After Trump’s betrayal of them, Syrian Kurds come together
The Kurdish unity agreement has generated hope again about guaranteeing constitutional rights to the Kurdish people in Syria. It also reflects the important role the Kurdish leadership in Iraq played to unify Syrian Kurdish parties.
Photo: A Kurdish protester flashes the victory sign in front of the European Union building in Beirut, Lebanon, during a protest against the ‘Turkish aggression’ in northern Syria. 28 January 2018. EPA-EFE/WAEL HAMZEH
By Tamr Hussein
Syrian Kurds are now happy and hopeful after the two main Kurdish political parties reached an initial agreement on a common political vision and Kurdish unity.
The unity agreement has been announced after several negotiating rounds with the support of the leaders of the Kurdistan region of Iraq and the presence of the American guarantor.
The political situation in the Kurdish regions, prior to the new agreement, was in a state of disagreement and division for many years in light of the war in Syria. A feeling of optimism and an atmosphere of trust prevails among most Kurdish activists and people in the region. They had previously felt that the Kurdish political movement had failed them and had not met the aspirations and the national demands of the Kurdish people.
During these years, Syrian Kurds were observing cautiously the developments in Syria and their region, in the absence of an active and supportive role of the United States of America, the military ally of the Kurdish forces, the most prominent force that fought a war against ISIS and contributed to decimating the group geographically.
The Kurdish concerns about the future of the region have increased mostly after new facts on the ground we’re created in thehe Kurdish areas following US president Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw some of the American forces from the border areas with Turkey, and make way for the Turkish invasion and occupation of Kurdish cities like Ras al-Ain and Tel Abyad.
Another reason is the growing Russian desire to fill the void and build a foothold in the Kurdish oil-rich region. Syrian Kurds were concerned that their region will be handed over to Russia, which to their belief will not abandon the regime of Bashar al-Assad in favor of them. Also, the current cooperation between Russia and Turkey regarding Syria will undoubtedly negatively impact on the future role of the Kurds in Syria.
Turkey has been repeatedly trying to weaken the Kurds in favor of its own affiliate opposition factions , and this was demonstrated by the notable absence of Kurdish parties from the Syrian Constitutional Committee , and the unsubstantial presence of Kurds within the delegations of the Syrian opposition in previous rounds of the Geneva talks because of Turkey’s opposition.
In fact, the Kurdish political movement in Syria has united political programs, concerning its calls for the national goals of the Kurdish people; particularly the ethnic identity of Kurds, which was the basis on which these parties advocated when they were formed in the middle and late last century in Syria.
However, the disputes between these parties were related to the power sharing of the Syrian Kurdish regions, and the political vision regarding how to deal with the Syrian opposition, which was the core of the dispute and the most complicated issue between the two main parties – the Kurdish National Council and the Democratic Union party.
A media war between the two sides ensued, that included blaming each other and exchanging charges for the political stalemate that occurred in previous years.
The Syrian Kurdish movement has fought for half a century and faced suppression during the rule of the Syrian regime, and they were among the first in forming political parties and standing up for theirtrights. The regime sowed division amongst the Syrian Kurdish movement creating differences amongst these parties.
The political division, after the outbreak of the Syrian uprising, was the most dangerous both internally and regionally and has negatively affected the Kurdish national demands. The Kurdish people in Syria, with all their different political views, firmly believe that their rights in the new Syria should not be limited to just cultural and social rights, but rather federalism is the crucial issue – Kurds in Syria consider themselves part of a nation that has been divided between four countries and they live on their historical land.
Up to this point both the opposition and the regime continue to reject the Kurdish national demands , and they both reject totally any form of Kurdish autonomy, taking advantage of the lack of an integrated Kurdish political alliance, consistent with the aspirations of the Kurdish people.
The post-war phase in Syria, that is, the start of the negotiating process regarding the future of the country and the political settlement, is important for the future of the Kurds in Syria. Now, more than ever, Syrian Kurdish politicians should put their differences and divisions aside, and take up the challenges of the stage to confront regional threats that do not stop against them. They must practice politics in a brilliant way, and read the course of events in an accurate way, because the battle will not be easy in light of the consensus of both the regime and the opposition to reject the national demands of the Kurds.
They must negotiate in the future with all the Syrian parties to put forward the demands of the Kurdish people in Syria in the best way that guarantees their rights in the constitution .They must not trust sloganeering and the rhetoric language of the opposition, that are only only meant for the media, regarding the future role of the Kurds.
It is difficult to predict the course of events in Syria in general, but this Kurdish unity agreement has spread hope again about guaranteeing constitutional rights for the Kurdish people in Syria. It also showed the important role that the Kurdish leadership in Iraq played to unify Syrian Kurdish parties. This agreement will hopefully open the door for more American support of the Kurds ,which will eventually empower the Kurdish position in any future negotiations.
The author is a Syrian Kurd journalist and Kurdish affairs analyst based in Erbil ,Iraqi Kurdistan.
Views are personal. International Affairs Review neither endorses nor is responsible for them.
