The Kurdish movement, striving for autonomy and recognition, has faced numerous challenges in its pursuit of self-determination. While external forces such as Turkey, and internal ones such as the Assad regime, have historically posed significant obstacles to Kurdish aspirations within Syria, internal divisions and conflicts have also emerged, undermining the unity and progress of the Kurdish cause. One such internal challenge, says the Syrian Yekiti Kurdistan Party (PYKS) comes from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian proxy, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whose actions have been criticized for their detrimental impact on Kurdish autonomy.
Nawaf Rashid, a member of the political committee of the PYKS, has raised concerns about the policies of the PKK, attributing the emptying of regions in northern and eastern Syria to the migration of people resulting from the conflict between the PKK and Turkey. He emphasizes the catastrophic consequences of this conflict for the Kurdish people, citing the displacement of residents and the abandonment of life in hundreds of villages due to Turkish attacks. Rashid calls for the PKK to leave northern and eastern Syria blaming them, in part, for the further displacement and the sale of agricultural lands by residents there, which he views as dangerous repercussions of the PKK’s policies in the region.
Similarly, Ismail Rashid, another member of the political committee of the Kurdistan Yekiti Party, has criticized the PKK for its alien culture and the burdens it has imposed on Kurdish society. He accuses the PKK of engaging in betrayal, intimidation, and militarization, which have led to the displacement and destruction of Kurdish cities and villages. Rashid highlights the PKK’s classification as an international terrorist organization and its failure to respect the will of the Kurdish people in different regions, asserting that the party has become a direct threat to the security and safety of Kurdistan, creating more enemies for the Kurdish cause.
Rashid’s emphasis on the need for the PKK to reevaluate its policies and embrace peaceful political struggle, dialogue, and partnership, reflects a broader call for a shift away from militarization and towards a more inclusive and diplomatic approach to advancing the Kurdish cause. He stresses the importance of acknowledging the unique characteristics and political movements of each part of Kurdistan, urging the PKK to refrain from exporting its crises and interfering in the affairs of other Kurdish regions.
Furthermore, Rashid emphasizes the futility of Turkey’s military option in resolving the Kurdish issue, advocating for dialogue as the best means to gain support for the Kurdish cause and foster interaction and partnership among Kurdish components. Emphasizing the need for the PKK to relinquish its involvement in the affairs of Kurdish parts and to embrace a culture of logic and dialogue to address the Kurdish issue in Turkey, rather than perpetuating proxy wars that do not serve the interests of the Kurdish people. Nawaf Rashid and Ismail Rashid raise concerns about the detrimental impact of the PKK and its Syrian affiliate, the SDF on the Kurdish movement and advocate a cessation of its cultural and physical occupation of Syria demanding the group vacate northeastern Syria.
