URGENT CALL FOR ACTION
Global Rally for the freedom and reconstruction of Kobane
Date for Global Rally: 1 November 2015
The determined resistance of the Kurdish men and women in this strategic border region of Rojava (Western Kurdistan in Syria) inspired people and governments all over the world when they successfully repelled the siege of their city Kobane by the Islamic State (ISIS) just over a year ago. Their fight became a symbol of popular resistance to the merciless violence and horrendous atrocities committed by ISIS.
In response, on 1 November 2014 an urgent international call for a global day of action for Kobane and for Humanity was launched appealing to people all over the world to show solidarity with Kobane and for humanitarian and material assistance.
Hundreds of individuals and organisations representing thousands of members from across the world signed this call including prominent individuals like Professor Noam Chomsky and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who have both been long-time supporters of the Kurdish struggle for self-determination, as well as Nobel Peace Prize Laureates like Adolfo Erez Esquivel, and Jose Ramos-Horta, former President of East Timor and Nora Cortinas, cofounder of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo in Argentina and Palestinian singer Reem Kelani.
But while there is no official support the logistics of sending aid to Kobane has been fraught with insuperable difficulties and the people of Kobane have continued to suffer with many families fleeing to a place of greater safety. That is why it is even more urgent now to set up a humanitarian corridor from Turkey to Kobane to facilitate aid to flow through to reach the city, which is still facing ISIS assaults.
Pressure therefore needs to be brought on the government of the AKP in Ankara to take immediate action to let essential medical supplies, food and clothing, to pass through to Kobane.
Despite the relentless onslaught of ISIS forces over the past months, Kobane is still standing proud and free. The people are still putting up fierce resistance and are determined to defend their self-governing administration which is one of three cantons in the Democratic Autonomous Administration of Rojava (Western Kurdistan, Syria) who are secular, democratic, non-sectarian and pro-gender equality.
The tragic truth is that the death of the young Kurdish boy, Alan Kurdi, whose body washed up on the shore of Bodrum and shocked the world, need never have happened if the people of Kobane had received proper assistance from the international agencies a year ago.
Now is the time to aid Kobane and by so doing show solidarity with the forces who are struggling for a free, democratic and peaceful Syria.
Now is the time for the world to recognize that democratic autonomy in Rojava and the “Rojava Model” promises a free future for all peoples in Syria.
It is time to talk peace and to act for peace. Supporting Kobane is to support peace.
We encourage people all over the world to show their solidarity with Kobanê.
Go to the streets and demonstrate on 1 November 2015.
We urge you to join the Global Rally for Kobanê
Support the Resistance against ISIS – for Kobanê – for Humanity!
FIRST SIGNATORIES: Prof Kariane WESTRHEIM, EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC)-Norway; Prof Michael GUNTER, EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC)-US; PEACE IN KURDISTAN CAMPAIGN-UK; Noam CHOMSKY-US; John BERGER, novelist, art critic, Booker Prize winner-France; Mark THOMAS, Author/comedian and activist-UK; Jeremy HARDY, comedian-UK; Baroness Helena KENNEDY-UK; Mike MANSFIELD QC, President of Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers-UK; LORD AVEBURY, House of Lords-UK; Bruce KENT, Vice-President, Pax Christi-UK; Baroness Glenys KINNOCK-UK; Baroness Jenny JONES, House of Lords-UK; Baroness Jenny TONGE, House of Lords–UK; Derek WALL, International Co-ordinator of the Green Party-UK; Dr Dafydd IWAN, Past President Plaid Cymru Party of Wales-UK; David GRAEBER, Prof of Anthropology at London School of Economics and author-UK; Dr Radha D’SOUZA, author and social justice activist-UK; Margaret OWEN OBE, human rights lawyer and Director of Widows for Peace through Democracy-UK; Janet BIEHL, author and translator-US; Penny GREEN, Professor of Law and Globalisation , Director, International State Crime Initiative, Queen Mary University of London-UK; MEP Anna GOMES (S&D), MEP Bart STAES (Verts/ALE); MEP Bodil VALERO (Verts/ALE); MEP Brando BENEFEI (S&D), MEP Eleonora FORENZA (GUE/NGL); MEP Fabio DE MASI (GUE/NGL), MEP Gabiele ZIMMER (GUE\NGL); MEP Javier NART (ALDE); MEP Izaskun BILBAO BARANDICA (ALDE); MEP Jean LAMBERT (Verts/ALE) ; MEP José BOVE (Verts/ALE) ; MEP Josef WEIDENHOLZER (S&D); MEP Malin BJORK (GUE/NGL); MEP Marie ARENA (S&D); MEP Marie-Christine VERGIAT (GUE/NGL) ; MEP Rina Kari RONJA (GUE\NGL). ROJAVA SOLIDARITY LONDON group-UK; Houzan MAHMOUD, Kurdish feminist-UK; Melanie GINGELL barrister, Doughty Street Chambers-UK; Dr Thomas Jeffrey MILEY, Lecturer in Political Sociology , Cambridge University; Dr Johanna RIHA, Epidemiologist; Prof Bill BOWRING, Birkbeck College, School of Law, University of London-UK; Mary DAVIS, Visiting Professor of Labour History at Royal Holloway University London-UK; Nick HILDYARD, policy adviser-UK; Stephen SMELLIE, UNISON Lanarkshire, Scotland; Jonathan BLOCH, author-UK; Robert ATKINS-solicitor-UK; Les LEVIDOW, Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC)-UK; Saleh MAMON, CAMPACC-UK; Joe RYAN, Chair, Westminster Diocese for Justice and Peace-UK; Eric DRAITSER, Founder, Editor -StopImperialism.org-US; Dr Felix PADEL Visiting Professor, JNU, Delhi-India; CORPORATE WATCH-UK; Bob MCGLYNN, Neither East or West-US; Bill WEINBERG, World War 4 Report-US;Lucie C. MCALLISTER, Neither East or West-US; Mike WOLOSHIN, Chicago Chapter 26 of Veterans for Peace- US; Prof. Haci AKMAN, University of Bergen-Norway; Efraim BULUT, Cardiologist, Haraldsplass Deaconess Hospital-Norway; Prof Sølvi LILLEJORD-Norway; Prof Nils GILJE, University of Bergen-Norway; Jan Bojer VINDHEIM, Green Party, South-Trondelag District Council-Norway; Erling FOLKVORD, Writer and former MP, Red Party-Norway; Svein OLSEN, Red Party, City Council Bodo-Norway; Arne Liljedahl LYNNGAARD, The Church City Mission, Director, Bergen-Norway;
For information contact:
Kobanê Reconstruction Board
Rue Jourdan 48, 1060 Brussels – BELGIUM
[email protected] +32.485.103914
EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC)
Kariane Westrheim, Chairperson
[email protected]
UK: Peace in Kurdistan Campaign and Kurdish People’s Assembly
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign for a political solution of the Kurdish Question
Email: [email protected] – http://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com
Estella Schmid 020 7586 5892 & Melanie Sirinathsingh – Tel: 020 7272 7890
