A-Infos (it) anarkismo.net: Rojava between genocide and compromise By: Zaher Baher

The invasion of Rojava by the state of Turkey is brutal, barbaric and have no 
justification. This article explains how and why Rojava arrived to this destination.  ---- 
What may happen later and whether the war can be stopped or not. ---- Rojava is going 
through a very difficult time; its future is not clear at the moment. However what is 
clear is that there will either be genocide or compromise. ---- What is currently going on 
in Rojava has been caused by the very complicated background to its struggle going back to 
the defence of Kobane by the heroic fighters of the YPG/J, and then the intervention of 
the United States (US). ---- I always believed that the US became involved in Rojava 
because they knew that Kobane could not be defeated and there was no other way to defeat 
Rojava's experiment other than by getting involved and controlling the situation in order 
to achieve its goal and strategy.
The absence of strong international support and solidarity from leftists, unionists, 
communists, socialists and anarchists, as well as the absence of uprisings in neighbouring 
countries in the region, has led to the present situation in Rojava.
In my opinion the US planned deliberately and meticulously to get involved in Rojava to 
meet its aims. This was done with the help of Turkey, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and 
probably the Kurdistan Regional Government, the KRG. For the US and its allies, it should 
not have been a successful experiment in such a place in a troubled region, very rich with 
oil and gas reserves. The experiment in Rojava tried to build democratic confederalism, 
based on democratic self- administration, gender equality, social ecology, and harmonious 
living, making religion a personal rather than a political issue, as it should be. This 
was impossible for the US and its allies to accept.
The conspiracy against Rojava started from there. The plan was not easy, but the US knew 
the steps that were necessary to carry this out. The first step was for the US to get 
closer to the Democratic Union Party, the PYD, not because it was very powerful, but 
because they were a very disciplined and well trained force, like the YPG/J. Later on, 
these forces formed a bigger body under the name of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the SDF. 
The US knew how to get these voluntary forces, built to defend their community, to change 
to an offensive force to serve US purposes. This could only happen with the cooperation of 
the PYD, so this was the second step for the US. Later we saw how the US and PYD managed 
to use the SDF wherever they wanted, changing them from a defensive force to an offensive 
one. The YPG/J developed with the SDF and grew from 7,000 fighters, to over 70,000. 
Maintaining a sizeable force like the SDF required food, clothing and other essentials 
plus whatever was required to fight ISIS. Now the third step was completed. In the end, 
the SDF became completely dependent on the US when fighting ISIS. In addition to this, the 
intention of the PYD and their main strategy focused on fighting ISIS, rather than 
rebuilding Rojava economically, culturally, educationally and socially. The US alliance 
with the Kurdish in Rojava infuriated President Erdogan and his administration. The close 
relationship of the PYD with the US isolated Kurds and its forces from Russia. At the same 
time, Rojava received less international support and solidarity. So now the plan was 
completed and the US had almost achieved what it wanted.
All of this shifted the process of Rojava's movement towards the interests of the US 
rather than in the interests of Rojava itself. In the meantime, the PYD was unaware, or 
simply ignored the reality, that their survival was closely connected to the survival of 
ISIS. Once ISIS had been completely dealt with, then Rojava would not be able to survive, 
especially when there was not enough international solidarity or uprisings happening in 
neighbouring countries.
While the PYD became increasingly powerful, the self-ruling administration, the Democratic 
Movement of Society (the Tev-Dem) became weak and lost their balance and power. As a 
result, the PYD, a powerful, hierarchical organisation, failed to consult the people of 
Rojava when making important decisions. Although the PYD was powerful, its unconditional 
alliance with the US collapsed last week and Rojava came under brutal attack by the 
Turkish state.
The above reasons were crucial in placing Rojava in its current situation. However, the 
main reason was an internal one; the incorrect policies of the PYD. When I look at 
people's experiences in the region in general and the Kurdish people in particular, I see 
that a nation will fail if it is commanded by a political party.
Rojava is now facing either genocide by the Turkish state or compromise with the Assad 
regime. While none of the countries involved helped Rojava and with the war still ongoing, 
Rojava must look for a solution. If the US and other countries cannot stop Turkey right 
now, it will be too late and will lead to a disaster. In that scenario, Rojava is faced 
with two choices; genocide or compromise. In my opinion, choosing compromise with Assad's 
regime to save lives and the prevention of more destruction in Rojava is a logical choice. 
The PYD's compromise with the Syrian regime through Russia will change the direction of 
the war. We should also expect that while the PYD is negotiating with Assad from a 
weakened position, it cannot get what it wants and any talk of building democratic 
confederalism and an ecological society built on cooperatives and communes remains a dream.
Having said that, the current tactic is still better as it may prevent war between Turkey 
and Syria, because the US, Russia and others do not want the war to continue. If it does, 
there may be strikes, demonstrations and protests in Turkey and this could lead to the end 
of Erdogan's power.
Alas, in 1974*, the Kurdish Democratic Party, the KDP, did not use the same tactic of 
compromise with the Iraqi regime in order to prevent the renewal of war between the KDP 
and Iraqi regime, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths. It would also have been 
wonderful if the Kurdistan Patriotic Union, the PUK, had not restarted the military 
struggle against the regime in 1976. That struggle caused so many deaths following the 
Anfal operation** against the Kurdish in Iraq and the launching of chemical weapons on the 
town of Helabija by the regime. So, saving the nation is far more important and entirely 
logical rather than saving the party, its dignity and its interests.
............
Zaherbaher.com
*The Kurdish movement started on 11/09/1961. There was a peaceful period between 1970 and 
1974 after negotiations between the KDP and the regime at the time. But, in March 1974, 
after the dispute between KDP and the regime over the city of Kirkuk, the KDP went back to 
the mountains to fight the regime. This movement was supported by the former Iranian 
Regime. Once the Iranian regime made a pact with the Iraqi regime on 06/03/1975, it cut 
off all support for the KDP so that the Kurdish movement collapsed within 24 hours.
** Operation Anfal, or simply Anfal, was a genocidal campaign against the Kurdish people 
in northern Iraq, led by the Ba'athist Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein and headed by Ali 
Hassan al-Majid, in the final stage of the Iran-Iraq war. The campaign happened in 1988 
and lead to the disappearance of 180 thousand people.

https://www.anarkismo.net/article/31602
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