Syrian Kurds plan unity conference

Syria’s Kurdish parties are planning a conference to unify their agendas and create a strategy for the future role of Kurds in Syria, but at least one Syrian youth group already says it is resistant to the event.

The date and location of the conference has not been set, but Ismail Hama, the head of the Kurdish Democratic Union in Syria, told Rudaw that leaders expect it will be held in a Kurdish city in Syria.

According to Hama, 11 Kurdish parties are organizing the conference.

Hama said delegates will be elected in Kurdish cities and towns before the conference is held. Half of the delegates are expected to be party representatives and the other half will be independent intellectuals, writers and youth.

According to Hama, the conference will focus on the revolution in Syria, the Kurdish role in the future of Syria and solutions for the Kurdish plight in that country. Kurds are not recognized as an ethnic group in Syria, and they are not entitled to citizenship.

Abdulhakim Bashar, the head of the Kurdish Democratic Party, said the current situation in Syria calls for a united Kurdish movement.

“What’s happening in Syria will be decisive for the Kurds,” he said. “Therefore we believe it’s necessary for the Kurds to come together and make a Kurdish decision.”

Bashar expected the conference will be held in the next two weeks.

Anti-government protests are continuing across Syria. According to human rights organizations, around 2,000 people have been killed by the Syrian security forces and thousands have been arrested. Hundreds of civilians have fled the country to Turkey and Lebanon.

Kurds have been frustrated with the Arab-led Syrian opposition, and even dropped out of Syrian opposition conferences to protest what they claim is a lack of respect for Kurdish issues. Most of the conferences, which focused on planning for Syria’s future if the Baath regime falls, have been held in Turkey.

Ciwan Yusuf, a spokesperson for the Sawa Youth Movement in Syria, said the Kurdish youth want more representation at the conference.

“The conference includes the Kurdish youth,” Yusuf said. “But we have already aired our opposition to the conference because the parties want credit for half of what is happening and give the people only half [of the seats]. Holding a conference like that will only complicate the situation.”

Yusuf said his group isn’t totally opposed to an inclusive national event, but that it should be well organized.

“The Kurdish parties haven’t even clarified their position on the Syrian regime yet,” Yusuf said. “This makes us suspicious. We hope they publicly announce their position on the regime before they hold the conference because, for our part, we have given up on Assad’s regime. Yet the Kurdish parties still speak of possible negotiations with the regime.”