan
• Condolence letters sent to the Family of Saleh Muslim , co-chair of the Democratic Union Party
•  Educational and Cultural Events.

Details:

People’s Protection Units (P.P.U) :

Afrin:  Many mercenaries belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have been killed in clashes . A vehicle carrying a Dushka has been destroyed during clashes between P.P.U. and the Daish mercenaries near the village of Moarrin belonging to Azaz district.