Ecosocialist Alliance Statement - Ukraine/Climate Emergency

Ecosocialist Alliance, organised by Green Left, Left Unity and Anti-Capitalist Resistance in the UK, have released a statement on the importance of not losing sight of the climate emergency, amid the events in Ukraine. 

The war in Ukraine 

The Ecosocialist Alliance unreservedly condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and stands in solidarity with its people. We therefore call for an immediate and unconditional halt to the war and the withdrawal of all Russian military personnel and equipment. We also oppose any NATO escalation and, instead, support diplomatic negotiations to resolve this crisis. 

However, whilst the main responsibility for this invasion of a sovereign country rests with Putin and his pursuit of a new Russian imperialism in the region, we also recognise that, since 1989, US foreign policy and actions, and NATO’s expansion and positioning of nuclear weapons, have all been long-term factors contributing to this current crisis. We thus also call for a halt to further NATO expansion and, ultimately, for NATO’s disbandment. 

Additionally, we call on the UK government to open our borders to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict, whether or not they have relatives living here; and to provide humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees (wherever they may be), and to those civilians still remaining in Ukraine - such aid to be paid for by seizing the funds of Russian oligarchs in any way linked to Putin’s regime. 

The Climate Emergency 

However, despite the unfolding human tragedy in Ukraine, we must not lose sight of the fact that the recent IPCC Report - issued just days after the Russian invasion and, as a result, largely ignored by the mainstream media - clearly shows the world is already experiencing an even more serious humanitarian crisis than that in Ukraine: Climate Breakdown.  

So far, this is mostly unfolding in the Global South, but is already impacting on millions of people. The Report issues stark warnings that, unless serious steps are taken in the next few years to drastically reduce GHG emissions, Planet Earth is headed for an increase in average global heating of 3C or even more. This would, amongst other things, lead to millions of climate-related deaths and create tens of millions of climate refugees. 

The Ecosocialist Alliance thus totally opposes all those cynically using the Ukraine Crisis, and UK imports of Russian gas and oil, as excuses for abandoning the UK’s ‘target’ of ‘net zero’ emissions by 2050. In particular, we condemn the ‘Big Carbon’ arsonists and the Tory ‘culture war’ right in the Net Zero Scrutiny Group (NZSG) - and their supporters in the Tory government - who are now calling for ending the moratorium on fracking, for the opening up of new oil and gas fields, a massive roll-out of new nuclear, and even for allowing new coalmines. 

Instead, we call for a massive and immediate investment in renewable energy schemes across the country, and for a nationwide insulation programme to retro-fit all the UK’s homes and offices. Such policies will end the UK’s dependence on Russian oil and gas - and on all oil and gas, wherever they come from - and thus achieve ‘energy security’ much more quickly and much more cheaply than any of the dirty fossil-fuel schemes currently being called for by the Tory right. 

A rapid push for renewables and insulation would also help to significantly address the cost of living crisis by cutting domestic energy bills, and so reducing the number of those currently living in fuel poverty. Such steps would also help decrease the ecological and geo-political risks posed by competition for fossil fuel reserves - and the global war machines that depend on the petro-chemical industries and which are responsible for massive GHG emissions.   

All these steps would greatly contribute to solving the ever-worsening Climate Crisis, and to reducing mounting risks to global peace.

Contact - eco-socialist-action@protonmail.com

The US Empire, NATO and Ukraine

 

The US Imperium

Written by Allan Todd 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - which, despite having a strongly-neoliberal pro-West government, is nonetheless still a sovereign country and therefore has the right to be independent - has justly been condemned by most people. Unsurprisingly, it’s also been widely covered by the mainstream media, which has focussed mainly on the plight of civilians and the land-grabbing ‘adventures’ of Putin’s Russia over recent years. 

To its credit, the left generally - in the UK, Russia and elsewhere - have taken part in demonstrations, demanding an immediate end to the fighting, the immediate withdrawal of all Russian forces, and the resumption of meaningful diplomatic negotiations to resolve the crisis.  We must stand with all anti-war campaigners. 

Expansion of NATO 

However, much of the media coverage has been somewhat one-sided, with the main focus being on the threats posed by Putin’s ‘Greater Russia’ imperialism.  Even Channel 4 News seems reluctant to comment on how the USA’s use of NATO has been a major factor in this current Ukraine Crisis. Only recently, Denmark has entered talks which would mean, for the first time, that foreign - i.e. US - troops could be stationed on its territory.  Yet that factor seems to be the proverbial ‘elephant in the room’. As the saying goes: context is (almost!) everything.

The ‘elephant’ that is NATO’s continual expansion

Certainly, there’s incredible hypocrisy around US/Western dismissal of Russian concerns about having a powerful global nuclear alliance right on its borders. Quite a contrast with how the USA’s fears were treated in 1962, concerning the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba - located in a region the US has, since the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, identified as its ‘backyard’.  Given that, in the 20th.C., Russia was invaded twice via Poland/Ukraine, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that present-day Russia is concerned about what happens on its western borders. 

