Australia: Drop The Charges Against Jamie Williams!

The Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group calls on the Australian Government to drop the charges against Jamie Williams and release him unconditionally. He was arrested on 27 July and charged with “preparing for incursions into foreign countries for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities”. The substance of the charge is that he attempted to leave Australia to join the YPG forces in Syria fighting Daesh, which styles itself as the “Islamic State”.

We do not know whether Jamie Williams was actually trying to join the YPG, but we would have only admiration for him if he was. The YPG-YPJ (People’s Protection Units – Women’s Protection Units) of the PYD (Democratic Union Party) are defending the Kurdish communities of Rojova in Syria against the barbarous forces of Daesh and are doing so very effectively. Further, in the areas of Rojova the YPG-YPJ are protecting, there is a social transformation being conducted which has the potential to be greatly liberatory and to inspire revolutionary workers’ movements across the region.

We say only “potential” because the PYD are allying themselves with US imperialism in its military assault on West Asia, something that undermines the libertarian socialist goals for which the PYD claims to be struggling. While this alliance brings certain tactical benefits (having F-22s take out Daesh vehicles and field HQs definitely made defending Kobanê easier), they are greatly outweighed by the strategic disadvantage of the barriers it puts up between the Kurdish and Arab peoples of the region. The MACG therefore calls on the PYD to break with the United States and throw its lot in with the workers and oppressed masses of West Asia instead. US intervention in West Asia will kill far fewer jihadis than it will recruit for Daesh, something not unconnected to the fact that the US has killed far more people in the region than Daesh ever will.

Regardless of the PYD’s short-sighted choice of friends, however, its struggle against Daesh is greatly progressive and should be supported by workers in Australia and around the world. And if workers in Australia like Jamie Williams decide to join the YPG-YPJ or radical bands allied to them, the Australian Government shouldn’t stand in their way.

FREEDOM FOR JAMIE WILLIAMS!

LONG LIVE THE ROJAVA REVOLUTION!

(via Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group)

Spain: International Brigade comrades Paco & Martos released on conditional bail

According to the Spanish mainstream press, National Court judge Eloy Velasco has released Paco and Martos, the two comrades from the International Brigade who fought for six months against Daesh / Islamic State in Rojava. The two comrades have been charged with membership of a 'terrorist organization' along with associated charges (see here) and have been released on conditional bail. The conditions of the comrade's bail are weekly reporting to the police, surrendering of their passports and a ban on leaving the country.

Solidarity with Paco and Martos!
The Spanish state must drop the charges!
International Solidarity is not a crime!

Spain: Two members of the International Brigade who fought in Rojava arrested

via 325nostate

URGENT: 2 SPANISH MEMBERS OF INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE ARRESTED

During this morning, the repressive forces of the Spanish State are carrying out the arrest of the comrades who have been fighting the fascist forces of DAESH (Islamic State) in Rojava. Due to the lack of further information, we ask you for support, solidarity and spreading the message.

The homes of the comrades were searched by investigators of the Provincial Brigade Intelligence Office of the Madrid police. These comrades are two militants of the Partido Marxista-Leninista (Reconstrucción Comunista) that are accused by the police of appearing in this video. Police said that the two activists came into Syria via Turkey and Germany. They are accused of participating in an armed conflict outside Spain without the permission of the State, of collaborating with a terrorist organization (this is probably the PKK – Kurdish People’s Party being described here), use of military weapons and explosive devices, and of seriously undermining Spanish national interests. Reconstrucción Comunista is an organization composed of members of the Communist Youth who have broken with the Partido Comunista de España, PCE. Its founding members initially were active in this organisation before founding their own organization, close to the MLKP (Marksist-Leninist Komünist Partisi – Turkey) in 2009.

WE WANT THE SPANISH MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE WHO HAVE FOUGHT ISIS TO BE RELEASED WITHOUT CHARGES!

DEFENDING THE CIVIL POPULATION FROM ISIS TERRORIST ATTACKS CAN’T BE PERSECUTED!

FREEDOM FOR THE ANTIFASCIST COMBATANTS!

INTERNATIONALIST SOLIDARITY IS NOT A CRIME!

Info from Marxist-Leninist Party (Reconstrucción Comunista), 6th July 2015, via RHI-SRI – Secours Rouge.

