MESOP : BRAVO ! – Kurdish administration in Syria rejects presidential elections

28.05.2014 – BasNews, Syria – The administrations of the three cantons of Syrian Kurdistan – Cizere, Kobani and Afrin – released a statement saying that it is impossible to hold democratic elections under the current circumstances in Syria, adding that it would produce more death and destruction.The three administrations were established in the summer last year by the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). In a joint statement published by the pro-PYD news outlet, Hawar News, the administration called for democratic dialogue between the warring factions to end the conflict and reach a political solution.

Salih Muslim, the leader of the PYD, told the news website Al Monitor that the Kurds will not participate in the election: “Either way, the Kurds will not participate. We saw what the past elections were like. They are no more than an exercise in pledging allegiance to the caliph. You either accept him [Assad] as your caliph or you don’t. We don’t.”

Although PYD officials publically rejected the presidential elections, there were still rumors that elections would be held in the Kurdish areas, especially since PYD rivals supported by Massoud Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Region, suggest there is an alliance between the PYD and the Syrian regime. Furthermore, the governor of Aleppo said that Kurds would vote for Assad in Aleppo, while the governor of Hasakah suggested the Syrian Kurds would allow the election to take place. Syrian Kurdish officials have denied these statements. Moreover, the People’s Defense Units (YPG), the main PYD militia, have rejected holding elections in the Kurdish regions.