The Democratic Autonomous Kurdish Government is made up of three cantons (Cizîr, Kobanê, Efrîn)

FIRAT NEWS – January 6, 2014 – AMÛDÊ, Syrian Kurdistan,— The West Kurdistan [Kurdish northern Syria] Constituent Assembly for Democratic Autonomy tasked with preparing the necessary laws for democratic autonomy has approved the social agreement characterized as a constitution.

Today’s session of the Constituent Assembly took place in the Amede city and witnessed the discussion of “management model”, “social agreement” and “election law”. The meeting closed to the press was attended by 61 out of 67 members of the Assembly which is made up of 52 parties, civil society organizations, youth and women’s movements and 15 independent individuals.

According to the information obtained, the Social Agreement of Democratic Autonomous Government (the Constitution) which was approved by majority vote describes Syria as a democratic country and the West Kurdistan territory as “three cantons” affiliated to it. Kurdish, Arabic and Syriac have been designated as official languages of the Cizîre canton, while all other languages in the region will also be taught to the people in the region. The Syrian Kurdistan [Rojava] Constitution also ensures the children’s rights and the rights of women to equally participate in political, economical, social and cultural life.

Some of the points highlighted in the Constitution are as follows;

– Syria is a democratic, free and independent country with its own will, and is ruled with a democratic parliamentary system.

– The Democratic Autonomous Government is a part of the future Syria to be built on a decentralized system.

– The Democratic Autonomous Government is made up of three cantons (Cizîr, Kobanê, Efrîn) and is a part of Syrian lands.

– Qamishlo is capital of the Cizire Canton which is the joint management of Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians, Chechens, Muslims, Christians and Ezidis. Relations between the peoples in the canton and their beliefs is grounded on the brotherhood, common life and solidarity of peoples. Not any people can be considered separate.

– Kurdish, Arabic and Syriac are the official languages of the Cizîre canton, while all other languages in the region are also guaranteed by the Social Agreement.

– The management of cantons and relations between their centers are based on democratic autonomy principles and YPG (People’s Defense Units) is the official armed force.

– The Social Agreement ensures youths’ participation in politics and management.

– The management protects human rights and freedoms in line with international conventions and laws. It considers rights and freedoms to be the greatest values.

– Women have the right to participate and get organized in political, economical, social, cultural and every other areas of life. Any kind of gender discrimination shall be eliminated.

– It is prohibited to subject children to work, marriage, psychological and physical torture.

– Security, stability and free education is the right of each citizen, primary school education is compulsory. The Social Agreement ensures employment, housing right, social and health guarantee, as well as the protection of mothers and babies.

– The economic system in democratic autonomous regions is built on the common development of peoples on the basis of the advancement of scientific and technological opportunities, and it is meant to meet the needs of all citizens. It protects the rights of workers and consumers and is predicated on the protection of the nature and the strengthening of the management.