How to Support the ecological revolution of the Kurdish Freedom Movement
Rojava is a free and autonomous region of North-Eastern Syria where multiple ancient societies have settled long before the start of the first human civilizations.People have lived in this territory for thousands of years beneficiating from its resources, its soil fertility and its water richness in a multicultural synergistic environment.But since the last decades Rojava, as well as great parts of the middle east, has been place of colonization and exploitation for capitalistic accumulation and people’s oppression. Land has been deforested and biodiversity, soil fertility and water availability have decreased. People have been forced to move away from their native land because it became unable to support life. As if that was not enough, Rojava has recently been affected by a cruel war that brought death and further altered and destroyed its ecological balance, causing millions of refugees.However, the population of Rojava never stopped their resistance and still refuses the colonial and capitalist offensives of the Syrian Baath regime and on the other side the Turkish fascist state, that worked hand in hand with terrorist groups such as ISIS. In opposition to those oppressive power, the population of Rojava started in 2012 a revolutionary process and implemented a system called “Democratic Confederalism”. This system, based on radical grassroots democracy, ecology and the liberation of women pushes for the autonomy of the different communities through the sharing and the common managing of their land and ecological practices are implemented to replace exploitative ones.
With the “Make Rojava Green Again” campaign, we want to support Democratic Confederalism as the way to create of a free and ecological life for North-Eastern Syria, for the Middle-East and for the whole world. Through our project, we gather people, ideas, knowledge and practices to rebuild the ecological balance between human and nature. It is not just about experts, Rojava needs people who wants to learn, participate and become part of the Revolution.Rojava needs us, and we have so much to learn from Rojava. We need hope, faith, inspiration and new perspectives in a collective struggle against oppression. Learning from the Kurdish movement means to organize and spread the revolution.
And you can help us in many different ways…
Come to Rojava!
If you are thinking about coming to join the civil revolution here in Rojava, you may find answers to your questions below. We would also recommend you read some of the other resources on our site to get a picture of life here in Rojava. You can learn more about us and about our three aims as internationalists – to ‘learn, support, organize’. You can also read this article about being part of the revolution, which includes interviews with long-term members of the commune, or read some of the other interviews we’ve made about our work.
Organize and spread!
The third main aspect of the Make Rojava Green Again campaign will be the organisation of global solidarity. Through our campaign and outreach, we want to build a bridge between the local communal entities of the democratic self-administration and ecological projects in northern Syria, and interested activists, experts, academics, institutions and organisations from all over the world. Of course, one of the best ways to promote this ecological work is to get involved here in Rojava. But this possibility is not open to all people: coming to Rojava is difficult because of the political situation in the surrounding countries, and sometimes the route is completely closed. That’s why several months should be planned for any stay in northern Syria. Nevertheless, there are many ways to help: whether in Rojava itself or from outside, solidarity and the struggle for an ecological society know no borders.
Support Solardarity!
The Rojava Autonomous Region in northern and eastern Syria has been in existence for 12 years and is a glimmer of hope for democratic reconstruction in Syria. Since its foundation, Rojava has had to defend itself against numerous threats. In addition to the clashes with the Assad regime, the main threats have been the wars with Turkey and the so-called Islamic State.
Now, however, the autonomy project is facing existential challenges. The energy supply is threatening to collapse. Turkish air strikes have largely destroyed the power stations and substations in the region. Electricity is in short supply and is mostly generated by dirty diesel generators. The civilian population suffers from a lack of electricity and water on a daily basis, but agriculture – in a region already hardest hit by climate change – is also severely affected.
But we can do something. With clean energy from the sun in Syria. The installation of decentralised solar panels should help to supply municipal facilities, hospitals, schools and women’s shelters with electricity.
We are therefore raising one million euros for solar panels to supply public facilities in northern and eastern Syria with sustainable electricity. In this way, we can make a difference and contribute to the further development of a democratic, gender-equitable and ecological alternative in the Middle East.
Let’s make a difference together: let’s send new energy to Rojava!