From Tuzluçayır to Kobane: Interview With An Anarchist Warrior

The following article is an interview with an environmentalist, vegetarian anarchist from Turkey who is a member of Sosyal isyan (Social Insurrection) fighting as part of Birleşik Özgürlük Güçleri (United Freedom Forces) alongside the YPG / YPJ in Kobane, Rojava. The interview was conducted by H. Burak Öz and originally appeared on the jiyan.org website. We would like to thank the comrade Ece for translating the interview into English for us.

Environmentalist, vegetarian, anarchist combatants who fight in Kobane. 

We are sitting at the headquarters of United Freedom Forces (Birleşik Özgürlük Güçleri) in Kobane. I ask for a cigarette from a fighter aiming to meet and talk with him. While he offers one, I’m asking how many group form the United Freedom Forces. He says that, this force consist of salvationists (Kurtuluşçular), MLSPB, TDP and anarchists and indicates that he is an anarchist too.

What is the aim of fighting here for the anarchists?

I’m one of the founders of Social Insurrection and also their spokesperson. When the attack of ISIS started in Kobane, in the name of international solidarity, not considering it too much, we idealized to raise the defense as International Brigades much like in the Spanish Civil War. 

United Freedom Forces was formed by different socialist factions from Turkey. Being an anarchist, how did you become involved with this structure?

United Freedom Forces was founded when we arrived. We made a call to anarchists and ecologists. 

Are there any other anarchist fighters who came from other countries than Turkey? 

Comrades came from Italy and Spain. There is also an Argentinian anarchist who fights not with us but in YPG. 

When was Social Insurrection founded?

Social Insurrection was founded in 2013 in the tents of resistance in Tuzluçayır. (District in Istanbul Turkey - translator)

Why did you prefer a black and green flag?

Both because of the memory of Makhno peasants and also because of the fact that we are also ecologists.

What sort of a structure does Social Insurrection have? 

We defend class war and reject neo-liberal anarchism. Mostly we have classical anarchist, Makhno and Proudhonian comrades. Generally, we have a platformist comprehension. We can call Social Insurrection as: we didn’t take Bakunin, Proudhon, Luigi, Galleani, Malatesta etc as they were. We examined every anarchist and added our own thoughts and said that we are the Social Insurrectionists.

When did you enter the armed struggle?

 We defended armed struggle from the beginning of our foundation. Specifically, we were influenced by the view of insurrectionist anarchism of Alfredo M. Bonanno. We founded our own insurrectionist theory. We believe that the revolution will start with armed struggle. First, 3-5 armed acts in Turkish slums like Okmeydanı and now, this all led us to Kobane. But first of all, we dreamed about it.. If we hadn't dreamed about it and tried to practice it, we would just be drinking beers in a bar in Kadıköy or Beyoğlu. Some of our comrades stayed as they were. 

How is the approach of Kurdish Movement to you in Kobane?

In some way, our presence in Kobane shows that anarchist armed struggle didn’t end in the Spanish Civil War. At the beginning, socialist and Apoist (defenders of Abdullah Öcalan) friends were surprised to see anarchists using guns in here. A kind of an idea of anarchism created in minds. Actually, people don't really know anarchism in here. They know anarchists as against everything and to all sorts of organization. There is a nice statement by Kropotkin: “Anarchy is order.” We’re explaining and taking the responsibility of it. Even though its responsibility is hard to take, we’re trying to manage it.

In which point does theory of the ecological anarchism and the practice in Kobane overlap?

We lived such things in here that we couldn’t figure according to which movement we have to act, we couldn’t find the answer in books.

Like what? 

This is a military war. For example, we reject all sort of hierarchy but in here, you have to have a team commandant. You can’t give a walky-talkie to everyone in here or no one can act in his/her own way. Maybe the naturality creates its own priorities. We understood what the guidance of Malatesta and natural leadership of Bakunin was here, which we hadn't understood while reading. There was information, we practiced it and we obtained information once again.

What were you dreaming about before coming to Kobane and what did you find?

I thought I would have some problems about the chain of command but I didn’t. I didn’t confront with any sort of pressure or difficulty within YPG and United Freedom Forces. Some of our comrades may have screamed while a bullet passed near our heads in stressful times of war but it’s normal. 

Didn’t any ecological problems occur?

