TEV-DEM: Labor Day, occasion to strengthen Syrians’ struggle and build just democratic society

The Movement of Democratic Society (TEV-DEM) issued a statement to the public today on the occasion of International Workers' Day, which reads: "On the occasion of International Workers' Day on May 1st, the Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM) extends its warmest greetings to the workers and toilers of the world, and especially congratulates the workers and toilers of Rojava and Kurdistan in general. These are the true force in building societies and preserving their dignity. We remember with reverence all the sacrifices made throughout history for the sake of social justice and freedom."

The movement emphasized that this occasion, whose roots trace back to the 1886 strikes in Chicago, USA, arose from workers' struggles demanding improved working conditions and reduced working hours. However, the struggle of workers and the oppressed extends far beyond that, beginning with the emergence of class differences, exploitation, and authoritarian regimes. All segments of society, especially workers and toilers, engaged in resisting these systems and reclaiming their usurped rights and societal values.

The Movement clarified that it views the workers' struggle not merely as a matter of livelihood demands, but as the core of the struggle to build a free and democratic society based on equality and justice. It noted that this concept has been embodied in the Kurdistan Freedom Movement since its inception, which has made the issues of workers and the oppressed a central focus of its liberation project

In this context, the movement emphasizes the prominent role of the thought and philosophy of leader Abdullah Ocalan, who redefined class struggle as an integral part of the liberation of society as a whole, not merely an economic struggle, by proposing the model of a democratic nation based on the participation of all its components and placing humanity at the center of the political and social process.

Furthermore, the Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM) stressed the importance of the workers' struggle on the occasion of International Workers' Day, May 1st, emphasizing that this occasion represents a significant milestone in the struggle to reaffirm workers' rights and their pivotal role in building a just and democratic society that guarantees dignity and freedom for all Syrians. This struggle cannot be separated from the pioneering role of women, who have proven, particularly in the Rojava experience and their history of struggle in Kurdistan and the Middle East, that they are essential partners in the social revolution, vanguards in confronting exploitation and domination, and key contributors to build democratic institutions based on the principle of co-presidency and genuine equality.

The movement linked strengthening the workers' struggle with escalating efforts for the freedom of leader Abdullah Ocalan, asserting that his freedom represents a fundamental step towards achieving a just and lasting peace in the region, and a symbol of a liberationist ideology seeking to end all forms of tyranny and exploitation.

The Movement for a Democratic Society affirmed its commitment to continue the struggle alongside workers, women, and all segments of society, calling on all Syrians, regardless of their ethnic, sectarian, or religious affiliations, to seize this occasion as an opportunity to unite, reject hate speech, and work together to build a democratic, pluralistic, and decentralized Syria that guarantees freedom and a dignified life for all, and to confront the schemes aimed at perpetuating the suffering of the Syrian people.

Sh-S

ANHA