Solidarity with Kobane! Support the Kurdish resistance!

The fundamentalist extremists of the so-called “Islamic State” have massacred thousands. The government of Iraq has been unable and unwilling to stop them. The Syrian Kurdish PYD has put up strong resistance. They have helped Ezidi’s to escape and to organize self-defence groups against IS. They have proven to be the most effective resistance against the fundamentalist terror. For weeks, IS has been attacking the Kurdish city of Kobane, which is defended by the PYD and its Arab allies. It is the brave resistance of the defenders of Kobane which so far has prevented a new massacre.

The IS wants to eliminate the autonomous Kurdish-ruled regions of Syria, known as Rojava. In this region, the Kurdish movement has been building a society of a self-governance and equal rights for people of different religions, nationalities and gender. Such a vision of society is a threat to the extremist right-wing IS as well to the Turkish-chauvinist government of Erdogan.

Turkey has closed the border and prevents reinforcements from arriving in the city, which is besieged by IS from three sides. Nearly no weapons reach the defenders of Kobane. IS has the advantage of superior weaponry and financial support from fundamentalist networks.

The international community and mainly the US and the EU prove once more that saving the lives of the Kurds and defending their right for self-determination is not part of their priorities. They have done practically nothing to stop the IS or to force Turkey to open its borders. The US and the EU show that they care only about securing their own economic and geopolitical interests in the region.

We, as leftists in the Netherlands, are convinced we need to support the defence of Rojava and the city of Kobane. We know that we can make only a small contribution to the fight against the fundamentalists but feel we need to do what we can to offer concrete aid. The last few weeks supporters of the Kurdish movement have organized demonstrations and other actions in solidarity with Kobane. We support these actions and call on everybody to support them.

The most effective fight against the fundamentalist terror of IS is local. It is a fight that opposes sectarianism, racism and national chauvinism. Fighting against the IS requires pressure on the Turkish government to stop its manipulations and attempts to use the fundamentalists in the repression of the Kurdish movement and of the people in solidarity with the struggle in Kobane.

We support the demand of the PYD and the international community in solidarity with the resistance in Kobane, that Turkey opens its border with the city, not to IS fighters but to reinforcements and supplies for the defence of Kobane.

Like the PYD, we oppose intervention of the Turkish army, whether to organize a buffer zone in Kobane or in any other form. We oppose the criminalization of the Kurdish movement and denounce the violent repression of the solidarity movement inside Turkey.

We call for financial aid to the defenders of Kobane. Donations can be made to account NL25 INGB 0005 5716 38, Grenzeloos, mentioning ‘Kobane’.

Biji berxwedane Rojava! Long live the resistance of Rojava!

The complete sum received will be transferred to the PYD that organizes the defence of Rojava. The money will be spend on whatever they decide will be the priority. The PYD is a legal political party – support for them is completely legal.

Signed:

Grenzeloos

Internationale Socialisten

Doorbraak

ReInform

Gezi Solidarity Netherlands

(We ask everybody to sign and distribute this call. To sign the statement, send an e-mail to: redactie@grenzeloos.org)

Source of the featured image: https://rojavareport.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/people-of-kobane-fully-mobilized-for-defense-of-city/