MESOP FOCUS : Salih Muslim warns against regional interference in Syrian Kurdistan

June 2, 2014 – RUDAW – BRUSSELS, Belgium,— Co-chairman of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the biggest Syrian Kurdish party, Salih Muslim, warned of the regional interference in Syrian Kurdistan and said his party would fight against “any side that tries to undermine the enclave.” Addressing the Kurdish National Congress (KNC) in Brussels Wednesday, Muslim defended the vastly criticized PYD policies in Syrian Kurdistan.

“The struggle that was started two centuries ago for self rule continues in our time in Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan) with all its achievements,” the PYD leader said. “We are an inseparable part of the Kurdish people. Rojava is the beacon of hope for millions of Kurds across the globe, and we will fight anyone who intends to harm it.” Muslim said events in Syrian Kurdistan would inevitably impact Kurds “everywhere else as a nation.” Referring to the Syrian government as a “dictatorial force,” the PYD leader said his party has been able to defy an “oppressive system” and its “pawns” in Syrian Kurdistan.

He added that both the Syrian regime and other regional forces have been assisting various militant Islamists in Syria. “Even some Kurdish factions have resorted to militant jihadists. We have to understand what they seek and why they need such forces.”

The PYD leader also said his party had an “extensive network of diplomatic relations,” without detailing with whom. The PYD has been widely accused of covert collaboration with Damascus, something the party has categorically rejected. Muslim said his party will “adapt to the same nationalist spirit” that drove the struggle of the iconic Kurdish leaders of the past. “We will continue the liberating struggle of Sheikh Said, (Abdul Rahman) Ghassemlou, (Sadegh) Sharafkandi and Mustafa Barzani in Rojava,” he said. “The regional administrations that we have established have included all components of the society,” he said, defending the PYD-supported administrations in major cities, which he described as “safeguarding citizen rights.” Muslim was critical of the KNC for its “inability” to act in line with the demands of the Kurdish people. “Why have we not been able to hold the congress on Kurdish soil,” he rhetorically asked the participants of the congress, urging it to support Syrian Kurdistan.

“We have not given up despite a year long besiegement, when our only financial support comes from Kurds abroad.”Syrian Kurds declared their own autonomous Kurdish region (Western Kurdistan, Rojava) in November 2013. Following Jazeera (Cizîre) and Kobanê (Ayn al-Arab) cantons, Efrin (Afrin) has officially proclaimed the establishment of its government of Democratic Autonomy in January 2014.

Iraq’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) led by Kurdistan president Massoud Barzani, condemned the administrations and accused the PYD of disintegrating the unity of Kurds in Syrian Kurdistan.

The KDP has decided against recognition of the newly autonomous Syrian Kurdistan cantons. However the PUK, a member of the current Kurdistan government KRG, has claimed to recognize the cantons. Most main Iraqi Kurdish parties had recognized the autonomous Syrian Kurdistan administration, except the KDP.Four small Syrian Kurdish parties, affiliated with Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani, and which opposite the ruling PYD party in Syrian Kurdistan, merged and established a new party PDK-S (KDP-Syria).

Barzani’s KDP ordered digging ditches on Iraqi Kurdistan region’s border with Syrian Kurdistan, as they said in order to preserve the security of bordering region, but analysts believe it is more likely for isolating the Syrian Kurdistan region. Political experts say Massoud Barzani, sees Syrian Kurdistan as potential political competition. Asya Abdullah, chairwoman of the Kurdish PYD said in a speech and requested the Barzani’s KDP to end its hostile policy against Syrian Kurdistan “If you don’t want to help us, at least don’t stand against us. We repeat and emphasize again that there are many common points between the Kurdish parties, on which you should focus on. There are no fights between brothers, as some would like to see. The forces of Syrian Kurdistan will not interfere in Erbil and the forces of Iraqi Kurdistan have not invaded Rojava”.