Kurdish politician Salih Muslim was laid to rest in Kobanê on Sunday. Thousands of people from Rojava, along with delegations from Northern and Southern Kurdistan, attended the funeral ceremony and accompanied Bavê Welat, a longstanding political figure of Western Kurdistan, on his final journey.
SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi said in his speech during the ceremony: “We must be more hopeful. Our negotiations are continuing, there will be a prisoner exchange, and we expect the release of our friends.”
Abdi addressed the public by saying, “We will govern ourselves in our own regions.” He also offered self-criticism before tens of thousands, referring to shortcomings, mistakes and inadequacies.
A delegation from Northern Kurdistan (Bakur) and Turkey representing the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), along with Kurdish politicians, was also in Kobanê. While preparations were being made for a ceremony worthy of Salih Muslim, the delegation entered Kobanê through the Akçakale border crossing.
Kurds delivered a strong message in Kobanê. DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan emphasized unity, saying: “What Kobanê is, Amed (Diyarbakır), Batman and Kars are as well. We are one, we are together and we will defend our national values together.”
The visit carried the meaning of both a condolence and a reaffirmation of the historical ties with Kurds in Syria. As the balance of power in the region shifts and discussions about a new order intensify, the century-long achievements of the Kurds have once again become visible.
The situation of the Kurds in Syria, Turkey and the wider region, as well as messages of national unity, formed the main focus of the visit. The legacy that Salih Muslim left among the Kurds in Syria and across the region was also commemorated in this context. It was once again emphasized that the shaping of the region would not be possible without the Kurds.
Kobanê is a sacred place for the Kurds; it is not only a city but also a space of memory, resistance and identity. In Kobanê, the Kurds once again delivered the message “We are together” to the world. Within the context of fifty years of Kurdish history, politics, life, status and the ongoing process, new messages were put forward.
Amid the war unfolding across the Middle East, the Kurds are positioning themselves in this historic moment by taking important steps. The image presented during the ceremony for Salih Muslim reflected this reality: the long-standing influence of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan over the Kurds, and the shared march of Kurdish politicians, commanders and fighters that transcends borders, conveyed to the world the message, “We are one, and we walk this difficult path together.”
Along the Amed (Diyarbakır)–Kobanê line, the echo of the century’s call for freedom could be felt. Borders have lost their meaning for the Kurds. For half a century the words “existence,” “liberation” and “freedom” have been voiced; today it once again became visible in Kobanê that a new regional design and a new political roadmap cannot be drawn without the Kurds. Just as the constitutional rights of the Kurds carry meaning in Ankara, the fate and constitutional rights of the Kurds in Syria hold the same level of importance.
In other words, unless the rights of the Kurds are guaranteed in Turkey, the war in Syria will not end, and neither integration nor the January 29 agreement will produce a real outcome.
No new government in Syria without the Kurds
The Kurds, who fought against ISIS, paid a heavy price in Syria, were displaced from their homes and whose language and identity have not been officially recognized, are now entering a new phase. It would be insufficient to view this only from a Syria-centered perspective. There is a Kurdish people who want to live within a democratic framework based on constitutional rights and a civic identity in both Turkey and Syria. It is possible to say that the efforts for a solution in Turkey concern Kurds in both Turkey and Syria, and that this has become clearer in the ongoing process.
The process being carried out in Turkey after Newroz and the steps expected from the Turkish state in the coming days directly concern the Kurds. While the February 27 call has brought discussions that political and legal steps must inevitably be taken without delay, a parallel process is unfolding in Syria and Turkey. One of the most vital questions today is whether Turkey will try to obstruct the existence and gains of the Kurds, or whether it will secure its own future in the midst of the regional war by reaching an agreement with the Kurds.
It is also increasingly debated whether a Turkey and an Anatolia without the Kurds would become part of a new war in a geography shaped by a century of conflict.
The integration process underway in Syria is creating the ground for negotiations and agreements that will determine both the political and social dimensions of this parallel process.
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