In 1989 and 1990, US Secretary of State James Baker assured Soviet leaders that, if they accepted German reunification and disbanded the Warsaw Pact (the USSR’s response, in 1955, to NATO), the US would not expand NATO eastwards from what was then West Germany. The US broke those promises and, since then, has expanded NATO - which remains an alliance prepared to use nuclear weapons - right up to Russia’s western borders. Those developments have greatly contributed to the present Ukraine Crisis.

The ever-eastwards march of NATO

Birth of the US Empire 

After the USA’s Monroe Doctrine - which identified all of Latin America and the Caribbean as its ‘backyard’ - the construction of the US Empire began. To begin with, the US challenged the Spanish Empire in the Americas - defeating it in the Spanish-American War in 1898 and, as a result, acquiring its first set of colonies in the region: Cuba and Puerto Rico; as well as the Philippines, Hawaii and Guam in the Pacific.

The birth of the US Empire

From 1890-1932 alone, US troops intervened in the Americas directly - or indirectly via militarily-supported ‘regime change’ coups - no less than 34 times. However, that same period also saw the US Empire increasingly move from being a regional empire to a global one.  In particular, the US began to pursue an expansionist foreign policy in the Pacific. In fact, as early as 1868, it had forced Japan to open up to US trade; while, after the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War, it acted to limit Japan’s territorial gains.   

From 1918-20, the US sent troops to Siberia, in support of the Whites during the Russian Civil War.  While, in the 1930s, it increasingly came into competition with Imperial Japan’s ambitions for its own Asian empire in the Pacific. US stances over Japan’s invasions of Manchuria and then China led, eventually, to war with Japan in 1941, after the US had imposed a ban on vital supplies to Japan and frozen all Japanese assets in the US. Thus one of the main destabilising factors in world politics between the two world wars was the rapid emergence of the US empire. 

The ‘permanent arms economy’ 

During World War II, many major US companies became highly dependent on government expenditure on armaments and other military-related products. This ‘Military-Industrial Complex’ - a term first used by Eisenhower in 1961 - saw the end of WWII as a potential disaster. Consequently, in 1949, the US identified the Soviet Union - war-ravaged and, at best, merely a regional power - as a dangerous enemy, and decided this new ‘threat’ required a Cold War, the creation of NATO, and a ‘permanent arms economy’.

The USSR’s loss of life in WWII: c. 25 million  

The ‘argument’ that the US and the Soviet Union were both ‘equally powerful’ superpowers was always a Cold War myth - as only the US was a truly global power. But, immediately after WWII, it was clear to any neutral observer that the USSR, given the huge loss of life and the destruction of most of its industrial infrastructure, was in no state to launch any invasion of Western Europe. But the USA’s ‘permanent arms economy’ demanded a new enemy, how ever unlikely. (For more on this aspect, see W. I. Robinson, 2020, The Global Police State). 

During the Cold War there were numerous US military interventions in Latin America - and elsewhere. However, when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, thus ending the Cold War, the USA in particular was faced with a potentially serious economic ‘problem’.  So, instead of the world benefitting from an economic ‘peace dividend’, the US - with the support of its NATO allies - discovered the ‘need’ for a ‘war on drugs’ and then a ‘war on terror’. 

All these required continued massive military expenditure, along with numerous military ‘interventions’ and even out-right invasions - which, in turn, required yet more military expenditure to replace what had been used up or destroyed. The most recent US/NATO invasions were those of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003): both of which were, of course, ‘sovereign states’. 

The USA’s war on Yugoslavia 

However, of particular interest to Putin’s authoritarian-nationalist regime is no doubt what the US, via NATO, did in the former Yugoslavia in 1999. When it became clear that the UN’s Security Council was not prepared to support any military attack on Serbia, and instead continued its call for dialogue, the US decided to use NATO without getting UN justification for any military action. When it seemed, during discussions at Rambouillet, that Serbia was finally prepared to compromise, the US unilaterally insisted on the inclusion of additional demands which no sovereign country would ever agree. 

Even Kissinger, a former US Secretary of State actually said that the Rambouillet Accords were “not a document that an angelic Serb could have accepted”.  (For more on this, see K. Hudson, 2003, Breaking The South Slav Dream). Consequently, in 1999, the US/NATO began a bombing campaign which was illegal - and which involved the use of depleted uranium warheads and shells, and cluster bombs: the use of both of which were themselves deemed to be illegal.   

