A letter from the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change to the Secretary of the Arab League

Your Excellency Secretary of the Arab League Dr. Nabeel Al-Araby,

With our great appreciation for the efforts of the Arab League, and the office of Mr. Kofi Annan, for organizing the “Syrian opposition forum”, and with our emphasis on the importance of the League sponsoring such talks, we would like to clarify certain points: Read more

The AKP’s ‘New Kurdish Strategy’ Is Nothing of the Sort

An Interview with Selahattin Demirtas by Jake Hess | published May 2, 2012

Selahattin Demirtas is co-president of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party of Turkey (BDP), the fourth largest political party in the country. The BDP is not formally tied to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been in armed conflict with the Turkish state since 1984, but it shares the PKK’s core political demands and the two groups likely have many supporters in common. As such, the BDP is a pivotal player in the search for peace. Hopes for a political solution to the decades-old confrontation between the Kurds and the government of Turkey were raised in 2009, when the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) launched an initiative known as the “Kurdish” or “democratic opening,” only for the effort to collapse that winter. Talk of democratic reforms and a new approach to the Kurdish issue has resurfaced since the AKP won a third term in the 2011 parliamentary elections, but prospects remain grim as PKK-army clashes and political repression of the Kurdish movement continue. A lawyer by trade, Demirtas represents the Hakkari province in the Turkish parliament and is a past vice president of the Human Rights Association of Turkey. Jake Hess interviewed him in Washington during a BDP parliamentary delegation visit in April and translated the conversation from Turkish. Read more

Syria: Human Rights and Democracy: The 2011 Foreign & Commonwealth Office Report

The Arab Spring sparked protests in Deraa in southern Syria in March. These spread quickly across the country, with demonstrators calling for democratic reform and, latterly, regime change. The Syrian government responded with violent repression. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay reported throughout the year many horrific cases of security forces subjecting civilians, including women and children, to severe human rights violations in their attempts to crush the protests. Read more

Monday 2 April 2012

Ciwan Khalaf al-Qatna has been killed

Hasakeh: Derbasieh: Ciwan Khalaf al-Qatna was martyred four days after he was kidnapped by four  shabiha. It is believed that he was targeted in an assassination and his body was found today with signs of torture on it. He is the nephew of Mashaal Tammo.

Our condolences to his family.

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NCB: Observations regarding the invitation to the Istanbul conference

National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria – NCB: Observations regarding the invitation to the Istanbul conference.

A number of activists and opposition figures including members of NCB have received unsigned emails which call for their participation in the Syrian opposition conference to be held in Istanbul on 26 March 2012. The following names were attached to the emails: Khalid Bin Mohammad al-Attiyah – Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, and Halit Çevik –  Ambassador, Ministry of State for Foreign Affairs of Turkey. The letter states that this is based on the call from the Arab States Ministerial Council issued on 12 November 2011, and the Chairman’s conclusions of the International Conference of the Friends of the Syrian People which was held in Tunisia on 24 February 2012. The letter says this is: ‘’a conference which will bring all major opposition groups and figures committed to a peaceful political transition in Syria.”

Commenting on this call, we point out the following: Read more

Wednesday 21 March 2012 – Kurdish Newroz

Piroz Be Newroz: There are a lot of videos of Kurds celebrating Newroz and calling for change today on the Facebook page Ronahi TV - QAMISLO 2

Syria: Towards a Political Solution

SUMMARY: With violence escalating and Bashar al-Assad looking unlikely to be pushed from power soon, it is becoming more urgent than ever to find a political solution in Syria. But it is also increasingly apparent that a political resolution is, at minimum, dependent on Russian acquiescence. Without pressure from Moscow, the regime will neither relent in its use of violence nor enter into a political process. Thus engaging with Russia may be the only way of halting the bloodshed and stopping Syria from falling into a deep and prolonged civil war. The newly appointed UN-Arab League representative to Syria, Kofi Annan, should therefore begin a political process that gives Russia a lead role and includes direct negotiations with the regime despite the horrific nature of its crimes.

An international contact group that includes representatives of Russia, the regime and the opposition, as well Syria’s neighbours, should meet in order to set out the parameters for a ceasefire. This should be followed by talks, ideally in Syria, which are not preconditioned on Assad’s immediate demise. Europe, for its part, must solidly back Annan’s efforts, empowering him to lead a political process that concedes to Russian demands for the sake of ending the bloodshed. At the same time, however, it should also continue to strengthen the political
opposition, while widening sanctions, to increase the attractiveness of a political solution.

Read more

Turkish police fight Kurdish protesters, one dead

One million people ask for peace: Despite the violence and the intimidation by the police, one million people managed to reach the area where Newroz celebrations are taking place in Diyarbakir.

Since early this morning people started to pour into the streets, walking and by buses and cars. Police tried to block the way by attacking the crowd gathering with tear gas and baton charging. Read more

DOZENS ARRESTED AND NEWROZ CELEBRATIONS CANCELLED IN TURKEY

Newroz celebrations in Istanbul and Diyarbakir have been cancelled for March 18 after the provincial governorships banned its celebration prior to 21, March. The Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirta? has said in a brief statement that the current ruling party in Turkey (AKP) is responsible for this and “No army, no police, no force shall prevent the Kurdish people’s march to freedom.” Nearly one hundred Kurdish activists were arrested earlier this week, and no information has been revealed about them. The National alleges that these activists were ‘militants’ with ‘explosive material’ ahead of Newroz Read more

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