Latest news with #Kurdish-majority
Rudaw Net
6 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Rojava ruling party rejects Damascus ‘integration' as bid to ‘dismantle' institutions
Also in Syria Rojava administration reiterates call for 'decentralized' Syria, constitutional overhaul Rojava official says concerned about hate speech, treason accusations after US envoy remarks Washington prioritizing unified Syria, not Kurdish autonomy: Former US diplomat Syrian, Israeli officials meet in Baku: Sources A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A senior official of the ruling Kurdish party in northeast Syria (Rojava) strongly criticized a proposal by the interim government in Damascus to "integrate" institutions within the Kurdish-majority region, describing it as an attempt to dismantle Rojava's self-governing administration, rather than a genuine move toward national unity under a democratic framework. Fawza Youssef, a member of the presidential body of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), warned that the new Syrian leadership's integration push reflects an effort 'to dissolve the institutions of the [Kurdish-led Democratic] Autonomous Administration [of North and East Syria's - DAANES],' stripping it of its 'political and service-oriented functions.' In an interview aired Saturday by Ronahi TV, a media outlet affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Youssef argues that DAANES's model - established over the past 13 years - should not be viewed as "an obstacle, but a pillar for strengthening Syria's power and cohesion,' and a cornerstone for rebuilding a democratic Syria. Following a swift offensive in December, a coalition of opposition groups - led at the time by the now-dissolved Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under Ahmed al-Sharaa - toppled the regime of longtime Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Sharaa was appointed interim president in January, pledging to lead an inclusive political process. However, in the months that followed, the new interim government's policies have been criticized as exclusionary, especially by minority groups, including the Kurds. Despite this, a milestone agreement was signed in March between Sharaa and SDF chief Mazloum Abdi to integrate the US-backed Kurdish-led force, which serves as Rojava's de facto military, into Syria's national institutions. The accord also noted the integration of 'all civil and military institutions' in Rojava 'under the administration of the Syrian state, including border crossings, the [Qamishli International] Airport, and oil and gas fields.' But Youssef pushed back against Damascus's interpretation of "integration," clarifying that for the PYD, "Integration certainly does not mean disarming, closing institutions, or assimilation within a centralized state. Rather, what is required is recognition of this experience and its participation within a comprehensive national democratic framework." She attributed Syria's current woes to centralized governance, arguing that it "brought the country to its current state, collapsed the political structure' and 'paved the way for deep foreign interventions in Syrian affairs." Youssef further highlighted a deep 'lack of trust between Syrian parties,' citing what she described as the interim government's failure to uphold previous agreements. Since the March Abdi-Sharaa deal, multiple rounds of negotiations have taken place between DAANES and Syrian government delegations, including sessions attended by US and French envoys. However, a fundamental disagreement continues to stall progress. Damascus insists on full absorption of DAANES's administrative and military structures into a centralized Syrian state, based on the principle of 'one Syria, one army, one government.' Conversely, DAANES and the PYD advocate for a decentralized, democratic Syria that preserves the autonomy and institutions developed in Rojava.
Al-Ahram Weekly
6 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Turkey's Kurdish regions not yet ready to believe in peace process - Region
Southeast Turkey, where the army has battled Kurdish militants for decades, is not yet convinced that lasting peace is at hand. In a slickly managed ceremony across the border in Iraq Friday, members of the Kurdish rebel group PKK destroyed their weapons as part of a peace process underway with the Turkish state. But on the streets and in the tea houses of Hakkari, a Kurdish-majority town some 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the Iraqi border, few people express much hope that the deadly conflict is over. Police, including undercover officers, patrol the streets of the small town and make their presence felt, an AFP team observed, which discouraged locals from wanting to talk to visiting reporters. One tea drinker who was willing to speak asked not to be filmed. "We don't talk about it because we never know what will happen tomorrow," he explained. "We can say something now and tomorrow be punished for it," he added, noting that previous peace attempts have failed. The conflict has caused 50,000 deaths among civilians and 2,000 among soldiers, according to Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 'All kinds of persecution' On the pavement in front of the restaurant where he works, Mehmet Duman raised his eyebrows. At 26, he's already seen enough to make him doubt. "They segregated us, beat us, simply because we're Kurdish," he said. "We witnessed all kinds of persecution. "So from now on, if the state wants a