NATO acts - without UN approval 

The threat of aggressive examples

If what happened in Yugoslavia in 1999 - and, later, in Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003) - was not enough to worry Putin’s Russia, there’s always the evidence of other ‘sovereign states’ which were also bombed by the US/NATO. Excluding those three instances, there have been another 31 occasions on the US have dropped bombs on non-compliant countries.      

Bombs away!

Thus, as well as calling for an immediate end of the Russian invasion, we should also be opposing any UK military involvement, whilst also calling for the disbandment of NATO. We should also be calling for the complete banning of all nuclear weapons, as per the UN’s recent Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: 

 Time to make possession of nuclear weapons illegal

Allan Todd is a member of Left Unity, an ecosocialist/environmental and anti-fascist activist, and author of Revolutions 1789-1917 and the forthcoming (July 2022) Trotsky: The Passionate Revolutionary.  

Rojava - Call for International Action-Days 26th - 28th November, 2021

 

In Kurdistan 2021 has been a year marked by resistance and struggle so far. On all fronts, from Rojava to the cities and mountains of Southern and Northern Kurdistan the Turkish fascist state has continued its attacks against the people and the freedom movement on all levels.

In Rojava the Turkish state is cutting off the water from the region, forcing demographic change in the occupied territories of Efrîn, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî, continuously bombing Şehba, Minbic, Eyn Îsa and Til Temir and threatening new major invasions. In Şengal, Rojava and Southern Kurdistan the Turkish state is continuously targeting leaders of the resistance and civilians with killer-drones.

Since the beginning of the year the Turkish army has started a massive operation against the Medya Defense Zones, which have been guerrilla controlled regions for decades. With thousands of soldiers and mercenaries, massive use of artillery, ceaseless air-surveillance and air-raids they are trying to advance on the ground. Despite all difficulties, the daily usage of chemical weapons by the Turkish army and the KDP supporting the invasion from the other direction, for more than half a year the guerrilla has successfully resisted and held its positions.

A history of uncompromised anti-fascist resistance is being written, so many great women and men lost their lives and so many more are putting their lives on the line everyday, with one goal: Smash Turkish Fascism!

This Turkish Fascism can only operate due to the support it gets internationally. This support is sometimes open and active, sometimes hidden and passive. In any case, this support is the reason for the continuous existence of occupation, exploitation, killing and war in the region. Together we can make the AKP-MHP government fall – if we stand with the guerrilla and rise up for Rojava, if we put serious pressure on the international profiteers of the fascist regime in Turkey, then the last days of the regime will soon be counted.

Target the Occupation in Efrin

Since March 2018 Efrîn has been under Turkish occupation. Since then the Turkish state has been exploiting the wealth of Efrîn. One of the examples is olive oil from Efrîn that is being exported elsewhere in the world. Take a look at this list (https://riseup4rojava.org/face-therobbery-of-efrins-resources-and-the-responsibles) to see if and where in your country oil from Efrîn is being sold to finance Turkish occupation and Islamist gangs in the region. Now, get active and creative to stop those who take advantage from the occupation!

Target the International Weapon Industry

Many companies and governments declared in the past they would not continue selling arms to Turkey, but we have to realize that many weapons and different kinds of advanced war-technology are still being given to Turkey. Let us put an end to this and Block, Disturb and Occupy the Weapon Industries places and offices! To do so, have a look at our updated Target Map and take action: https://riseup4rojava.org/take-action/  and https://riseup4rojava.org/weaponindustry/

Target the Political and Diplomatic Support for Turkish Fascism

The Erdoğan regime takes its legitimacy, which it never had or lost long ago among the people of Turkey and Kurdistan, from international diplomatic and political support. Wherever you live, there are some political factions, institutions and parties which either openly or covertly support Erdoğan and the Turkish fascist state. Denounce them, confront them and make them regret their collaboration with a fascist regime!

Denounce Turkish Army Use of Chemical Weapons

In the past there have been several occasions on which the Turkish state has been accused of using chemical weapons, but since the beginning of this year they have started to do so on a daily basis. The HPG guerrilla has called more than once for an international investigation on this topic and international condemnation.

It is obvious that the use of chemical gas against the guerrilla is for one reason and that is the inability of the Turkish army to advance on the ground by using common weaponry. To put an end to this, let us support the call of the movement for an international condemnation. At the same time support the guerrilla more directly and raise money for gas-masks: https://widnet.org/

Stand with the Guerrilla and the Resisting People

The guerrilla, the YPG and YPJ, the people in Rojava and Northern Kurdistan are resisting with everything they have. We have to see, that every defeat there will negatively influence all of our struggles, but on the other hand every victory there will strengthen our struggles against fascism and for freedom all around the world.

To stand with the guerrilla means to stand with PKK

The 27th November marks the 43rd anniversary of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) foundation. We congratulate all fighting comrades and the people of Kurdistan and call on everybody to show their solidarity with the PKK on this day. Their struggle is a legitimate one for self-determination and freedom that deserves support from oppressed people around the world.

