Book Talk | The Making of a Semi-Autonomous Region in Northeast Syria with Dr. Amy Austin Holmes

In State of Survivors: The Making of a Semi-Autonomous Region in Northeast Syria, Dr. Amy Austin Holmes charts the movement of Syrian Kurds and their Arab and Christian allies to govern their semi-autonomous region, also known as Rojava. Drawing from an original survey of the Syrian Democratic Forces, untapped archival documents, and seven years of field research, Holmes traces the genealogy of this social experiment to the Republic of Mount Ararat in Turkey, where a self-governing entity was proclaimed in 1927 based on a treaty of collaboration between Kurds and Armenian genocide survivors. Founded by survivors of modern-day atrocities, the Autonomous Administration does more to empower women and minorities than any other region of Syria. In this new book, Dr. Holmes analyzes its military and police forces, schools, the judicial system, the economic model it has implemented, and strategy of empowering women who were once enslaved by ISIS.
Please join the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program for a discussion with the author, Dr. Amy Austin Holmes, about the remarkable story of the people who both triumphed over ISIS and created a model of decentralized governance in Syria that could eventually be expanded if Assad were to ever fall.

[@filayhigh]

I’m a descendent of Armenian genocide survivors. My parents migrated from Syria to the United States. As far as I know, big number Armenian people were killed by organized Kurdish gangs during the genocide. Actually we traveled back to where my grandfather was born. All our properties were taken over by local Kurds.
Some of distant relatives recently migrated to Europe from northern Syria. I’m not sure how we can call SDF as a democratic model. Obviously I was not there. But we know that SDF is an armed group and not a democratically elected government.
Unfortunately, foreign powers destabilized the region by supporting Islamic groups or YPG/SDF.
Western leftists/socialists often romanticize YGG/SDF for ideological reasons. They call it a democratic model for other regions which sounds absurd.

[@estarestar929]

How can you generalize such a bad example on whole Kurds? My grandfather hided Armenians during the genocide and make sure they don’t get any harm. Only Kurdish majority party recognizes Armenian genocide in Turkish Parliament. if you except Armenian genocide you’re in danger in Turkey. Kurdish people sacrifice themselves for Armenians in Turkey. Aram Tigran is famous Armenian singer. He expressed his love and respect for Kurds because his family supported by Kurds during genocide.There are many examples out there. Even Kurds got hanged and killed by Ottoman soldiers. SDF helps schools and local forces of Armenian in North East Syria go do your research, you don’t have enough knowledge about this matter. You can’t put ISIS and SDF on same page. ISIS is savage and radical jihadist group. SDF gives right to women and trying
to democratic establish role models in Syria.

[@filayhigh]

@@estarestar929
I think you did not understand what I was talking about. Armenian people were killed by Kurdish gangs and propeties were stolen from them. These are the facts that I personally validated myself as our own house and land is occupied by Kurdish people today.
I don’t hate Kurdish people. I don’t suggest that Kurdish people are bad. I stated the fact plain and simple. I have great Kurdish friends. Again, issue is not racial at all.
We met Garo Paylan in person here in the US as Armenian community. I know he was member of Kurdish party in Turkey and served in grand assembly of Turkey. Actually some of our community members asked him if those Kurdish people would give away Armenian properties back. Because they accepted and apologized for the atrocities they committed against Armenian people. But we all know it will never happen. Words don’t mean that much unless you take action.
Do I hate Turks? No, I don’t. However I say the same thing about them. They committed atrocities no matter how much they try to twist the truth.
Long story short, we can’t get cozy with Kurds just because we both dislike Turkey. I don’t care what you guys call it. But, no one can make me believe that SDF is a democracy loving group. They are an armed group being used for certain objectives. Again, armed groups and democracy doesn’t go hand in hand.

[@estarestar929]

@@filayhigh Those things you are talking about like almost impossible. This is like Indigenous people demanding theirs land from white people in USA. I m not saying it’ was right. First of all Kurds don’t have government to compensate these properties value. It’s under the control of Turkish government. Even if they wanna pay back they can’t. Let’s not repeat this since it’s not going to happen. You are talking about to get cozy with you! There is no need for that. We all trying to get our land back. Enemy of my Enemy it’s not my friend. Even apologize for what ever happened that time and trying to get Turkish people excepted genocide by Kurds it’s good enough. Yes SDF is armed group because they surrendered by jihadist and radical countries. They have to armed. SDF encourages women to be part of society,helps local assemblies to make their own rules. They wanna held elections because of Turkish threats they have to postponed. In shit whole Middle East It’s not best but they are trying to do something that non of the Middle Eastern countries couldn’t not establish. But again you don’t have to believe it after all these things that’s been happening. What certain objectives are using SDF? Tell me one county that’s not being used by other dominant powers?

[@AreShakhavan]

Thank you professor