Rojava Solidarity Seattle Action Reportback

Submitted to It’s Going Down

On Sunday, May 15th Rojava Solidarity Seattle organized a march and rally, starting in Westlake Park and making stops at the Turkish Commercial Attaché and the Facebook offices. With about 20 folks participating, we were able to post “warning” notices up at both locations, confetti blast them with Rojava colors, and hand out fliers about Rojava to passers-by.

These organizations were targeted by us due to their explicit support for the Turkish state in their quest to silence and destroy Kurdish voices of dissent against them. Turkey has been conducting what can only be described as a genocide against the Kurds in Bakur while also acting in an overtly counter-revolutionary and antagonistic manner toward Rojava.

This action was motivated by our desire to continue to educate the broader Seattle community about democratic confederalism and the revolution currently taking place in Rojava, as well as to draw attention to two campaigns:

1. Feed the Revolution: An international fundraiser with a goal of raising $200,000 USD to build a plant that will turn organic waste into fertilizer, to be run by a worker’s collective. This is necessary to develop agriculture resources that have been all but destroyed by blockades and war, and to do it in a sustainable way that builds on the ecological principles of the revolution. Learn more and donate here.

2. LGBTI Peace Initiative’s Call to Action: The LGBTI Peace Initiative is a group of LGBTI activists in Turkey, organized after the Suruç Bombing on July 20, 2015. They stand firmly against war, patriarcy, and oppression: “War means continuous discrimination, tyranny and violence against the Other, and a war is being waged on we LGBTIs in Turkey. If there is no peace, there is no chance of an equal and free life. Today we believe that, peace is an urgent necessity for everyone in Turkey. The war and violence of the Palace feeds on militarism and a patriarchal mindset, it valorizes masculinity and preaches hate. We, as LGBTIs, are united against the war of patriarchy.” Highlighting Turkey’s brutal treatment of refugees, journalists, academics and non-Turks in the southeast, they are calling on the international community to put pressure on the Turkish state and the European Union to end these abuses. We stand in solidarity with the LGBTI Peace Initiative in their work to make sure none of us turn a blind eye to war and genocide. More info here.

In addition to these two campaigns, we were also out in solidarity with the autonomous LCC’s throughout Syria who are still carrying on the revolution against the Syrian state (against both the brutal Assad Regime and armed, theocratic fascists such as Nursa), all First Nations people as they lead the continued fight for an ecologically-mindful society, all people out reclaiming the commons for #NuitDebout, and with all Palestinians on this sorrowful day of Nakba.

Overall, this was a successful, albeit small action, and we are continuing to think about new ways that we can both support the many organizations and initiativesacting in coordination with Rojava and educate our communities about democratic confederalism. A short video from our visit to the Facebook offices can be found here: https://youtu.be/4m91Uk2P1DA

Biji Rojava!