There was an orientalist point of view such as there was a need for people to come here to fill the gap of awareness. For example, comrades from Italy wanted to import organic agriculture but there are people who already know organic agriculture and they apply it. They are talking about ecology. A Spanish comrade insisted on “not using diesel oil to light a fire”. You’re in a place where diesel oil costs 7 cents. Wood is more expensive and you can’t find it easily because the place is generally a desert. There are olive trees but they are planted with agriculture. You can’t cut them. So, its absurd to tell these people “don’t use diesel oil, why do you use diesel oil to warm up?” 

You told us earlier that comrades from United Freedom Forces asked socialist friends not to eat meat and to apologize to the animals that they’ve killed but when you were cut off from supplies, you ate mostly meat. Can you talk about that? 

So many things happened in the mountains. Supplies didn’t arrive. We were hungry and there wasn’t anything else other than the ducks that were left behind by the villagers. When the comrades began cutting the ducks, I said “what are you doing? It’s murder!” but I said it detached from reality, as a reflex. Things that we do according just to theory had collapsed. 

You are fighting with socialists in the same group. Have any theoretical discussions occurred among you?

Even when they do, they are more like banter. We never had a problem. Us and them, we are all conscious that we came here for international solidarity. We are all acting accordingly to revolutionary ethics. We sleep side by side and we eat together. We are trying to understand each other. Maybe we need a new revolutionary theory in the 21st century that this practice may add something into, in terms of understanding each other.

You must have had some times that you approached to death. What do you think of in such moments?

I definitely had but in battlefront, you think of your comrades. Maybe there are some moments of fear and panic but when you hear gun sounds, they all disappear. I mean, you develop a reflex to protect yourself and your comrades.

What is this Coca-Cola can?

Don’t touch! It’s a handmade bomb.

Rojava: Tribute to Fallen Combatant Reece Harding from Australia

For the Media and Public Opinion

JAZIRA, Rojava (July 1, 2015) – Through history, with any identity that it might be, humanity has assembled around definitions such as freedom, equality and peace – and it always has risen in defiance of tyranny, oppression and cruelty. Freedom-lovers throughout the entire world have continuously been involved in a struggle to leave a free and peaceful future for their children.

The Kurdish people has played a big role in this revered struggle of peoples, as they continue to conduct their significant part. For thousands of years the pressure and war of deadly powers has not been reduced, yet our relentless people have always stood strong in face of those dark forces and have held high the flag of struggle. In order to grant freedom and democracy, whatever price it has been required, these people have paid confidently. This struggle of Kurdish people can be taken into account as the hardest and longest struggle of human history. Today, a streamer of this respected battle is waved by proud combatants of the People’s Defense Units and the Women’s Defense Units in Rojava Kurdistan, Syria.

This valued fight of our forces today has echoed widely throughout the entire world, and has been of abundant hope and belief for freedom-loving young men and women. For that, willing individuals from all around the world step forward to come to Rojava and be a part of this shared struggle of peoples. This assembly and reaching each other, defines well that humanity still lives with the same principles and purity. How hard determined unrighteous ones try, warriors who march taking those principles as value, are more resolute to let not the enemy forces a single opportunity.

We have come to know many precious and courageous fighters through this struggle. Many who first were not familiar with their culture, language and life, collected about a sign of freedom, knew each other and shoulder-to-shoulder they fought against darkness.

One of these heroes was our comrade, Reece Harding, who moved to Rojava on May 4th 2015 to join the fight against Daesh (ISIS) terrorists. He chose a Kurdish name after his fallen countryman Ashley Kent Johnston – Bagok Serhed – to live his expectations in that way.

Reece, had a clear smart and aware personality, he would act and move responsible at all points. He was conscious before his combatant comrades, and would do his best to protect them both in life and military. With his rekindling enthusiasm and courage, he was of morale source for all comrades during battles against the terrorists. These features and other of his characteristics who cannot be put into words, let comrade Reece to be a good example among other comrades.

After his initial training, Reece did ask for deployment to the front-lines, therefore he joined the Phase II of Operation Commander Rubar Qamishlo which first was launched effectively on May 6, 2015. After that, Reece joined numerous liberating operations in several ISIS-occupied rural and urban areas where he played a major role and fought a daring battle against brutal enemy forces.

Unfortunately in one of those task operations which inflicted severe blows to the terrorists, we had comrade Reece a fallen martyr. Reece was martyred June 27 as result of an IED explosion during operation to rescue Misherfa village within Raqqa, Tal Abyad and Kobani triangle.