Under these topics we call on everybody to take action in their countries on the 26th, 27th and 28th November this year. Be creative! Block, Disturb and Occupy! Demonstrate and Protest! Target the profiteers of the war! Show your solidarity with the anti-fascist resistance in Kurdistan!

Together we will #SmashTurkishFascism, we will #RiseUp4Rojava and we will #StandwithGerîla!

Coordination of #RiseUp4Rojava – Campaign

 Internationalist Commune of Rojava

RiseUp4Rojava Spring Offensive 2021 - Unite In Resistance

 

1. What is RiseUp4Rojava about?

The goal of the campaign is to create an internationalist front against Turkish fascism and to defend the revolution of North-East Syria, widely known as Rojava, with the pillars of women’s liberation, radical democracy and social ecology. Therefore, different organisations from different countries have come together under a common platform for almost two years now to defend Rojava’s achievements, making the revolution their own.

We identify ourselves with the revolution in Kurdistan, a main struggle against the most developed fascism of our time and for the liberation of women and society. The enemies of the revolution in Kurdistan and in Syria are also our enemies. We oppose the intervention and occupation policies of the NATO-countries and the Russian Federation in the Middle East.

We are different organizations with different views and perspectives on different topics, but we have decided to come together under the umbrella of riseup4rojava by the principals of building an anti-fascist, anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist alliance in solidarity with the revolutionary struggle in Kurdistan against Turkish fascism. The differences between all the organisations as part of the campaign are not something that is in the way of our work together, but something that will push everyone further.

As organisations, groups, and individuals that are not directly part of the campaign, we come to you to present to you the upcoming Spring Offensive; but let us provide a bit more background first. 

2. How has the campaign started and what are recent developments?

Our campaign started about one and a half years ago. On 25^th April 2019, the day of liberation from fascism in Italy, we presented the campaign for the first time in many Italian cities, and on 1^st May 2019, the campaign was present at many demonstrations in several countries.

With the start of the campaign, our goal was to put the key elements of the campaign, the struggle against fascism, against imperialism, against capitalism and the internationalism of revolutionary struggles, into a historical context, making them visible.

The campaign achieved a lot. Through our global resistance and with hundreds of actions in many countries in the form of demonstrations, blockades, occupations, information events, seminars all around the globe, we together forced countries to position themselves regarding the crimes committed by the Turkish fascist state, leading to some countries suspending arms exports to the fascist regime in Ankara. At the same time, by working together, we also contributed to spreading the hope and the practical alternative Rojava shows and fights for daily.

We have shown this together in the last year, for example, in more than 250 actions overall in over 30 countries during the action weekend around 19^th July, the anniversary of the Rojava revolution, and during the action week which started on 1^stNovember, World Kobanê Day – which commemorates that on 1st November 2014, millions of people were on the streets worldwide to express their solidarity with the heroic resistance of Kobanê against the so-called Islamic State, and as a result, a global movement of solidarity, resistance and common struggle has grown – that the Rojava revolution is our common revolution. 

Together with the local structures in Rojava/Northeast Syria, as well as with the Kurdish umbrella organisations in Europe and, among others, with the campaigns Women Defend Rojava, the Internationalist Commune of Rojava, Make Rojava Green Again we have shown and we are dedicated that the achievements of the revolution must be defended and that the continuation and intensification of the war must not be accepted in silence, but must also be prevented by all means.

The war on Rojava has never stopped and the enemies of the revolution – above all the fascist Turkish state – are in constant preparation for the next major invasion into Rojava, also by attempting to further occupy other parts of Kurdistan and by attacking the democratic forces that are resisting this.

Recently, on 10^th February, the Turkish fascist state launched a new invasion to occupy new parts of Southern Kurdistan – with the aim to install a buffer zone between South- and North-Kurdistan, and launching a new offensive onto Rojava – by attacking the Garê-region, which is part of the guerrilla controlled Medya Defense Zones, which ended in a devastating defeat for the Turkish army already on 14^th February due to the heroic resistance of the guerrilla forces. 

The attack against Garê needs to be understood by everybody as an attack against the whole revolution and against all of us, which aimed at the heart of the revolution and the anti-fascist resistance in the region. The guerrilla’s resistance in Garê was a historic victory, but the Turkish fascist state is forced to launch a next big attack with operations against the Medya defense areas, Şengal, Maxmur, and Rojava still being on the agenda. That is why we must continue the resistance against Turkish fascism and against the occupation with all our strength regionally and internationally.

After all, the attacks against the revolution by the fascist Turkish state are only possible because of military, diplomatic, economic, political, technological cooperation of the opportunist imperialist governments, especially of the USA, Western European, and other states, which is why a spring offensive with the aim of strengthening the antifascist struggle globally against fascist rule, capitalist exploitation and imperialist devastation of our livelihoods is so important in our internationalist struggles. 

