Councils, parties in Rojava reject attempts to change name of Kobani

As part of activities rejecting attempts by the interim government to change the historic name of Kobani and condemning efforts aimed at altering the region’s cultural demographics, councils and political parties in the cities of Hasakah, Derbesiyeh, Tal Tamr, and Zerkan in Rojava issued a series of statements.

In Hasakah, the statement was read by the city council’s co-chair, Farouk Tozu, and Khabor Radio correspondent Aya Majd in front of the council building. The Tal Tamr statement was read by the PYD’s co-chair in Tal Tamr, Nidal Amin, and teacher Eihan al-Younes at the Martyrs’ Families Council Garden. The Zerkan statement was delivered by city council member Fouad Smo and council member Sibar al-Ali in front of the council.

The statements said that the name Kobani has become a global symbol of freedom and the defense of dignity, especially after the battles the city witnessed against ISIS.

They warned against attempts to change the names of cities and villages, linking them to policies pursued by the Baath regime over previous decades to alter the identity and names of the region.

The statements said that targeting Kurdish symbols could fuel tensions among the region’s communities, deepen social divisions, and undermine efforts to build a democratic Syria based on recognition of national and cultural diversity and respect for the rights of all its components.

They noted that the resistance of the People’s Protection Units and Women’s Protection Units (YPG and YPJ) in defending the city made its name known worldwide and transformed it into a symbol of resistance and freedom.

Regarding the city’s name, the statements said that the name “Kobani” had been in use since the beginning of the 20th century, criticizing committees that they said had not relied on scientific research or proper historical documentation, but instead had followed the orientations of ruling authorities and worked to alter historical facts.

The statements emphasized their commitment to the name Kobani as a symbol of freedom and resilience, calling for the preservation of coexistence among the region’s different communities and rejecting anything that could provoke division and conflict. They added that any attempt to change the city’s name or undermine its identity does not represent the will of its residents, but rather reproduces policies of identity erasure that Syria witnessed in previous periods.

They stressed that respecting historical names is part of respecting peoples’ will and cultural rights, and that names lacking acceptance among local communities should not be imposed.

The statements said: “The city of Kobani is not merely a geographical name that can be changed by an administrative decision; rather, it represents a deeply rooted historical and cultural identity in the memory of its people, and its name is connected to the city’s history and the struggles of its residents.”

They called for the adoption of the names recognized by local residents for cities, including Kobani, Afrin, Qamishlo, Serekaniye, and Girê Spî, in respect of their collective memory and cultural identity.

The statements noted that what happened in Kobani, as in other Kurdish cities, requires responsible handling of the uniqueness and history of each city. They said that naming cities by their historical names is not only a linguistic matter but also an expression of identity, history, and culture, and represents recognition of the distinctiveness of each region.

They called on all Syrian national forces, political parties, civil society organizations, and human rights bodies to oppose any attempts targeting the historical and cultural identity of Syrian cities and to work together to protect local communities’ right to preserve their historical names and cultural heritage.

The statements concluded by affirming that the name Kobani will remain part of the collective memory of its residents and a symbol of their history and sacrifices, stressing that identity is not granted by political decisions nor removed through administrative measures, but preserved by its people through their free will and commitment to their history and culture.

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