KURDWATCH NEWSLETTER APRIL MAY 2013

Al-Qamishli: PYD demands the registration of demonstrations / A MODEL FOR A DEMOCRATIC KURDISTAN IN SYRIA? 

KURDWATCH, May 1, 2013—On April 26, 2013, the Asayiş, the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) security service, distributed flyers in al‑Qamishli calling upon all institutions in civil society to submit an application with the Asayiş for any demonstrations [further information]. Only the Friday demonstrations are excluded from this. Anyone who does not follow this order is to be punished in accordance with legal provisions. It is unclear if this refers to Syrian law or the PYD’s parallel law.

Tall Tamr: Fighting between YPG and Sharabiyin continues

KURDWATCH, May 7, 2013—Between April 26 and May 3, 2013, shots were repeatedly exchanged in Tall Tamr (thirty-seven kilometers south east of Raʾs al‑ʿAyn) between fighters for the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) People’s Defense Units  (YPG) and armed members of the Arab Sharabiyin tribe.

In addition, at least four Kurds were arrested at a Sharabiyin checkpoint near Tall Tamr on April 27; they were released a few days later. According to information from the YPG, Islamic groups including the Jabhat al‑Nasra allegedly fought on the side of the Sharabiyin. In a statement, the YPG announced that four of its members were killed, as well as thirty-five fighters for the opposing side. Moreover, the YPG allegedly arrested a fighter from Saudi Arabia, one from Europe, and three Kurds from Kirkuk who supposedly fought on the side of the Sharabiyin.

Al-Qamishli: No more PYD demonstrations

KURDWATCH, May 6, 2013—Ongoing fighting between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and government troops in the week from April 27 to May 3, 2013 resulted again in numerous dead and injured. On May 3, demonstrators throughout the country once again demanded the fall of the regime. They gathered under the common slogan »Your taboos are killing the Syrians«. Supporters of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) did not organize any demonstrations this week. In al‑Qamishli, one demonstration took place in each of the districts of al‑ʿAntariyah (organized by various youth groups) and Munir Habib (organized by the Kurdish National Council). Two dissident demonstrations took place in ʿAmudah, organized by the Kurdish National Council and various youth groups, including Avahî. There were also two demonstrations in al‑Hasakah, one organized by the Kurdish National Council, the other by Arab groups. The Kurdish National Council organized one demonstration in each of the cities of ad‑Darbasiyah, ʿAyn al‑ʿArab (Kobanî), al‑Jawadiyah (Çil Axa), and al‑Qahtaniyah (Tirbesipî). The Kurdish National Council’s weekly demonstrations al‑Malikiyah and al‑Maʿbada (Girkê Legê) took place on Saturday. There were no protests in ʿAfrin or Raʾs al‑ʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê), nor in the Kurdish districts of Aleppo and Damascus.

Damascus: Journalist arrested

KURDWATCH, May 5, 2013—On April 24, 2013, the activist and journalist Shiyar Khalil (b. 1985 in ʿAfrin), a member of the Union of Kurdish Journalists, was arrested along with seven other activists at a café in Damascus. Thus far it is uncertain which security service is responsible for the arrests.

Al-Qamishli: Kurdish National Council and youth groups continue to organize demonstrations

KURDWATCH, May 4, 2013—Ongoing fighting between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and government troops in the week from April 20 to 26, 2013 resulted again in numerous dead and injured. On April 26, demonstrators throughout the country demanded the fall of the regime. They gathered under the common slogan »Protection of the majority«. Supporters of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) did not organize any demonstrations, but rather funeral processions in ʿAmudah and ad‑Darbasiyah for the burials of slain YPG [further information] and PKK fighters. In al‑Qamishli, one demonstration took place in each of the districts of al‑ʿAntariyah (organized by various youth groups) and Munir Habib (organized by the Kurdish National Council). Two dissident demonstrations took place in ʿAmudah, organized by the Kurdish National Council and various youth groups, including Avahî. There were also two demonstrations in al‑Hasakah, one organized by the Kurdish National Council, the other by Arab groups. The Kurdish National Council organized one demonstration in each of the cities of ad‑Darbasiyah, ʿAyn al‑ʿArab (Kobanî), al‑Jawadiyah (Çil Axa), and al‑Qahtaniyah (Tirbesipî). The Kurdish National Council’s weekly demonstrations in al‑Malikiyah and al‑Maʿbada (Girkê Legê) took place on Saturday. There were no protests in ʿAfrin or Raʾs al‑ʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê) nor in the mainly Kurdish districts of Aleppo and Damascus.

Raʾs al-ʿAyn: Leading member of the Left party kidnapped

KURDWATCH, May 2, 2013—On April 25, 2013, Mustafa Farhan (b. 1970 in Raʾs al‑ʿAyn, married, four children), leading member of Muhammad Musa’s Kurdish Left Party in Syria, was kidnapped on the road between Tall Tamr and Raʾs al‑ʿAyn (Serê Kaniyê). In a statement, the Left Party blamed the Arab Sharabiyin tribe for the kidnapping. The same day, shots were exchanged between Sharabiyin and fighters for the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) People’s Defense Units (YPG) [further information]. Farhan was released the following day.

Tall Tamr: Fighting between YPG and Scharabiyin

KURDWATCH, May 2, 2013—On April 25, 2013, shots were exchanged between the Democratic Union Party’s (PYD) People’s Defense Units (YPG) and armed members of the Arab Sharabiyin tribe at a YPG checkpoint in Tall Tamr (thirty-seven kilometers southeast of Raʾs al‑ʿAyn). At least one YPG fighter and eight Scharabiyin, including one woman, are thought to have been killed.

Al-Malikiyah: Construction of a provisional bridge to Iraqi-Kurdistan

KURDWATCH, May 1, 2013—In mid‑April 2013, the Kurdish regional government in Iraq began building a provisional bridge across the Tigris at the Faysh Khabur border crossing east of al‑Malikiyah (Dêrik). The bridge is the result of heavy border traffic between the Kurdish regions of Syria and Iraq and should facilitate the faster transport of goods in particular. Until now, people and goods have been transported across the border river with boats and a ropeway. The Syrian side of the border is officially controlled by the Supreme Kurdish Committee. Border fees are to be divided between the People’s Council of West Kurdistan and the Kurdish National Council. In practice, however, this has not yet happened. »Thus far around one hundred thousand dollars are presumed to have been collected«, reported a person responsible for finances in the Supreme Kurdish Committee. »To my knowledge, the Kurdish National Council has not received any of it; at most, smaller sums have gone to individual parties. The PYD controls all of the revenues.«

Damascus: Kurdish Literature as a field of study

KURDWATCH, April 29, 2013—After decades of sanctions against the Kurdish language in schools, universities, and agencies, the Syrian government resolved to teach Kurdish literature at Syrian universities in the future. On April 18, 2013, President Bashar al‑Assad stated in an interview that he wanted to introduce this subject into the country’s literary departments. The University of Damascus has already made an announcement seeking two suitable teachers.

Al-Qamishli: Supreme Kurdish Committee introduces Kurdish license plates

KURDWATCH, April 29, 2013—In several Kurdish cities, the Supreme Kurdish Committee has begun replacing Syrian license plates with new plates specially produced for the Kurdish regions. These license plates have the Kurdish city names in Arabic and Latin script. Moreover, alongside the abbreviation SYR for Syria is the abbreviation RK for Rojavayê Kurdistan (West Kurdistan).