3. Spring Offensive in Solidarity with the Revolution and the Anti-fascist Resistance in Kurdistan from 13^th March to 8^th May

As RiseUp4Rojava, we call for a Spring Offensive in the time from 13^th March to 8^th May to take a clear stance against Turkish fascism, in solidarity with the revolutionary forces in Kurdistan and to directly fight against the international collaborators of Turkish fascism. Besides this, we want to highlight the struggles that unite and move us globally. Our slogan is “Unite in Resistance – Dem Dema Azadi ye (The Time for Freedom is Now)”.

As part of the Spring Offensive, and to unite in our continuing resistance against Turkish fascism with all our strength, we also call to take action for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, and all political prisoners, which includes also the practical show of solidarity with hunger strikers (see for example, the connection between Dimitris Koufontinas and the hunger strikers in Turkish prisons). Crucially, the revolution in Kurdistan is a women’s and ecological revolution. Apart from highlighting the femicidal politics of Turkish Fascism, and taking action to smash patriarchy, we also call upon the international ecological movement to practically show the necessity to be antifascist and anti-capitalist. 

Moreover, the martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for this revolution to survive have not died; they live on in our hearts and show us the way. Let us internationally commemorate together the fallen ones of the struggle for freedom and dignity. After all, the Kurdish people do not stand alone, but our international solidarity shows that the revolution in Kurdistan is a source of hope and inspiration for the oppressed and the united antifascist struggle worldwide.

With the RiseUp4Rojava action line to "Disturb. Block. Occupy." we will protest, demonstrate, discuss, and we will directly go against arms companies, the tourism sector benefitting the fascist Turkish state, governments and financial institutions, and we’ll put them under pressure!

At the same time, there will be large scale events at some of the main dates (see below), ranging from demonstrations, rallies, assemblies, and conferences. Take part in the planned actions or become active yourself. Every action counts! Whether information events; webinars; seminars; reading groups; banner, billboard, graffiti, letter and poster actions; demonstrations; blockades of weapon companies; or a flashmob in front of a government building or in a bank. There is a lot that can be done. 

If you announce your action in advance, please send us the information by mail: riseup4rojava@riseup.net 

The HASHTAGs for the action week are:

#RiseUp4Rojava

#UniteInResistance

#SmashTurkishFascism 

Main events:

- 18 March: Political Prisoners Day

- 19 March: Global Climate Action Day

- 19-21 March.: Newroz celebrations and large demonstrations for Newroz

- 21-28 March.: Week of Our Heros (commemorating and remembering martyrs)

- 27-28 March: Regional commemoration marches for martyrs

- 04 April: Abdullah Öcalan's birthday (Creative actions for the freedom and the meaning of Abdullah Öcalan)

- 25 April: 2 year anniversary of RiseUp4Rojava

- 01 May: International Worker’s Day

- 08 May: Antifascist Action Day 

Call:

The joint call with Women Defend Rojava, Make Rojava Green Again, Internationalist Commune, and Tevgera Ciwanên Şoreşger (Revolutionary Youth Movement) for the Spring Offensive can be found here: 

https://riseup4rojava.org/spring-offensive-unite-in-resistance-dem-dema-azadi-ye/ 

Flyers, posters & stickers:

Link for posters, stickers, flyers etc can be found here: https://riseup4rojava.org/materials/ 

Please also make your own flyers and posters, following the concept here, and send it to us, so that we can upload it onto our website for material accessible to everyone. 

4. Outlook

We understand the campaign RiseUp4Rojava as a chance and an opportunity to come together as anti-fascists, anti-capitalists and anti-imperialists internationally. On the one hand, to express our solidarity with the revolution in Rojava, the struggle of the revolutionary people in Kurdistan and the Middle East, and on the other hand, to strengthen our alliance internationally, to oppose Turkish fascism and fascism worldwide. For that reason, we will continue to organize, mobilize and take action.

The Spring Offensive, concluding with the Antifascist Action Day, will be an important part of that and for that reason we invite you to join the planned actions and events, and if possible to organise and get active for this by yourselves. This is important given that the war in Rojava and in all of Kurdistan is ongoing, and a new/continued invasion on Rojava by the fascist Turkish army and their mercenaries is a constant threat. 

While we write these lines, the local forces and population in Rojava/North-East Syria show everyday resistance against the war at the frontlines in Ain Issa, in Til Temir as well as in the occupied areas from Afrin to Girê Spî and Serêkaniyê, knowing and showing that without this resistance the continuous build up of the revolution will not be possible. Turkish fascism will be smashed on two frontlines, one in Kurdistan, the other one internationally. The revolution in Rojava and Kurdistan will be defended on two frontlines, one in Rojava and Kurdistan, the other one internationally. 

