K. Star: Our unity will lead change in Syria

On the 13th anniversary of the July 19 Revolution, Kongra Star issued a written statement today, which reads: "On July 19, 2012, our people rose up with determination and will to decide their own fate, launching a process of profound social transformation. Today, as we celebrate the thirteenth anniversary of this revolution, we reflect on that pivotal moment.

This process, which began with the establishment of Peoples’ Councils in Kobani, evolved into a movement based on the principles of freedom and social equality, spreading throughout North and East Syria. The Rojava Revolution developed through collective effort and the will of the people, without relying on any external intervention. The goal was not merely to change the form of governance, but to transform the entire way of life.

Women were the leading force behind this process. Women took initiative in all spheres, established their own organizations, participated in decision-making mechanisms, and developed their own defense. At Kongra Star, we have expanded and strengthened the approach of women's freedom that flourished with the revolution and brought it to the present day. This struggle, initiated by Kurdish women, has become a source of hope for Arab, Assyrian, Armenian, Druze, Alawite, and Yazidi women. It continues to leave its mark on change and transformation, grounded in our belief that women can lead the path to peace in the 21st century. Achieving freedom for all women, regardless of their identity, beliefs, culture, or language, is our core objective.

Today, Syria is witnessing attempts and structures aimed at silencing women’s voices. Those promoting centralization, upholding religious law, and reproducing patriarchal and sectarian mindsets threaten the idea of coexistence among peoples. This approach, which denies women's will under the guise of a new constitution and transitional process, does not offer a solution, it deepens the crisis.

The Social Contract of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria is based on equal participation of diverse identities and beliefs. Women's status within the co-presidency system, their self-organization in defense, and the collective life model it ensures in all aspects of society are clear examples of this contract. The Rojava Revolution has endured thanks to this contract, which was shaped through the participation of women. A new Syria must be built on principles of recognizing the will of peoples, ensuring women’s participation in decision-making, and guaranteeing peaceful coexistence of all communities.

While the Kurdish people and the peoples of North and East Syria eagerly await the celebration of the July 19 Revolution, other Syrian communities with different beliefs are being subjected today to attempts of suppression and annihilation by extremist forces and their partners. Massacres are being committed against our Alawite and Druze people; their forests are being burned, and they are facing killings, abductions, rape, and the selling of women in front of the entire world. This is a great shame.

Recently, these extremist forces have launched brutal attacks on our people in Sweida. The same scenario witnessed in the coastal regions is now repeating itself against the Druze population in Sweida. We have seen the honorable stance of women during this war and crisis, where they have demonstrated how women can be the solution to the challenges facing their communities and how they can resist. Women are raising their hopes and beliefs in a future Syria where women’s rights are protected. Druze and Alawite women today believe in the Kurdish women’s struggle and their democratic governance. Therefore, at Kongra Star, we affirm that the voices of women rising across other regions of Syria will not go unanswered. We will extend our hands to all those who wish to join together.

We at Kongra Star believe that our solidarity and alliance will become a driving force for change and transformation in Syria. The current phase, which affects all women in Syria, compels us to strengthen our defense and organizational mechanisms in the coming stage, and to stand by our defense forces, whether the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) or the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and support them as Kurds in North and East Syria. Every woman at this stage must strengthen her inherent defensive capacity. This is our shared duty, and together, we will triumph. Victory will go to the defenders of freedom and democracy, no matter the cost.

Today, we renew our promise to our martyrs, to all women, to the people, and to the comrades who made the Rojava Revolution a reality: with our determination, we will continue our struggle without interruption. We will continue to protect the light of freedom shining upon this land.

Building a new Syria on the basis of recognizing the will of the peoples guarantees women their right to participate in decision-making and allows all segments of society to live together in peace."

 A-H 

ANHA