"What has been achieved in Rojava is a pinnacle of resistance – new peaks will arise and be ascended. We salute the 19 July and we will spread the lessons to be learned from it," says Peace in Kurdistan Campaign.
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign sent greetings to the people of Rojava and to all Kurdish people on the 8th anniversary of the 19 July 2012 Revolution.
In a message it said: "The bold initiative that was taken, beginning in Kobane and then followed across north and east Syria, has been an inspiration and has brought lessons for all the people of the Middle East and for all those in struggle for survival and liberation across the world.
The subjection of the Kurdish people and their partition between Syria, Turkey, Iran and Iraq after the First World War has endured the subjugation of the entire region. Generations of resistance and of the struggle for rights taught the Kurds the value and real meaning of democracy."
The statement added: "When the people of Rojava rose up against the Ba’athist state it was also against autocracy, sectarianism, religious bigotry, women’s oppression and the legacy of division. Real democracy meant self-organisation, taking responsibility for participation in decision making, organising communes and local councils from which no group would be excluded by ethnicity, belief, culture or gender, taking responsibility for meeting people’s basic needs – as outlined by the imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan. In the three cantons of Al-Jazeera, Kobani and Afrin the people demonstrated what was possible. With the formation of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) means of defending the people’s aspirations and achievements were established. The 134 days of resistance at Kobane and the victory over ISIS won the respect and thanks of the world. You defeated hatred and fascism."
The statement reminded that "today, it is not enough to congratulate the Kurdish people and others who live in Rojava and the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, we must oppose those who would crush the achievements and turn back progress made. Real democracy, women’s libertion, social ecology and a cooperative economy are viewed as threats and enemies by local and international powers who have benefited from the Kurdish people’s oppression. The armed forces of the Turkish state are attacking Rojava, other powers collude with them."
Peace in Kurdistan reiterated: "We must demand that the British state end its support for Turkey’s war on the Kurds in Rojava, Turkey and elsewhere. Oppose the criminalisation of the Kurds in Turkey, Britain and wherever they assert their human rights. What has been achieved in Rojava is a pinnacle of resistance – new peaks will arise and be ascended. We salute the 19 July and we will spread the lessons to be learned from it."
