Turkey hands off Rojava! Joint statement of Asia-Pacific left parties

We the undersigned progressive parties in the Asia-Pacific region join other voices around the world demanding that Turkey stop its invasion of Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, popularly known as "Rojava".

This invasion threatens a new genocide against the Kurds, Yezidi and other miniorities in Syria. It will plunge Syria, and the whole of the Middle East, into an even more disastrous state of war. It would displace hundreds of thousands, if not millions, more people.

The Rojava revolution is an inspiring example in the Middle East of women's equality and democratically controlled self-governing councils, communes and cooperatives that has included and empowered the many nationalities, religions and ethnicities in that region. It is also pioneering an ecological revolution.

The mainly Kurdish freedom fighters who liberated northeast Syria have also been the strongest frontline fighters against the Islamic State (IS) terrorists. So this invasion also risks a global resurgence of IS terror.

We demand the Turkish state stop its war on Rojava, immediately withdraw its military and allied militia groups from all Syrian territory and end its shelling and air attacks.

Further, we call on our respective governments to condemn Turkey’s invasion and to pressure the US government and NATO to stop supplying arms, military intelligence, financial and political aid to the Turkish regime.

Initial signatories:

Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM)
Socialist Alliance, Australia
Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee (Pakistan Peasants Coordination Committee)
Partido Lakas Ng Masa, Philippines (Party of the Labouring Masses)
People's Democratic Party (PRD), Indonesia
Sedane Labour Resource Centre (LIPS), Indonesia
Socialist Aotearoa (New Zealand)

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To add your party's endorsement of this statement please email:

International Bureau PSM <int.psm@gmail.com>
Socialist Alliance national office <national_office@socialist-alliance.org>