Kurds, Arabs, Turkmens and Armenians living in Girê Spî came together at the Girê Spî Constituent Assembly Meeting held by Rojava Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM).

“Maintanence of peace among peoples is everybody’s responsibility” was the motto of the meeting where TEV-DEM member Ferhat Dêrik said that Girê Spî itself would organize the governance of the town. Dêrik invited everyone to contribute to the establishment of co-existence in Girê Spî and Democratic Syria.

TEV-DEM organized a Constituent Assembly Meeting and brought together representatives from the Kurdish, Arab, Turkmen and Armenian communities in Girê Spî after the liberation of the town on June 15. “Maintanence of peace among peoples is everybody’s responsibility” was the motto of the meeting where posters saying “Girê Spî is the living example of co-existence,” “Long live peoples’ sisterhood,” and “Syria belongs to everyone” decorated the meeting hall.

TEV-DEM Foreign Relations Committee Member Omer Elûş made the opening speech of the meeting and read out the council’s constituent goals. Messages of peoples in the region, TEV-DEM, Burkan El Fırat forces and Kobanê Canton were also read out loud during the meeting.

People are uniting in Girê Spî

Ferhat Dêrik evaluated the civil war in Syria and said that Girê Spî's liberation would set up an example for democracy, freedom and co-existence in the region. Dêrik described the role of foreign powers as the main problem in Syria and said that the region’s peoples have had a shared history for hundreds of years despite the interventions of foreign actors.

'They will govern themselves'

Dêrik stated that the Constituent Assembly was composed of people from Girê Spî and nobody would come from Qamişlo or Kobanê in order to govern Girê Spî. Dêrik highlighted the importance of self-governance and invited everyone to lay the foundations of co-existence and Democratic Syria in Girê Spî. Dêrik described YPG/YPJ, Burkan El Fırat and Asayiş fighters as the military and security forces of Girê Spî, and emphasized that the assembly should welcome everyone and have executive powers in order to construct a new life in the city.

Turkmens, Arabs, and Armenians have a voice

Representatives from the Turkmen, Arab and Armenian peoples of Girê Spî spoke after Ferhat Dêrik. Gazi Tirkmanî spoke on behalf of Turkmens, and Turkmen and Armenian representatives demanded the solution of their communities’ problems. The Arab representative said that Arab residents wanted to live in a secure environment, and demanded the establishment of a political will for the governance of the region. Kobanê Canton Foreign Relations Council Spokesperson İdris Nahsan stated that they would work towards the establishment of an assembly composed of their constituents.