North East Syria: an example of a revolution
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North East Syria: an example of a revolution
On the 19th of July 2012, a revolution took place in North and East Syria. A revolution based on real democracy, inclusion of people of all ethnicities and religions, ecology and the freedom of women. With all its shortcomings, this revolution shows that an alternative beyond the state and patriarchy is possible. Stating this does not mean that patriarchy, capitalism and the state have been overcome 100 percent. However, attempts are being made to build structures which make it possible for people to organise their lives and find strength to struggle on a daily basis against the mentality of state, capitalism and patriarchy.
The heritage of this revolution lies in the Kurdish movement and a history of organizing for more than forty years. The revolution in North and East Syria shows how the Kurdish movement was able to cross borders at a local level. People from all religions and ethnicities started to break the walls that capitalism, state and nationalism had built up and started to organize together. Although hegemonic forces had and have the wish to turn this region into a civil war (Arabs against Kurds), the strength of the social movement could prevent this and make this revolution a reality for all people living in this region.
Capitalism builds up a world full of borders. Especially in our times, where fascism grows and the reality of the third world war is spreading. People who aren’t each other's enemies are fighting each other for the interests of states. Capitalism disconnects andat the end everyone is standing and struggling alone. That’s why social movements are so important, making connections where capitalism and nationalism try to make divisions. The example of North and East Syria shows that it can work at a regional level. To go further, there is still a need for more connections and dialogue.
Social movements are important because they make it possible that a society can organize itself. A society that is robbed of its capability to organize itself, stops being a society. This is a fate that many societies in the world share. With capitalism becoming global, many societies are being robbed of their capabilities to live according to theirown culture, identity and history. Individuals who do not speak their own language or dialect, cut off from others are created. Only social movements can stop this process and strengthen societies again. Strengthening the societies to organize themselves by organizing all spheres of society: economy, education, self-defense, municipality, religion, social affairs, health, justice, culture and diplomacy in a real democratic way.. The stronger the society can organize itself, the weaker the state becomes. But the reverse is also true: the stronger the state, the weaker the society. When the society is weak, the people inside this society become defenseless, standing alone. It might be possible that the ideology of liberalism makes the individual believe that he or she is strong, but it is clear that the opposite is true.
So, one of the roles of social movements is refusing the logic of capitalism and organizing societies from below. Second, striving to make connections between transnational social movements. If strong social movements are connected, they can oppose the logic of capitalism well.. We still have a long way to go, especially in the Middle East which is the center of the third world war. Although there are social movements, the connections and dialogue between them are still weak.
One of our visions and hopes is that people all over the world and especially in the Middle East find the strength to organize their own society, beyond capitalism and state. On this basis, it is imaginable that instead of states, people in the Middle East and the world find their way out together in the way of a democratic federation.
This goes far beyond international solidarity. Now, we have to be in solidarity together and stand with struggles. But it is our dream and vision that all over the world social movements are strong and connections are so strong that it becomes possible to go beyond solidarity and organize together in a democratic confederal way.
Social movements are crucial, because they can organize the society and be the bridge towards other societies. Social movements have the capability to organize and educate a society. Getting the society out of the claws of capitalism and patriarchy and refusing the logic of capitalism in building bridges by creating dialogue.
Now capitalism and states want to draw everybody in a third world war. Instead of the state logic, it is possible that people refuse war and struggle for peace together. Instead of divisions, hate and non-acceptance, try to make strong connections together. Instead of searching for a state, building up communes, councils, cooperatives or whatever institutions are needed to fulfill the needs of the society. It is important not to fall into the traps, which the system prepared for us, like not to get into the logic of nationalism. Instead of nationalism, building up strong relations with all people from all religions and ethnicities in their own region and beyond. As well not to get into the logic of the state, instead of striving for a state, trying to build up a democratic alternative. Also to refuse patriarchy or only strive for equality for women inside the system.
Social movements should have the basis in the society, not falling into the trap of refusing the society or rejecting the society. We can observe that sometimes social movements in fighting against nationalism or inequality are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. In this way, they marginalize themselves. Or we also observe that sometimes social movements can’t dissolve them totally from the logic of state and capitalism and don’t really speak about a real alternative. When we connect strongly together, we can correct each other when we observe that our friends are falling into these traps. But in order to reach this stage we need to build a strong relationship of trust between the movements.
In North and East Syria we see the freedom of women as the basis of freedom of the society. Therefore we strive for autonomous women’s organization in all institutions and have a co-leadership of men and women in all institutions and have a quota of women, so that the women are present in all levels of administration. This in order to guarantee a strong struggle for the freedom of women. This won’t be possible without social movements.
In times of crises, like we are facing now, there is also a chance for the forces of democratic modernity, for those who are seeking for peace, democracy and freedom to develop and achieve their goals. Democratic modernity is a term introduced by Abdullah Öcalan. He introduced this term to describe that there are two forces:On the one side is capitalist modernity – these forces like hegemonic and regional forces who want to rule the world, on the other side is democratic modernity all those peoples and movements who refuse the war logic and try to find alternatives.
To be stronger, it helps to connect struggles. When those who refuse the logic of war and insist on peace and plurality try to connect and try to struggle together in the form of common fronts, solidarity, alliances or confederations, there is more chance to succeed. There are many forms and ways to connect. But in order to be able to succeed there are many things we have to overcome. First, we have to be open to connections and for plurality. Second, we have to learn from the mistakes which other movements before us have made. We cannot achieve our goals when we are dogmatic and not creative in our thinking. Old socialist and leftist theories very often are dogmatic and see only one way while rejecting other ways. With dogmatism and idealism, we won’t achieve anything. With only words and theories we can’t make a revolution happen. It has to be grounded in creating real alternatives. Hence, we need to overcome these blockades in our minds to achieve transnational solidarity.
There are other illnesses we have to overcome to be able to be a block fighting for peace. We have to overcome the mistrust which the systems of oppression seeded in our minds and hearts. We also have to learn to believe again, because capitalism plays so much with our hearts that it is difficult to believe and to have hope. Before we start, we might stop, because of lack of hope and skepticism, but these illnesses can be overcome.
There is a need for another system, a system beyond state and patriarchy. A communal system, a radical democratic system. In North and East Syria this system is being built up. On the basis of the values of the society and the strength in the society, the society builds up its institutions to organize itself in all its fields - education, self-defense, economy, culture, religion, justice, municipalities, health. That is seen as a threat for the ruling forces which insist on a state-model and a need to break the will of people in order to be able to rule. With bombs and drones Turkey, with the compliance of Russia, NATO and Europe tries to break the will of the people in North and East Syria, but that is not that easy and the people still resist. When all peoples who are under fire connect and support each other and don't stand alone, it is possible to succeed. A revolution can never be local, when struggles connect, they can rife and consolidate. When not, it might be easier for the hegemonic forces to gain back control. In this sense, let’s strengthen our unity.
Center of Civil Diplomacy North and East Syria, 1.10.2022 The Center for Civil Diplomacy - North and East Syria (CDC-NES) was launched in 2021 with the aim of developing links between civil society in the country and the outside world. The revolution in North and East Syria has become known all over the world, but opportunities to build relations with the international community have been missing so far. The center aims to strengthen these relationships and build relationships between North, East and Syria and other communities.