</image> <image source="map"></image> <label>Type</label> <label>Level</label> <label>Location</label> <label>Inhabitants</label> </infobox>The Democratic Federation of Northern Syria (DFNS) or commonly known as Rojava (sometimes called Kurdistan by western media) is an ongoing effort since 2012 to create a libertarian socialist in the north of Syria according to the principles of Democratic Confederalism. This began with the Rojava Revolution.
Decision-Making
Decisions are made by community assemblies and a unique four-level model of a confederation. These are divided into four main levels of decision-making.
- Commune: Between 30 and 400 households gather in local assemblies to discuss, debate and vote on how to solve the issues affecting them the most.
- Neighbourhood or Village People's Council: Delegates from 7-30 communes gather to coordinate efforts between communes and solve larger-scale issues in either rural or urban contexts.
- District People's Council: Delegates from neighbouring people's councils gather to discuss issues affecting the city and surrounding land and villages. There are political parties, civil societies and social movements at this level which advocate for various political perspectives.
- People's Council of Western Kurdistan: The highest level of decision-making that affects region-wide issues. This is made up of delegates from all district people's councils. By law, 40% of delegates must be women.
Each council can create 'commissions' made up of various specialists and experts which perform tasks for the communities whilst still be highly accountable to them in a democratic fashion.[1]
Economy
As of 2015, around 75% of land within the DFNS is owned in common and 33% of industry is run according to the principles of workers' self-management.[2] The economy is divided into three major sectors:
- The Social Economy, composed of worker cooperatives.
- The War Economy, composed of commune efforts to finance the military and public services.
- The Open Economy, an incomplete attempt to encourage foreign investment and support.[3]
Industry includes 50 soap factories, 20 olive oil factories, 250 olive processing plants, 70 factories making construction materials, 400 textile workshops, 8 shoe factories, 5 factories producing nylon and 15 factories processing marble in the canton. Two mills, two hotels and a dam have recently been built and a new 84,000 square meter industrial park has been opened which is home to at least 800 workplaces.[4]
Public Services
Following the Rojava Revolution, hundreds of schools for people of all ages have been established. Many such schools focus on teaching the languages spoken by ethnic minorities (previously punishable by torture) and uncovering much of the wisdom hidden within the history of Western Asia. The schools borrow elements from democratic schooling, being compared to John Dewey's vision of an ideal education.[5] In 2014, the first university (Mesopotamian Social Sciences Academy) was opened in Qamişlo in the Cizîrê Canton. It offered students classes, a library, internet access, sports facilities and a dormitory.[6]
Councils and communes have also pooled together to provide citizens with clean energy, food sovereignty, waste management, water security[7], internet access[8] and cultural festivals.[9]
Environmental Protection
In 2018, many local communities agreed to the campaign titled 'Make Rojava Green Again' which aims to restore the region to its natural ecological health. Measures taken include the construction of areas for solar and wind electricity generation. The construction of urban and rooftop agriculture within cities. The creation of large wildlife reserves and reforestation campaigns. Water and material recycling, compost in agriculture as well as safe and clean waste management. The campaign is done on the advice of specialist advisors with backgrounds in physics, chemistry, biology, systems theory and ecology.[7]
Culture
Parts of the DFNS have seen an explosion in the development of art, including a rise in music, film and theater productions.[10] International media and local journalists operate with few restrictions in the region, one of the only regions in Syria where they can operate according to the principles of freedom of the press.[11]
References
- ↑ Ercan Ayboga (2013) Revolution in Rojava
- ↑ Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness (2015) A Small Key Can Open A Large Door: The Rojava Revolution
- ↑ http://www.biehlonbookchin.com/rojavas-threefold-economy/
- ↑ https://mesopotamia.coop/the-economy-of-rojava/
- ↑ Janet Biehl (2015) Revolutionary Education in Rojava - http://new-compass.net/articles/revolutionary-education-rojava
- ↑ First New University To Open In Rojava (2014) https://rojavareport.wordpress.com/2014/08/31/first-new-university-to-open-in-rojava/
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Andrew Neef (2018) Building Ecology through Autonomy in Rojava - https://unicornriot.ninja/2018/building-autonomy-ecology-rojava/
- ↑ http://syriannewscenter.net/ar/article/23775-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%84%D9%8A-%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-10-%D8%A3%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%85.html
- ↑ http://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/3cfd84f7-b2fb-4370-a8b0-67fcfadbb58f/Syrian-Kurds-hold-theatre-festival-in-Rojava-amid-war
- ↑ https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/07/syria-kurdish-rojava-revolutionary-art.html
- ↑ Freedom of the Press - Syria (2015) https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/2015/syria