future for Turkey -- if they want Turkey to be a good environment for everyone -- they must stop all this," he said. "The state must also take a step" to match the symbolic operation to destroy PKK weapons in Iraq. "Turkey has won," Erdogan said Saturday, a day after the PKK's symbolic destruction of weapons signalling the start of the disarmament process. "Eighty-six million citizens have won," he added. While he has opened a peace process with the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers' Party, he has also continued his crackdown on opposition parties. The government has arrested hundreds of members of the CHP, a social-democratic, secular party descended from Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. The main opposition force to Erdogan, it is rising in the polls. "Since the beginning of the peace process, Turkey has become a much more authoritarian country," said political analyst Berk Esen. "The disarmament of a terrorist organization should, or could, lead to democratization and social peace, but it probably won't." Crackdown on opposition Those arrested include the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, the party's likely candidate in the next presidential elections, and the mayors of other major cities who took power when CHP made major gains in March 2024 local elections. Accused of "corruption", they deny the charges against them. The crackdown has also hit opposition media outlets, such as the Sozcu channel. It was forced into silence after 16 fines and suspensions since January -- "one every two weeks", its director, Ozgur Cakmakci, noted Tuesday evening as lights went out. "There is little doubt that there is an intention to liquidate opposition channels as part of an authoritarian project," said Erol Onderoglu, the Turkish representative of Reporters Without Borders. On Saturday morning, before the plenary session of his AKP party, Erdogan sought to be reassuring. "We know what we are doing. No one should worry, be afraid, or question anything. Everything we are doing is for Turkey, for our future and our independence," he insisted. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
The Sun
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Kurdish regions in Turkey skeptical of peace process despite PKK disarmament
HAKKARI: In southeast Turkey, where decades of conflict between the army and Kurdish militants have left deep scars, optimism about the ongoing peace process remains scarce. Despite a high-profile ceremony in Iraq where PKK rebels destroyed their weapons, locals in Hakkari, a Kurdish-majority town near the Iraqi border, express little faith in a lasting resolution. Undercover police patrol the streets, discouraging open discussion. One resident, hesitant to speak on camera, voiced common fears. 'We don't talk about it because we never know what will happen tomorrow,' he said. 'We can say something now and tomorrow be punished for it.' The conflict has claimed over 50,000 civilian and 2,000 military lives, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. While he declared victory following the PKK's symbolic disarmament, skepticism lingers among Kurdish communities. Mehmet Duman, a 26-year-old restaurant worker, recounted years of discrimination. 'They segregated us, beat us, simply because we're Kurdish,' he said. 'If the state wants a future for Turkey, they must stop all this.' Despite the peace initiative, Erdogan's government continues targeting opposition figures and media. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a potential presidential candidate, and other CHP officials face corruption charges they deny. Opposition outlets like Sozcu TV have been repeatedly fined and suspended. Political analyst Berk Esen warns that while disarmament could bring peace, Turkey's growing authoritarianism suggests otherwise. 'The disarmament of a terrorist organization should lead to democratization, but it probably won't,' he said. Erdogan, however, remains confident. 'Everything we are doing is for Turkey, for our future,' he stated. Yet for many in Hakkari, trust in the process remains fragile. - AFP
Int'l Business Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Turkey's Kurdish Regions Not Yet Ready To Believe In Peace Process
Southeast Turkey, where the army has battled Kurdish militants for decades, is not yet convinced that lasting peace is at hand. In a slickly managed ceremony across the border in Iraq Friday, members of the Kurdish rebel group PKK destroyed their weapons as part of a peace process underway with the Turkish state. But on the streets and in the tea houses of Hakkari, a Kurdish-majority town some 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the Iraqi border, few people express much hope that the deadly conflict is over. Police, including undercover officers, patrol the streets of the small town and make their presence felt, an AFP team observed, which discouraged locals from wanting to talk to visiting reporters. One tea drinker who was willing to speak asked not to be filmed. "We don't talk about it because we never know what will happen tomorrow," he explained. "We can say something now and tomorrow be punished for it," he added, noting that previous peace attempts have failed. The conflict has caused 50,000 deaths among civilians and 2,000 among soldiers, according to Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On the pavement in front of the restaurant where he works, Mehmet Duman raised his eyebrows. At 26, he's already seen enough to make him