KURDISTAN/SYRIA: Anarchists join struggle against ISIS in Kobane

~The city of Kobane has been under attack by Daesh (ISIS) fascists for a number of days leading to a mass exodus of Kurds from the city. But many Kurds are now returning to fight and defend the city despite being pushed back at the border by Turkish forces. Inside the border, Kurdish forces along with the Free Syrian Army continue to fight against Daesh.

~Among those going to support and defend the city have been comrades from the Turkish anarchist group DAF (Devrimci Anarşist Faaliyet/Revolutionary Anarchist Action).

~Below is a Statement from Revolutionary Anarchist Action- Devrimci Anarşist Faaliyet: IN SHINGAL, KOBANE AND ALL ROJAVA, ISIS IS DEHAK AND PEOPLE ARE KAWA In Kurdistan, people are fighting against ISIS, “the procreated violence” given birth by capitalism and the states that start wars for their own benefits. ISIS, subcontractor of the states that pursue income strategies on the region, is attacking people while yelling “islamic state!” and “holy war, jihad!”. People are suffering from hunger and thirst, getting ill, getting injured; migrating and dying. They are still fighting in that struggle for existence. People are fighting not for the schemes and strategies around meeting tables, not for income, but for their freedom.

~As freedom is to exist in danger of being non existant. As freedom is to live. Like the fight of Kawa, defending the life by resisting against Dehaks. And now, USA, EU, Turkey; all the states that have expectations of income from the region, are establishing coalitions against ISIS, the “procreated violence” which in reality isn’t a disturbance to them at all. The ones who don’t like their position in the coalition start scheming, relations are getting tense and loose, and then tense again, while all the sides are changing their speech from dawn to dusk and acting inconsistent. After all, this is the most obvious feature of any state. States can’t be expected to stand straight because states are spineless. Spineless states whose only expectation is income, would be founding ISIS yesterday, repenting it today and recognizing the islamic state tomorrow. And people will always be fighting for their future and their freedom, just like in the past.

~Salutations to everyone who fight and defend the life in Rojava. All the plots of states and capitalism will be destroyed, procreated violence will be extinguished, ISIS will lose against the freedom fighters and the people will be victorous as always. We take our belief in freedom from Kawa that stood against Dehak. And we take our belief from many comrades fighting against Dehaks. WE ARE ALL KAWA AGAINST DEHAKS

KURDISTAN/SYRIA: Anarchists join struggle against ISIS in Kobane

The city of Kobane has been under attack by Daesh (ISIS) fascists for a number of days leading to a mass exodus of Kurds from the city. But many Kurds are now returning to fight and defend the city...

http://tahriricn.wordpress.com/2014/09/28/kurdistansyria-anarchists-join-struggle-against-isis-in-kobane/

~MANIFESTO

In light of the revolutionary awakening of the North African and Middle Eastern countries and the growing wave of protests in Europe it is extremely important for these movements to work not only in parallel, but to support each other. Unfortunately, the media image of Islamic countries in Europe and European materialism in Muslim regions affects not only the stereotypical image of the majority of society, but also the anti-authoritarian circles. It is therefore necessary to get to know each other, to see points of contact and to understand respective local conditions. It is important, because finally those two movements face similar challenges: the implementation of a liberal economy and the threat from the extreme right, whether Christian or Islamic. They have also similar objectives: the fight for a free and self-governed society based on tolerance, equality and openness, the society in which the social side is placed above the mercantile. It is those common goals which make a fear for the ruling and that is why they generate artificially the conflict of civilizations. And it is up to us whether, in this turning point of the social awakening, that conflict will become a reality, or we start a joint struggle for the common society. Through this network we want to create a platform for discussions, for presenting the issues of struggle and their local conditions and differences, for presenting and explaining undertaken actions and planning joint activities in future. There is one World, and one Struggle.

~No to US airstrikes on Syria and Iraq! All support to popular movements in Syria and Iraq!

~A statement by Syrian Revolution Bases of Support

~As the US once more beats the drums for its “war on terror” we affirm our opposition to US/coalition airstrikes on Syria and Iraq. Such imperialist intervention will only lead to propping up the sectarian occupation regime in Iraq and the genocidal Assad regime in Syria. It will further pave the way for expanding US economic and strategic interests in the region (namely exploiting resources and supporting the Zionist State).

~Obama’s move towards airstrikes comes following the assassination of American journalists and the persecution of minority communities (Christians and Ezidis) by the Islamic State. Such acts highlight the barbarity of the Daesh fascists but we question why Obama was not equally moved by the deaths of the countless Muslims who have been the primary victims of the Islamic State or the death of Syrian Muslim journalist Bassam Raeis who was executed by Daesh in August to no global outrage. The biggest terrorist threat remains the Assad regime which has killed thousands through daily barrel bombing of civilian neighbourhoods, chemical massacres, starvation sieges and torture. Such double standards show that humanitarian motives do not drive US intervention or international concern.

~Airstrikes cannot defeat Daesh as they are spread through civilian areas. They would result in heavy collateral damage. Only boots on the ground (which the US has not offered and which have been rejected by the FSA) can defeat the Islamic State. The Syrian rebels, including Kurdish fighters, have been the ones fighting Daesh for the past year, know the local geography, terrain and people, and are the best placed to strike a real blow to the Islamic State. But to do this they must be provided with the weapons they need.

~Attacking ISIS without toppling the tyrant Bashar Al Assad will only lead to exacerbating sectarian divisions in the region. Assad has been responsible both directly and indirectly to contributing to the growth of the IS, and until recently has not attacked ISIS positions focusing instead on attacking the FSA and civilians. Assad is now begging to be a partner in the US coalition, seizing the chance to gain international legitimacy. Any action seen as allying with Bashar Al Assad will lead to a backlash and exacerbate sectarian tensions. This fits well with America’s ‘divide and rule’ policy. We see in Iraq that the US is allying with the criminal government which is dropping barrel bombs on civilian neighbourhoods (recently committing a massacre at a school in Falluja) and using sectarian militias which are carrying out atrocities. The US has also focused its rhetoric on the Islamic State ignoring that popular elements (as well as remnants from the Baathist regime) are also rising against the Iraqi government. The US insistence that Malki steps down, but not doing the same for Bashar, again shows double standards.

~Whilst we oppose US/coalition airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, we are appalled by the position of sections of the “anti-war” movement and “anti-imperialist” left which have rallied around tyrannical states instead of supporting the Syrian popular uprising against both Assad and Daesh and for freedom from tyranny. It should be highlighted that the largest foreign intervention so far in Syria has been from the imperialist State of Russia and Iran which have provided massive military, economic and political support to the Assad regime to continue carrying out atrocities against the Syrian people.

~The grassroots forces of the Syrian Revolution have shown over and over again their willingness and ability to resist in battle – and often to defeat – any reactionary armed force, be it regime or reactionary “Islamist.” How else explain, after three and a half years of genocidal attacks, the continued mobilization and self-organization for daily survival of liberated towns and neighborhoods throughout the country? We reject the calls of the pseudo-Left to rely upon condescending saviors, whether in Washington or Moscow, in Damascus, Tehran or Riyadh. The steadfastness of the Syrian Revolution originates in the regionwide revolution of which it is an integral part – a revolution which on most fronts is now in retreat, but whose renewed advance depends in no small part on support, politically and materially, for the grassroots Syrian Revolution.

Syrian Revolution Bases of Support