With revolutionary greetings and respect,

RiseUp4Rojava Coordination

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RISEUP4R0JAVA 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riseup4rojava_2/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/riseup4rojava 

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/RiseUp4Rojava_/ 

Website: https://riseup4rojava.org/

Make Rojava Green Again Call for Action Days on the 18th and 19th July

Call for Global Action Days on the 18th and 19th July

Together with the campaigns Rise Up 4 Rojava and Women Defend Rojava, we call for two international days of action on the 18th and 19th of July 2020, against the bombing and invasion of Basûr (Southern Kurdistan, Iraq) and the occupation of Rojava regions by the Turkish army.

Together, we call on all people who share the values of democratic confederalism – democracy, ecology and feminism – to take to the streets and to Rise Up 4 the Revolution. From our side, we would also particularly want to call for all ecological groups, movements and parties and to all people who feel and see themselves as ecologists to join the demonstrations and actions. 

War is the antithesis of ecology

We think that to be ecologist means also to be against all the wars of aggression. Because, wars are the contrary of what we, as ecologists, fight for. While we are trying to build an ecological and ethical world where all living things can co-exist in harmony, wars are only further destroying and polluting our planet. 

While we give so much effort in reforesting deserts, in building ecological energy infrastructures, in providing non-polluted and non-toxic food and water to all people, wars can destroy all of it in few days and pollute the soil, the air and the water with long-lasting effects. And this is what is happening today in Bakûr (North Kurdistan, Turkey), Rojava, North-Eastern Syria and Basûr.

Through its invasion of Syria and Iraq, the Turkish state destroys all living: burning fields and forests in Rojava, cutting down the olive trees of Afrin, bombing electrical and water infrastructures, cutting the water flow of major rivers coming from Turkey to Syria, and now for some weeks bombing more than ever the untouched nature of the mountains of Southern Kurdistan, polluting the soil, water and air for an unknown time. 

The Turkish attacks target all places which fight for democracy, ecology and feminism

For years already, the Turkish state, with the occasional approval of NATO, the US and Russia, pursue a genocidal war against the Kurds and other minorities of the Middle East (Êzîdî people, Armenians, Chaldeans, Assirians, etc.) and is now invading Syria and Iraq against all international laws. 

But what they are targeting is the political project that is behind those people: their goal is to put an end to the construction of a democratic, ecologist and feminist area in the Middle East that could spread to the world. Indeed, the Rojava revolution, together with the liberated Arab regions of North-Eastern Syria,  the Free Mountains of Kurdistan, the self-governed Maxmur refugee camp and the democratic Êzîdî region of Sengal are all examples that another way of living is possible outside the Capitalist Modernity. 

These are all places where democratic confederalism is put into practice and where ecological and feminist societies are being built up. Because Rojava, together with those other places inspire so many people in the world, they are a threat to their nationalist, capitalist and patriarchal interests. Therefore, Turkey decided to bomb and burn every inch of those lands. Their message is clear: either surrender to capitalist modernity, or face total destruction of the nature and the people. 

On the 15th of June, the Turkish army shelled Maxmur and Sengal. And some days later they started their ground offensive to invade Basûr (Southern Kurdistan, Iraq) where dozens of bombs are falling every day since then. The 23rd, they also struck Rojava with a drone, murdering 3 women of Kongra Star, the umbrella organization of the Women’s Movement, in a neighborhood of Kobane. Also on the 25th, another drone killed 8 civilians in the province of Suleymaniya. And in the mountains, the war continues. 

This is why we call for international solidarity! We ask all people who believe in the value of ecology, of feminism and of radical democracy to take to the street the 18th and 19th of July for the days of action and to join the preparatory actions worldwide. 

Against all war of aggression, against all fascism and totalitarianism, against patriarchy and capitalism, against the destruction of all nature: 

Rise up for Rojava,

Rise up for the Free Mountains of Kurdistan

Rise up for the Sengal region and Maxmur, and

Rise up for the build-up of an ecological and ethical world!

Alone, we are nothing, but together, we are unstoppable! 

Make Rojava Green Again 

PLEASE LET US KNOW ABOUT ANY PUBLIC EVENTS SO WE CAN ALSO HELP IN MAKING THEM PUBLIC ON OUR WEBSITES AND WITH FRIENDS, TOO! 

Mail to::internationalistcommune@riseup.net

#RiseUp4Rojava

Ecological Crisis and Revolutionary Solutions

ECOLOGICAL CRISIS AND REVOLUTIONARY SOLUTION from Internationalist Commune on Vimeo.

As part of the Global #ClimateStrike, activists from the campaign Make Rojava Green Again spoke with Jiyan, from the young women structures of Rojava.

 Jiyan talks in a 45-minute interview about democratic confederalism, the importance of ecology and the role of youth and young women in building a democratic, free and ecological society. She also sends her greetings to all activists worldwide who are fighting for an ecological society.

