The Rojava revolution in North and East Syria has inspired the world with its radical experiment in self-governance rooted in direct-democracy, women’s liberation, cultural pluralism, ecology, and a cooperative economy. In the midst of Syria’s bloody civil war, Rojava has become a beacon of hope for peace in the Middle East after Kurdish-led self-defense forces courageously defeated ISIS, liberating a third of Syria. Today, communities in the region continue to defend their territory in the face of Turkish invasion and occupation. 

But bombs and bullets are far from the only threats confronting Rojava. While the people of Rojava (and women in particular) now exercise unprecedented levels of freedom and political participation through the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), the region is facing a humanitarian emergency due to the compounding crises of a worsening COVID-19 pandemic, devastated infrastructure, mass internal displacement, and severe shortages of water and electricity -- all happening under the backdrop of a crippling embargo and constant security threats. 

The world owes the people of Rojava a great debt for leading the war against ISIS, during which over 11,000 local fighters lost their lives. Rather than simply using Rojava as a shield against ISIS, world governments must provide communities in North and East Syria with the support they deserve, by (1) directly providing vaccines and other emergency aid to AANES (the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria), (2) establishing a Stabilization Fund to restore and support the region’s war-torn infrastructure, (3) holding Turkey accountable for its ongoing human rights abuses including the weaponization of water, and (4) officially recognizing AANES as a politically autonomous region within Syria.

Recent weeks have seen a major spike in COVID infections and deaths in North and East Syria, but the region still lacks sufficient access to vaccines. Chronic water shortages, a lack of medical infrastructure, and mass concentrations of displaced people in IDP camps are a recipe for disaster, making Rojava particularly vulnerable to the pandemic. 

In March the World Health Organization allocated 90,000 vaccines for North and East Syria, but sent them through the Syrian regime, which has already used them as political leverage against Rojava’s autonomy. As of now, only 23,000 of these doses have been made available after a recent agreement between Damascus and the WHO - enough to vaccinate only a portion of the region’s frontline health workers. 

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has recently agreed to purchase and distribute up to 200 million doses worldwide by the end of the year, and another 300 million in 2022. By immediately delivering only a fraction of these vaccines directly to AANES, the United States could vaccinate nearly all of the estimated 5 million people living in Rojava. With the help of other nations this could happen even faster. Furthermore, the direct distribution of much-needed test kits, ventilators, PPE and other medical supplies to the Autonomous Administration could save countless lives and contribute to further stabilization in the region.

Rojava’s primary source of water and electricity comes from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Unfortunately both rivers are controlled by the Turkish state, which has intentionally restricted the flow of water into Rojava as a sinister political weapon. The resulting shortage of water and electricity has contributed to crop failure, lack of sanitation, the weakening of medical and communication infrastructure and countless other issues. Turkey’s continued weaponization of water during the COVID pandemic has predictably worsened the crisis, forcing many to go without proper sanitation in order to have enough water to drink.  

According to the International Criminal Court, cutting off water to a civilian population amounts to a war crime, for which Turkey must be held accountable. The United States  and other world governments must forcefully denounce this crime and put pressure on Turkey to immediately restore the flow of water into North and East Syria and withdraw its forces from the region altogether.

The single most important action world governments could take to support Rojava is to formally recognize AANES as a politically autonomous region within Syria. The lack of political recognition has created a major obstacle to Rojava’s access to aid, while deepening the region’s many crises and further-marginalizing a society already surrounded by hostile forces. The little aid which AANES receives is mostly routed through the Syrian regime, which withholds and weaponizes such aid for political gain. Political recognition would allow the communities of North and East Syria to speak for themselves and access the same support granted to nation states. This would represent a major breakthrough in the ability of AANES to address every one of the issues raised above.

Rojava is an inspiring example of a sweeping and successful social revolution. The people of North and East Syria are actively building a vibrant grassroots democracy and an unprecedented alternative to corporate capitalism and the all-powerful nation state. The society they are building is more than just a radical political experiment: it is the safest, most stable area in a country rife with sectarian violence and femicide. In Rojava, women and religious minorities have greater rights than anywhere else in the entire region. 

If left isolated and unsupported, the Rojava revolution could give way to either the authoritarianism of the Assad regime, or the genocidal theocracy of Turkish-back jihadist forces, further destabilizing the region and destroying what may be the greatest hope for peace, freedom and democracy in the Middle East, and the world.

WE CALL ON THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER WORLD GOVERNMENTS TO:

1. Immediately provide emergency medical aid directly to AANES, including COVID-19 vaccines, test kits and PPE

2. Establish a Stabilization Fund for AANES, providing resources to support IDP camps, long-term medical infrastructure and the reconstruction of cities destroyed by the war against ISIS.

3. Pursue further targeted sanctions on Turkey if it fails to immediately cease all attacks, withdraw its occupation forces from northern Syria and halt its deliberate withholding of water and electricity.

4. Formally recognize AANES as a politically autonomous region within Syria, lift sanctions on the areas they govern, and secure them an official seat at the table in any international negotiations regarding the future of Syria.

WE ALSO CALL ON THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION TO: 

1. Redirect vaccines destined for North and East Syria from the Syrian regime, and instead deliver them directly to AANES.

2. Coordinate directly with the Autonomous Administration, as well as the local and international NGOs already operating in the region.

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