PYD Co-Chair: self-administration represents a historic opportunity for a new Syria
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), Salih Muslim, described the self-administration model as a historic opportunity to build a new Syria based on democracy and pluralism, accusing Turkiye of attempting to undermine the project due to its perceived threat to Turkish interests.
In an interview with Shafaq news agency, Muslim emphasized that "the self-administration has become a focal point in international conferences," citing the PYD's participation in the International Socialist Party conference held in Morocco. Muslim noted that all participants at the conference showed great interest in the self-administration model for a new Syria, raising numerous questions about its dimensions and goals.
“We understand that self-administration is not just a political project but a model for the will of the people and a confirmation of their unity within a democratic framework. This model aims to empower women, youth, and all community components to manage their own affairs, free from authoritarian dominance,” he said.
The Democratic Self-Administration in Northern and Eastern Syria was established in 2014 as a local governance framework led by Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, and other components of the region. The initiative emerged in response to the political vacuum left by the Syrian government's withdrawal from the northern and eastern regions during the war.
Muslim pointed out that the Turkish state views the success of the self-administration as an existential threat, and thus seeks, by all means, to prevent Kurds from participating in any political process or resolution in Syria.
"Turkiye sees the success of the self-administration as the declaration of its end, which is why it has been pursuing hostile policies for ten years to prevent the Kurds from playing a central role in building the future of Syria," he added.
He also believed that Turkish attacks on self-administration areas are a continuation of these policies, citing the alliances Turkiye formed with extremist factions to weaken the self-administration and thwart its efforts to achieve peace and stability.
Despite the successes the self-administration has achieved in combating terrorism and restoring stability to the region, it faces significant challenges, including Turkish interference and repeated attacks on its territories, as well as the lack of official international recognition. Muslim concluded by stating that "self-administration represents a real hope for a new Syria based on pluralism and democracy," stressing the importance of continued diplomatic efforts and solidarity among the Kurdish people to achieve their common goals.