His fall has truly saddened us, as losing a kindhearted, reliant comrade always is painful. But we as comrades of Reece will make power of this sorrow while fulfilling his goal and realizing his attitude, and those of all of our fallen martyrs.

We as the People’s Defense Units YPG and the Women’s Defense Units YPJ, above all the family of comrade Reece and his loved ones, we extend our deepest condolences to proud Kurdish and Australian people. We declare once more that Daesh terrorists shall never succeed, and for that we will put in effect all we can do.

FALLEN HERO’S PROFILE IS:
NAME: REECE HARDING
NOM DE GUERRE: BAGOK SERHED
MOTHER’S NAME: MICHELLE
FATHER’S NAME: KEITH
PLACE OF BIRTH: MIDDLE SWAN, AUSTRALIA / 8-31-1991
JOINED: MAY 4, 2015 – JAZIRA REGION, ROJAVA
MARTYRED: JUNE 27, 2015 – MISHREFA, AIN ISSA, SULUK

People’s Defense Units (YPG) – 2015 Press Office

International call out from the people of Czire Canton in Rojava

The following comes to us via our friends from Rojava Solidarity Australia who received this important international call out from the people from Czire Canton in Rojava and asked us to help them spread the word. Please read and share widely. 

With this call out we invite individuals, organizations, collectives to participate in our liberation fight, liberation not only of the Kurds for their land, but first and foremost liberation from the power of the state and capitalism. We invite you to come to Rojava, Canton Cizire.

The Rojava (Western Kurdistan) is a piece of land largely freed from the presence of ISIS but under embargo: an embargo implemented against us not only from Turkey but also from Iraqi Kurdistan, which regime does not appreciate the social changes taking place here. This embargo limits the availability of basic necessities, but also on the shortage of medicines and medical equipment needed to treat the injured. Here there are thousands of martyrs, of people killed by war: many have lost their family and home.

As in all wars in the world, it is the woman who bears the greatest weight, because she is losing her children, she is being raped, she is sold as slavery and forced to prostitute; in addition, in Syria and in much of the Middle East, until the revolution, women were considered a second class people. But here in Rojava, the woman no longer considers this an inevitable fate: since long time, women have begun to be active in all fields (social, political, military) and this is managing to change the chauvinist mentality. In the fight against the patriarchal system we fight also against all forms of oppression and abuse: the same way of thinking that places man above the woman also he puts those who have power over the people and the human being above of nature, in a hierarchy of violence and abuse. Fighting against the patriarchal system therefore means for us also fighting the authoritarian and reactionary mentality.

Here there is suffering, of course, but here there is also happiness. There is happiness and pride, because a people has raised up against the abuses. We learned again to write in our language, which had been prohibited in all public buildings. We put into practice a model of democratic self-management, in which decisions start and are discussed and made in public meetings in the streets that involves all those who want to be part of it. We organized together with all minorities and ethnic groups which are present in this part of the world, so that everyone can keep his identity completing each other in a dynamic that enriches everybody.

We fight a legitimate struggle for liberation, as can be to the Palestinian one or as were the anti-colonial ones; this is also a struggle to give power to the people, putting as a priority the liberation of women; this fight looking for a harmonic relationship with nature, an interconnected cycle of which even human beings are part; this struggle wants to eliminate authoritarianism fighting the mentality that generates it. Our struggle is also responsible for its own defense through YPG-YPJ, because the monsters that attack it are many and deadly.

What you can do here is much, first of all to come to see, and to tell in your countries what happens here. And then to help those who have suffered psychological trauma, help in reconstruction, aid in natural parks, in the "Newroz" refugee camp which houses Yazidis fleeing from Shingal, as well as take part in the defense forces of the people and of women (YPG-YPJ). Your solidarity, in our eyes, has the highest value.

We would like to hear your stories, to hear about the struggles that take place in other parts of the world, and we would like to share our revolution with you. We invite you so that you can see with your own eyes that the system which forces the human being to become a part of its machine, and takes away humanity and happiness from the people, makes them into puppets of mechanisms over which they have no control, is not the only possible system, and this is one of the alternatives. In the history and all around of the world there have always been and always will be movements struggling to liberate the human being from the Power that would like to make the people dead and sad, we believe it is important to join these movements because only together we can win against the monster that, in its various forms, we struggle against.

For information please contact: solidaritywithrojava@gmail.com