Kurdish struggle

Rojava leader Saleh Moslem says that Turkey's so-called anti-ISIS fight actually targets Kurds

YPJ resistance fighter, Rojava. Picture: The Rojava Report.

Young socialists discuss imperialism, solidarity at conference

The opening night panel of the Resistance: Young Socialist Alliance conference discussed the recent invasion of Iraq, the rise of Islamic State and the Kurdish struggle in Kobane. Filling out the hall at Geelong Trades Hall on December 5, about 50 people heard from speakers Farooq Tariq from the Awami Workers Party in Pakistan, Dilek Geyik from the Australian Kurdish Association and Jemma Nott from Resistance.

Take Kurdish freedom fighters off terrorist list

Moreland City councillor Sue Bolton gave this speech to a rally in solidarity with Kobani in Melbourne on October 25. *** There are two reasons to support the Kurds of Kobane. One reason is humanitarian: to prevent a massacre. The other reason is to protect and defend the building of an alternative society which should be a beacon for all left and progressive people in the world.

Resistance statement: Support the struggle in Kobani

released this statement on October 16. *** Resistance: Young Socialist Alliance supports the struggle in Kobani against the Islamic State for a number of reasons. Kobani, is part of an emerging progressive autonomous region called Rojava where people of all ethnicities and religious beliefs are equal and where women are leading the way forward.

Turkey: 'We know what you did last summer' 鈥 a year on from Gezi rising

鈥淭he Gezi Resistance is the biggest popular uprising in modern Turkish history,鈥 said long-time socialist activist Nuray Sancar. 鈥淚t smashed the fear we have been living with since the military coup in 1980.鈥 It has now been a year since the Gezi Resistance started with a handful of people protecting trees in Gezi Park in Istanbul's Taksim Square in June last year. Protests spread to 79 cities across Turkey in the next few months.

Turkey: In face of attacks, PKK abandons ceasefire

On June 1, the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) announced an end to its 13-month unilateral ceasefire. Since 1984, the PKK has waged an armed struggle against the Turkish state for Kurdish self-determination. A day earlier, imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan announced that he was withdrawing from negotiations. He cited a disconnect between the Turkish government鈥檚 promised reforms and continued violent repression of Turkey鈥檚 Kurdish population.

Protesters condemn Iran executions

BRISBANE 鈥 Fifty people, Iranians and supporters, rallied in Queens Park on May 22 to protest against the execution in early May of five Kurdish nationalists by the Iranian regime. The protesters held photos of people disappeared and killed during the movement for democratic rights over the past year. Community representative Fazil Rostam said: "Kurds are 10% of the Iranian population, but make up 50% of the prison population. Fifty percent of executions are of Kurdish people."