Autonomy against all international approval : President of Kobani Governing Council: Geneva 2 Is Not Binding For Us

 (ANF) 28.1.2014 – Enwer Mislim, the President of the Governing Body of the Kobani Canton Council, spoke to reporters upon the official declaration of autonomy today by the Kobani Canton and the ongoing negotiations in Geneva.Mislim began by stressing that the proclamation of autonomy for the Kobanê Canton was made possible sacrifice and effort of the ‘martyrs of the revolution.’

Mislim also pointed to the work that many different individuals and organizations had put into the formation of the new government, pointing out that the acceptance of the proclamation of Democratic Autonomy by the Kobanê Council followed meetings between local council-members and members of diverse organizations in the region. Mislim said, “we have met with civil society organizations, women’s movements, youth movements and we came to the decision to form the government of the Kobani Canton.”

Mislim gave further information about the organizations and bodies that took part in the Constitutional Assembly of the Kobani Canton. Mislim said that “The Syrian Kurdish Democratic party, the Syria Women’s Initiative, the Syrian Kurdish Left Party, the Democratic Union Party, the Council of Kobani Lawyers, the Medical Council, the Transparent Kurdish Council, Kobani City Council of Experts, the National Council of the Opposition, together with independent individuals, human rights organizations, religious organizations, the Tîrêj Society, the Kurdish Student, and the Culture and Art Movement all took part.”

Mislim once again emphasized that the autonomous canton did not threaten the territorial unity of Syria or the security of neighboring countries. From this point forward Mislim said that the government would work to inspire confidence in its duties and to build the institutions necessary for governance, saying “we will struggle from this point on against the embargo in place against our canton and in order to meet the economic, social, and cultural needs of our citizens.” Mislim continued by saying that the new government would project the people against al-Qaeda, and called on all sides for an end to the bloodshed in the country, an end to the embargo, and a release of all prisoners. Finally Mislim spoke on the ongoing talks in Geneva, saying, “we believe that the Syrian problem would not be solved with a military government but with dialogue and peace. With this goal in mind the Geneva meetings have been organized. However those that must be considered the arbitrators of these lands have been kept far from the conference. We are saying here and now that Geneve-2 is not binding for us.”