After the Coronavirus Pandemic – What will our politics look like?

There is much speculation in political circles, especially on the left, about what effect the pandemic will have on our politics, once we get through the current crisis. Certainly, these are unprecedented times that we live it, which business as usual politics was unable to cope with, in any kind of civilised manner. It is at times like these that government comes into its own, laissez-faire, neo-liberal politics has been found wanting, and a collective politics has emerged as a much more suitable vehicle for this crisis, in the UK at least.

The do nothing strategy, if you can call it that, to contain the spread of the virus, has steadily been abandoned over the last fortnight, in favour of a collective appeal to help the NHS, by most people largely self isolating, and the closure of pubs, restaurants and live entertainment of all kinds. Gradually, the instructions from the government have become more draconian, with enforcement by the police of these measures.

The political left (and some on the right) has voiced concerns over this more authoritarian approach, whilst the political right worries over ‘big state’ actions and to some extent carries over its obsession with immigration from the Brexit debate. Ah, Brexit, it hardly gets a mention these days though, after almost four years of it dominating British political discourse. The main concern for the right appears to be the adoption, by a Conservative government, and a pretty right-wing one at that, of socialist policies.

The government has, in effect, nationalised the payroll, with measures to pay 80% of public and private sector wages for those laid off by the crisis and has produced a similar scheme for the self-employed. At the same time, a volunteer pool of people has been established to help the NHS and to take on other duties, like driving food delivery vans and doing shopping for elderly and vulnerable people.

Some of this was already happening in communities anyway, but the government is accelerating this, with a call for collectivism rather than the usual individualism, bugger everyone else, me, me, me, being replaced by a more sharing approach. 

Some businesses will go bankrupt, but many will survive, and some will even do very well out of this emergency, as Naomi Klein has documented in her book about disaster capitalism, ‘The Shock Doctrine’.

What we are witnessing here, is an attempt to save the capitalist system, rather than replace it, but for the neo-liberal Conservative party, this is indeed a big shift to the left, but of a Keynesian nature, rather than a truly socialist one, but even so this is very much out of character for the Tories.

This is an emergency though, so the attempt will be to move back to business as usual as soon as the crisis is under control. The Tories hope this will be greeted with relief by the public, after the lock-down has ended. The government are trying to conflate our freedoms with the normal state of economics and politics, hoping that people will be so relieved that they can go out and enjoy themselves, they will welcome the resumption of the ancient regime.

The government’s favoured analogy is that of fighting a war, when a national effort is needed to defeat the ‘enemy’, all pulling together (collectively) in this time of crisis. Indeed during in World War II, Britain came as close to socialism as it has ever done. And it was successful, but people tired of all the restrictions and particularly the rationing of food, once the war was over, and this is the feeling that the Tories will attempt to exploit.

And yet, Winston Churchill, the great wartime leader tried exactly the same tactic, but was unceremoniously booted out of office, and Labour had a landslide victory. People remembered what life was like before the war, and remembered Churchill’s politics from that time. He set the army against union members in the General Strike of 1926 and was no friend of the working classes.

The people wanted no more of that, and after all the sacrifice of the war years, wanted a decisive break with the pre-war days. I doubt the soldiers would have obeyed Churchill if he had tried to set them against the workers at that time.

The 1945 Labour government although it did great things like create the NHS and largely the welfare state, underestimated the public’s fatigue with wartime measures, and carried on rationing for too long after the war ended, which ultimately led to electoral defeat in 1951, and the return of a Tory government. Although, not of the pre-war type, as they outdid Labour on things like building council houses. The post-war politics remained in place under successive Tory and Labour governments until Margaret Thatcher destroyed it in the 1980s.

For the left, this lesson needs to be learnt, we should big up the achievements of the collective approach, and the improvements in the environment (far less pollution) but without keeping the most unpopular bits, like the draconian approach to people not being able to have fun. Once the coronavirus pandemic has passed, we should ask people if they really want to go back to austerity for most, and extreme wealth for a few? 

Everything will be in play once the crisis is over, there will be a new world to fight for.

FridaysForFuture - Statement in solidarity with Rojava

We, as Fridays For Future groups, condemn the attack of the Turkish army on the

Democratic Federation of North and East Syria / Rojava. We are part of the global

climate justice movement, just as the people in Rojava who are building a society

based on the principles of radical democracy, women’s liberation and in particular

ecology. For this reason, the local Friday For Future Rojava group has called upon us to take action, and we have to stand in solidarity with the people in Northeast Syria who are threatened by the Turkish invasion. We call upon everyone to take the necessary steps to stop this war.

Rojava and the Democratic Federation are examples of the build-up of an ecological,

democratic and feminist society. The aim is to create an ecological and democratic

society, in which the production of goods takes place in cooperatives and in a

decentralised manner, according to the needs of people and in harmony with nature.

