Developments in Rojava and Rojhilat were discussed in the Hamburg State Parliament following a motion by the Left Party. During the session, speakers emphasized the need to halt military attacks, support the SDF, and acknowledge Germany’s political responsibility.
The Left Party motion was titled “Let us protect democracy and human rights – Stand in solidarity with Rojava and Rojhilat!”
The Hamburg Left Party parliamentary group stated that Rojava is an important line of defense against Islamism, emphasizing that women can live freely in the region and that ISIS terrorism has been neutralized there. The statement noted that Rojava is currently under serious threat, with Islamist militias carrying out attacks, and that this situation also directly affects thousands of Kurds living in Hamburg. A call was made for “solidarity with Rojava.”
The first speaker in the session was David Stoop, co-chair of the Hamburg Left Party parliamentary group, who called on German politics to assume responsibility regarding Rojava. Stoop demanded pressure on the interim government in Damascus and support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
As the debate continued, deputies from all parties except the far-right AfD drew attention to the Kurds’ struggle against ISIS and stated that military attacks against Rojava must be stopped immediately.
CDU deputy Michael Becken said that attacks on civilians and infrastructure in Rojava are unacceptable, stressing that Kurdish rights must be protected and that Kurds should be integrated into Syria’s political future.
Members of the Green Party said that the system in Rojava, based on democracy, women’s freedom, and ecology, is promising. They described the protests that have been ongoing in Hamburg for days as worthy of respect in terms of democratic participation, and recalled that during the 2014 Kobanê resistance, the Kurds protected the entire world against the Islamist threat.
Left Party MP Marie Kleinert also emphasized that the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria is a central ally in the fight against ISIS, saying, “Without the SDF, Kobanê and Raqqa could not have been liberated, and Europe would not be as stable as it is today. The people of Rojava have paid heavy prices and continue to do so.” Kleinert warned that Germany’s silence would amount to acceptance of the attacks and called on the federal government to act.
In his closing remarks, David Stoop once again drew attention to Turkey’s role in the attacks against Rojava and demanded that Germany halt arms exports to Turkey. Stoop also described it as “shameful” that YPG and YPJ flags are still banned in Hamburg, despite praise for the Kurds’ fight against ISIS.