Category Archives: Rojava
Overview of Syria’s complex war
(Note: the below comes from my previous Canary article here.) My brief summary of the stages of Syria’s complex conflict – with a particular focus on Turkish interference: Very real frustrations with the Assad regime escalated into civil war in 2011. The interference … Continue reading
Words from Qamişlo after the 27 July massacre
These responses came from a YPG official in Qamişlo, Rojava, after the horrific Daesh (Isis/Isil) massacre of 27 July. What is life usually like in Qamişlo? Despite being a Kurdish city, Qamişlo also has an Arab, Assyrian and Syriac population. Although … Continue reading
The unreasoned argument that ‘the PKK is Stalinist’ is just destructive propaganda
When giving talks about the Rojava Revolution and the context within which it has occurred, I have been questioned on one issue more often than anything else: Is the PKK a Stalinist organisation? The simple answer is no. Such a … Continue reading
Index for “Rojava: An Alternative”
The index for my book “Rojava: An Alternative to Imperialism, Nationalism, and Islamism in the Middle East” Continue reading
Foreword to “Rojava: An Alternative”
A forward to my book “Rojava: An Alternative to Imperialism, Nationalism, and Islamism in the Middle East” Continue reading
Ankara bombing – Turkey’s attempt to justify invading Syria
On 17 February, 28 people – mostly soldiers – were killed by a car bomb attack in the Turkish capital of Ankara. A further 64 were wounded. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu almost immediately tried to pin the blame on … Continue reading
#GlobalRally4Kobane (Tweets)
A year after the first global rally aimed at raising awareness about the plight of the defenders of the Rojava Revolution in Kobanî, people have once again hit the streets around the world. Below are some of the pictures and … Continue reading
In Memory of Alan Kurdi, We Must Support Rojava
In memory of the young #AlanKurdi and all the innocent people who have died fleeing from Syria, we must intensify our support for Rojava‘s quest for justice, equality, democracy, and peace. Alan Kurdi’s family fled from the Kobani Canton of … Continue reading
Footnotes for “Rojava: An Alternative to Imperialism, Nationalism, and Islamism”
Here is the list of footnotes of my book “Rojava: An Alternative to Imperialism, Nationalism, and Islamism” (the pdf of which is available here https://ososabiouk.wordpress.com/2015/04/07/pdf-of-rojava-an-alternative-to-imperialism-nationalism-and-islamism-in-the-middle-east/ [a hard copy can be bought at http://www.lulu.com/shop/oso-sabio/rojava-an-alternative-to-imperialism-nationalism-and-islamism-in-the-middle-east/paperback/product-22094170.html?ppn=1%5D) https://ososabiouk.wordpress.com/2014/08/23/gaza-a-capitalist-genocide-essay/ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperialism https://libcom.org/library/national-formation-arab-region-critique-samir-amin-mohammad-jafar http://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/feb/01/islamic-science http://www.teachmideast.org/essays/28-history/42-timeline-of-the-middle-east-in-the-20th-century http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/10/17/a-secular-history-of-islam/ http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/profilesmuhammed.html … Continue reading
Rojava: An Alternative to Imperialism, Nationalism, and Islamism in the Middle East
The Rojava Revolution is a progressive, directly-democratic experience that emerged amid the chaos of the Syrian Civil War. Developing in the largely-Kurdish areas of northern Syria since 2012, the experience aims to create unity between all ethnic and religious groups … Continue reading