This form of democratic and ecological life is responding to the ecological crisis and its different aspects ranging from the climate crisis, monoculture in agriculture to water scarcity and energy supply.

The war of the Turkish state on Rojava is at the same time a deep humanitarian crisis as it is an ecological one. Thousands of people are already fleeing from the attacks that have destroyed the cities and villages of Rojava. The destruction of nature in this war is going to bring about a deep impact on the ecological systems in the region which will make life harder for current and coming generations.

We call for actions in solidarity with Rojava and, in particular, to protest the support of

European governments and companies, that are assisting the Turkish state in its war

against Rojava by weapon exports, diplomatic support and financial help. We are

calling upon the EU to not let itself be put under pressure by Turkey’s threat of letting

refugees enter European territory but to remember the principles of human rights and

democracy it claims to stand for.

Therefore, we call upon everybody to participate in the strikes on Friday,18th October, and to organise and/or to partake in actions under the motto #FridaysForPeace. We further call upon you to build a climate justice block in your regional protests for peace and solidarity this Saturday, 19th October!

Fridays For Future is an international grassroots movement without centralist

structures where each group has the right to take action on its own, but is at the same time united in our goal of building a future worth living for all human beings.

FridaysForFuture, ParentsForFuture and StudentsForFuture groups that

have signed the statement:

If you have any questions, please contact the following address: Press-FFF-Rojava@gmx.de

FridaysForFuture, ParentsForFuture

and StudentsForFuture in Germany:

FridayForFuture Aachen

FridayForFuture Alzey

FridayForFuture Anklam

FridayForFuture Aschersleben

FridayForFuture Bielefeld

FridayForFuture Bochum

FridayForFuture Bonn

FridayForFuture Cologne

FridayForFuture Duisburg

StudentsForFuture Duisburg

StudentsForFuture Frankfurt am Main

FridayForFuture Frankfurt am Main

FridayForFuture Freiburg

FridayForFuture Freising

FridayForFuture Ganderkesee

ParentsForFuture Ganderkesee

FridayForFuture Göttingen

StudentsForFuture Göttingen

FridayForFuture Göttingen

FridayForFuture Hamburg

FridayForFuture Hannover

StudentsForFuture Hannover

FridayForFuture Heilbronn

ParentsForFuture Heilbronn

FridayForFuture Herzogenaurach

ParentsForFuture Herzogenaurach

FridayForFuture Kalamata

FridayForFuture Karlsruhe

FridayForFuture Kerpen

FridayForFuture Kiel-Gaarden

FridayForFuture Koblenz

FridayForFuture District Pinneberg

FridayForFuture Kronach

FridayForFuture Landsberg am Lech

FridayForFuture Landshut

FridayForFuture Leer

FridayForFuture Leipzig

FridayForFuture Leverkusen

FridayForFuture Lübeck

FridayForFuture Freie Universität Berlin

FridayForFuture Ludwigsburg

FridayForFuture Mannheim

FridayForFuture Marburg

FridayForFuture Marktoberdorf

FridayForFuture Mielkendorf

FridayForFuture Murnau

FridayForFuture Neuruppin

FridayForFuture Neustadt an der Aisch

FridayForFuture Nienburg

FridayForFuture Nürnberg

FridayForFuture Oberhausen

FridayForFuture Offenburg

FridayForFuture Ortenau

FridayForFuture Osnabrück

FridayForFuture Rhein-Sieg

FridayForFuture Saarburg

FridayForFuture Salzwedel

FridayForFuture Schleiden / Eifel

FridayForFuture Schwerin

FridayForFuture Schwetzingen

FridayForFuture Sonthofen

ParentsForFuture Sonthofen

FridayForFuture Speyer

FridayForFuture Teltow Fläming

FridayForFuture Trikala

FridayForFuture Uslar

FridayForFuture Weilheim (Oberbayern)

FridayForFuture Wismar

ParentsForFuture Wismar

FridayForFuture Hochtaunus

ParentsForFuture Holzwickede / Unna

ChangeForFuture Germany

HumanistsForFuture Germany

TeachersForFuture Germany

WorkersForFuture Germany

FridaysForFuture in Italy:

FridayForFuture Bari

FridayForFuture Padova

FridayForFuture Scafati

FridayForFuture Vicenza

FridayForFuture Eutin

FridayForFuture Foggia

FridayForFuture Napoli

FridayForFuture Siracusa

FridayForFuture Lecce

FridayForFuture Ischia

FridayForFuture Vicenza

FridayForFuture Pomigliano d'Arco

FridaysForFuture in the USA:

FridayForFuture Washington DC

FridayForFuture Los Angeles

FridayForFuture Rojava

Climate Strike Zürich

FridayForFuture Iran