Yunus: Only unity can defeat genocide policies

Following the fall of the Syrian regime on 8 December, initiatives were undertaken to facilitate intra-Kurdish dialogue under the leadership of the Kurdish National Unity Parties (PYNK), with PYNK and the Syrian Kurdish National Council (ENKS) seeking to initiate discussions. Political parties within PYNK, particularly the PYD, are striving to form a common vision to achieve Kurdish unity. While talks have not yet commenced, PYNK continues to issue calls for unity.

ANF spoke with Talat Yunus, a member of the General Council of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), about the significance of Kurdish unity and solidarity. 

Addressing the importance of unity and cohesion among the Kurdish people, Talat Yunus said: “For centuries, the enemies of the Kurdish people have attempted to divide us by sowing seeds of discord and working to prevent Kurdish unity. It is vital to achieve Kurdish unity, to counter the politics of division imposed by our enemies and to act in accordance with our common interests. To be able to live on our lands, sustain our existence, and stand against genocidal policies, we must adopt a unified vision, stance, and attitude. The enemy’s strategies of division, exploiting weaknesses, implementing occupation policies, and disrupting unity and solidarity have created significant obstacles to the Kurdish people achieving their rights. 

For this reason, the PYD has made great efforts to ensure Kurdish unity, to act in accordance with common perspectives and interests, and to establish democracy, equality, and freedom.”

“Talks were sabotaged by the Turkish state”

Yunus recalled the establishment of the High Kurdish Council at the beginning of the Rojava Revolution to ensure Kurdish unity, and added: “At the start of the revolution, we made efforts to bring together all the Kurdish people for a democratic Syria and a free Rojava. To prevent massacres and genocidal policies, we aimed to unify our voice and engaged in dialogue with all Kurdish political parties and institutions. We even called upon South Kurdistan (KRG) for help in achieving Kurdish unity. Efforts were made to work with ENKS in this direction.

Our people were happy with this effort, but we did not achieve the desired result. Despite this, we continued to work to ensure unity. Due to the individual interests of Kurdish political parties and interventions by the enemies of the Kurdish people, we were unable to achieve a positive result. Therefore, the activities of the High Kurdish Council were halted. However, the PYD’s efforts to achieve unity have never ceased. We have continued our efforts to organize a joint conference with the Kurds of Rojava and even to hold a national congress covering all four parts of Kurdistan.

We made efforts to hold meetings with ENKS, under the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and through the mediation of the international coalition. As PYNK, we have continuously expressed our openness to discussions about the realization of Kurdish unity. Achieving Kurdish unity is our priority, and we have put no obstacle in front of this desire. Due to the relationships between the parties and the Turkish state and other powers, we were unable to get results from these initiatives. As PYD, we took the lead in a new initiative. Regardless of the views of all Kurdish political parties in Syria, we took the initiative to bring them together. We tried to create a draft to talk about our common views, and about what kind of Syria we want to build, what future we want for the peoples. This will be quite helpful in moving forward with a unified approach in negotiations with Damascus, and the initiative we started is still ongoing. In this regard, we held workshops, and more will follow. Our main goal is to ensure Kurdish unity, and we will do everything we can to achieve this unity.”

“Kurds led the revolution and can lead the new Syria”

Yunus said that a new era has begun in Syria after the fall of the Syrian regime, and continued: “It is very important for Kurdish political parties to have a common position in order to participate in building a new Syria, protect the rights of the Kurdish people, and ensure our rights in the new constitution. Being able to act with a common vision in the new Syria is very important. This is the time for unity, for one voice, and for one first. Just as the Kurdish people led the Rojava Revolution, they can also lead the future of the new Syria.

Of course, for this to happen, Kurdish unity must be achieved. We share the same views with all political parties under the PYNK umbrella and with all political parties in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. In this regard, we have also made calls to ENKS. We have called upon all Kurdish parties to support the achievement of Kurdish unity. Initiatives are also continuing through the mediation of France and the United States. We continue to work to ensure that the delegation going to Damascus can represent the Kurdish people with a unified voice and act in unity.”

“The Autonomous Administration system must be guaranteed”

Talat Yunus said: “We are not in favor of Kurdish political parties making separate visits to Damascus. We support the creation of a delegation that will represent the Kurdish people.

When the Kurdish people are organized and united, they will achieve success. It is important for this delegation to act in the interests of the Kurdish people, regardless of who is in it. Most importantly, it is crucial to go to Damascus with a common perspective. Protecting and securing the gains made in the future of the new Syria is our priority. The structures established with great effort, from the Syrian Democratic Forces to the Autonomous Administration, are those that protect the people and act in the interests of the people. We must guarantee these achievements. Our primary goal is to achieve these gains through the construction of a democratic Syria. For this to happen, the Kurdish parties must come together and engage in discussions.”