doubt. "They segregated us, beat us, simply because we're Kurdish," he said. "We witnessed all kinds of persecution. "So from now on, if the state wants a future for Turkey -- if they want Turkey to be a good environment for everyone -- they must stop all this," he said. "The state must also take a step" to match the symbolic operation to destroy PKK weapons in Iraq. "Turkey has won," Erdogan said Saturday, a day after the PKK's symbolic destruction of weapons signalling the start of the disarmament process. "Eighty-six million citizens have won," he added. While he has opened a peace process with the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers' Party, he has also continued his crackdown on opposition parties. The government has arrested hundreds of members of the CHP, a social-democratic, secular party descended from Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. The main opposition force to Erdogan, it is rising in the polls. "Since the beginning of the peace process, Turkey has become a much more authoritarian country," said political analyst Berk Esen. "The disarmament of a terrorist organization should, or could, lead to democratization and social peace, but it probably won't." Those arrested include the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, the party's likely candidate in the next presidential elections, and the mayors of other major cities who took power when CHP made major gains in March 2024 local elections. Accused of "corruption", they deny the charges against them. The crackdown has also hit opposition media outlets, such as the Sozcu channel. It was forced into silence after 16 fines and suspensions since January -- "one every two weeks", its director, Ozgur Cakmakci, noted Tuesday evening as lights went out. "There is little doubt that there is an intention to liquidate opposition channels as part of an authoritarian project," said Erol Onderoglu, the Turkish representative of Reporters Without Borders. "We know what we are doing. No one should worry, be afraid, or question anything. Everything we are doing is for Turkey, for our future and our independence," he insisted. While he has opened a peace process with the PKK, Erdogan has continued his crackdown on opposition parties AFP
Rudaw Net
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Kurds to unite against Diyala district changes
Also in Iraq Diyala governor to probe disappearance of nearly 400 gazelles All Kurdish oil exports to be handed over to Baghdad: Source Solutions for Erbil-Baghdad disputes reached, talks to continue: Iraqi parliament PM Barzani, Iraqi parliament speaker discuss budget disputes A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) will host a meeting of Kurdish political parties in the disputed city of Khanaqin in Diyala province to present a unified stance against changes to Kurdish-majority subdistricts in the province, a senior PUK official said. The Iraqi government last week approved changes in Diyala province that will see the merging of predominantly-Kurdish subdistricts of Qaratapa, Jabara, Koks, and Kulajo into a new Qaratapa district. The decision has been deemed by Kurds as a renewed effort to alter the demographics of the disputed province and seize territory from Kurdish control, with Koks subdistrict falling inside the boundaries of the Kurdistan Region's Garmiyan administration. Sherko Mirwais, a PUK leadership official and head of the party's Khanaqin office, called the changes a 'threat to all of Kurdistan and the future of Kurds in Kurdish areas outside the Kurdistan Region's administration.' Kurdish officials call disputed areas 'Kurdish areas outside the Kurdistan Region's administration.' 'We have invited all Kurdish parties to gather, and tomorrow, we will make a collective decision to reject this injustice being committed upon the Kurds,' he told Rudaw on Monday. Describing the decision as 'illegal,' Mirwais claimed that the decision is politically motivated and is spearheaded by Iraqi political parties in Baghdad, especially with the approaching federal parliament elections in November. 'The situation created in Diyala province is an example of a complex and dangerous situation in all Kurdish areas outside the Kurdistan Region's administration. Kurds, representatives, and Kurdish officials in Baghdad must be well aware of this chauvinistic political intention,' he stressed. Earlier this month, the sole PUK member of the Diyala Provincial Council condemned the decision as politically motivated. 'We reject the decision to make Qaratapa subdistrict a district as it is political, falls under Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, and should not be tampered with,' Aws al-Mahdawi told Rudaw, adding that Qaratapa's population does not amount to the required 400,000 to upgrade it to a district. Karwan Yarwais, a lawmaker in the Iraqi parliament from the PUK, on Friday stated that the decision to turn Qaratapa into a district violates the Iraqi constitution, which prohibits changes to territories disputed between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) until Article 140 is fully implemented. Following the fall of the Baath regime in 2003, Iraq began a policy of de-Arabization under Article 140 of the constitution, aiming to reverse the demographic changes imposed by former dictator Saddam Hussein. The failure to fully implement it, however, has been cited as one of the main reasons for the continued attempts at demographic change in the disputed territories. Nwenar Fatih contributed to this report.
