Civil society group brings rival Kurdish parties together in Syria

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A delegation of Kurdish intellectuals and lawyers from Kobane have launched an effort to bring together rivalling Kurdish parties in Syria, an initiative requested by the international community and authorities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 

The delegation met with Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Qamishli on Saturday. They are scheduled to meet with the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD) and opposition Kurdish National Council (KNC or ENKS) on Sunday.   

"It is better for the unity of the Kurdish nation if we are united. The entire Kurdish parties and nation support such initiatives," said Abdi in a press conference after the meeting with the delegation. 

"We are optimistic that efforts put to build unity will bear fruit," Abdi added.  

"All the political parties have a positive stance," Abdi claimed, also saying the people of Rojava are supporting the reconciliation initiative. 

The PYD and ENKS, which consists of several opposition parties, have been in a bitter dispute for years over the sharing of power in northeast Syria, known to Kurds as Rojava.

The latter has accused the Movement for a Democratic Society (TEV-DEM), the umbrella group for the ruling PYD and its allies, of refusing to share power. Moreover, the ENKS-linked Roj Peshmergas - funded by the KRG - have been prohibited from becoming part of the security apparatus alongside SDF forces.

The opposition group's refusal to recognize the TEV-DEM administration has strained ties between the two groups.

The rivals have made several failed attempts in the past to unite the various groups in the area.

Power-sharing agreements between the groups were signed in 2014 in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq's Duhok province, mediated by the Region's ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) which has close ties with the ENKS. However, none of the deals have been implemented.

Turkey's launch of Operation Peace Spring against Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria in October last year has since encouraged rival Kurdish parties in Rojava to re-engage in serious efforts to build unity.

"We have no other option but to cast aside our differences. For us the matter of Kurdish identity is very important," Hussein Mohammed Ali, a member of the Kobane delegation, told Rudaw.

"Mr. Abdi was very positive and very happy for our attempt at bringing different Kurdish sides together," Ali said, adding that Abdi agreed that despite political differences, Kurdish parties should remain united in their rhetoric.
 
The ENKS is a member of the pro-Turkish Syrian opposition, a point of contention with the PYD. 

Officials and members of the ENKS usually often live in the Kurdistan Region, Turkey and Western countries. Some have been banned from entering Rojava and have been jailed for their criticism and alleged links to Turkey. 

For the first time in years, the EKNS reopened its offices in Rojava in early February in a "gesture of good faith," as part of ongoing attempts to strengthen ties with ruling Kurdish authorities in northern Syria.

Edited by Yasmine Mosimann