As Turkey steps up its attacks on the tiny autonomous region of Rojava, in North East Syria, there is an international call for support, specifically addressed to women of the world.

Since 2012, Rojava has been deverloping a unique social experiment in which decisions are made democratically and the liberation of women is centered.

"Everyone thought that revolutions were no longer possible, that it was a fairy tale; that we are doomed to this capitalism because the Soviet Union collapsed. And we showed that in the Middle East we can live in another way."

"A revolution that also intends to be ecologist and feminist and that is inspired by anarchism, municipalism and Zapatismo...Rojava, the first revolution of the 21st century."

---From the Global Grassroots Justice Alliance (ggjalliance.org)

GUEST

Our guest will be Anya Briy, who has just come back from spending three months in Rojava

Anya Briy is a New York based activist, writer and researcher focusing on the Kurdish freedom movements and a member of the Emergency Committee for Rojava

We will also be playing an excerpt from an interview with Meredith Tax, who was a founder of the Emergency Committee for Rojava, speaking on the meaning (and structure) of Rojava and why it is the best place for women she had seen in her long life (Meredith Tax passed away in September of this year).

THE STRUCTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN ROJAVA

Starting at the local level, people are organized into communes which make local decisions and send representatives to councils at which society-wide decisions are made. At every level, there must be both women and men co-chairs, with the women being elected by other women. In all issues relating specifically to women, such as domestic violence: all-woman councils have the last word on decisions. So there is a parallel system of all women councils in addition to mixed councils. There are all-women militias as well as mixed-sex militias.

BACKGROUND OF ROJAVA

Rojava came about through the leadership of Abdullah Ocalan, who was influenced not only by Socialism but by the American anarchist Murray Bookchin. The Rojava revolution in North and East Syria has inspired the world with its radical experiment in self-governance rooted in direct-democracy, women’s liberation, cultural pluralism, ecology, and a cooperative economy. In the midst of Syria’s bloody civil war, Rojava has become a beacon of hope for peace in the Middle East after Kurdish-led self-defense forces courageously defeated ISIS, liberating a third of Syria. Today, communities in the region continue defend their territory in the face of Turkish invasion and occupation. 

FROM THE WEBSITE OF THE GRASSROOTS GLOBAL JUSTICE ALLIANCE (ggjalliance.org)

“What started out as a rather conventional Marxist-Leninist separatist group calling for a socialist State, has evolved in an incredibly interesting direction. It really comes from struggles and debates within the movement, which has, I think, come up with a really fascinating synthesis of traditional Kurdish, western anarchist and other ideas.”

A revolution that also intends to be ecologist and feminist and that is inspired by anarchism, municipalism and Zapatismo...Rojava, the first revolution of the 21st century.

Re Women/Women's Militias

"...you can’t get rid of capitalism without getting rid of the State, you can’t get rid of the State without getting rid of patriarchy, so let’s start with patriarchy. How do you get rid of patriarchy? Well it’s going to be complicated, but giving women access to automatic weapons, it could be a start.”

The program will also include the Worldwide Feminist News segment and topical music (including music of the Rojavan Revolution).