Democracy is commonly interpreted as a system self-rule for communities of
all diversities. This is the only way of materializing true democracy. Syria
is a land that harbors different ethnic and religious communities. These
communities have the right of self-rule as well as establishing a free and
democratic life for themselves. Syria has so many different ethnic and
religious communities that it can no longer be ruled by a central state
authority. The Rojava Revolution has already taken great steps towards a
democratic system in which diverse ethnic and religious communities have
achieved the capacity of self-rule.
The Kurds are the fourth largest people in the Middle East. They have a
population of 45 million in the four parts of Kurdistan. The Kurds demand
and struggle for a free and democratic life shared with all other peoples in
the region, with the present borders left intact. They have strongly
manifested this desire in Rojava. They want to be a strong basis and an
integral part of the democratic Syria. With its nearly 3 million population
as Syria¹s second largest people, the Kurds have shown their resolve for a
peaceful, free and democratic co-existence with other peoples of Syria in
their 3 administrative cantons.
The Syrian opposition does not recognize this resolve. Their attitude is no
different from that of the Baas regime. They don¹t take seriously the
demands of the Kurdish people, just like Turkey¹s attitude which says ³
leave these to last; let¹s determine the new power in Syria first². The
Kurds who have not yet been recognized and have been subjected to cultural
genocide by regional governments will no longer accept the non-recognition
of their rights. Therefore, the Kurds want to take part in the Geneva II
conference as an independent and democratic opposition force. With their
legitimate democratic demands, their organizations and their political
democratic will, the Kurds deserve participation in Geneva II. It is the
most natural right of a people, who have hitherto been denied and subjected
to cultural genocide, to take part in the Geneva II conference as a
democratic force and play role in the democratization of Syria.
However, at a time when all sides are being invited to the conference, the
Kurds¹ demand for participation has been overlooked by the countries
organizing the conference. They have denied the political will of the Kurds
with over a 3 million population and of other peoples who live side by side
with the Kurds in Rojava¹s three administrative cantons. Excluding the Kurds
from the conference at a time when they can play a powerful and constructive
role in the establishment and democratization of new Syria has from
beginning rendered the legitimacy of the conference highly questionable.
They lived one century suffering the outcomes of Lozan. Therefore, they will
not allow the Geneva II to be another Lozan for them. The Kurds will not
recognize any assembly ostracizing them and failing to reflect their rights.
With such irresponsible attitudes of the organizers towards the stability
and democratization of Syria, the Kurds neither recognize nor associate
themselves in the decisions taken there.
We call on the political powers which organize and invite opposing sides and
related countries to the conference to think twice about their decision,
ensure the participation of the Kurds and take steps that will strengthen
and render legitimate the Geneva II conference.
If they take part as an independent delegation, the Kurds will strengthen
the conference; if not, Geneva II will be an inconsistent and irresolute
conference whose legitimacy will not be recognized by the Kurds. The
exclusion of the most basic democratization force, that is, the Kurds, from
a conference on the future of Syria invalidates Syria¹s democratization from
the very beginning. Those ostracizing the Kurds will be held responsible for
this.
THE COPRESIDENCEY OF KCK EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
