Al-Islah took its place under the ENKS umbrella in 2012 and parted ways with them in 2014. Currently, the group is in the Democratic Syrian Assembly. Emced Osman from Al-Islah talked about their experience in the ENKS, how they parted ways and the Urfa meeting held in June by the ENKS.

“WE GOT TO KNOW ENKS BY OUR OWN EXPERIENCE”

Emcet Osman from Syrian Kurds' Reform Movement Al-Islah expressed that their movement was under the ENKS umbrella from 2012 to 2014 and said: “So, we had an experience in the ENKS where we had some organisational and political problems. We as the Reform Movement wanted to build our organisational structure on a correct foundation and wanted to achieve right political decisions. The problems in the organisational structure are not so minor because these also bring about political problems. This is why, from the first day of our presence in the ENKS, our tone, our approach and our efforts have been to strengthen and improve the relationships among Kurdish powers. We wanted to improve fraternity among Kurds.”

Osman said several groups within the ENKS didn’t accept their movement’s goal to improve dialogue among Kurdish powers. He continued: “We objected to decisions regarding Rojava Kurdistan being taken from outside. We wanted our decisions to be according to our own situation, our own conditions, and to the advantage of Syrian Kurds. And naturally this wasn’t accepted by the ENKS.”

“ENKS ADMINISTRATION ISN’T LOYAL TO KURDISHNESS, BUT TO EXTERNAL POWERS”

Emced Osman described the breaking away of the Syrian Kurds' Reform Movement from the ENKS as such: “In 2014, some decisions were made regarding the efforts when the Kurdish Political Advisory Commission was declared. The commission would comprise of 30 people, 12 from TEV-DEM, 12 from ENKS and 6 independent. We decided to join as independents to not be a slave to the views of the ENKS and to be able to own up to our own decisions. Our representative was successfull in the Political Advisory Commission and thus we automatically broke away from the ENKS.”

Osman said that many in the base of ENKS were devoted to their Kurdishness, but the same could not be said about ENKS administrators and decision makers. He continued: “Because they are loyal to not Kurdishness, but to external powers. Some of the things Siyabend Haco said has shown this very clearly. He said, ‘If the Turkish State had provided us with arms, we wouldn’t have allowed the YPG to become a force.’ This is a horrific view and approach. It is something the Kurdish people should put him and his organisation to trial for.”

“YOU CAN’T DISCUSS THE KURDISH CAUSE WHERE ISIS MOVES FREELY”

Emcet Osman said the following on the Urfa meeting held on June 12-13 with the support of KDP and the MİT:

“In short, as far as we could follow, many Syrian Revolution activists have been killed in Urfa by the hands of ISIS under the control of the MİT. Several strong journalists have also been killed in Urfa by ISIS. I want to ask the ENKS, how can it be that a place where ISIS moves so freely is chosen to discuss the Kurdish Cause? This is a great contradiction, and it needs to be answered for.”

Emcet Osman said the entity named “Independent Syrian Kurds' Association” founded in this meeting and added; “Abdulaziz Temo has never been a part of Kurdish political movements. It is interesting that he joins the political movements today. These gang activities have no future. Our people will never accept them either. Abdulaziz Temo should answer the question, whether he has a relationship and/or interests from the Ba'ath Party.”

“KDP HAS WASTED OUR PEOPLE’S HOPES OF THEM”

Emced Osman said the following on the KDP’s Rojava politics: “We expected and wanted the KDP to stand with the Rojava Revolution and play a positive role when the revolution started. We again expected them to support the Rojava Revolution and win a place in the people’s hearts. But unfortunately there are times when we don’t understand what the KDP politics and approaches aim for. We wished the KDP supported the Rojava people and the revolution instead of the ENKS. But to this day, whenever there is anti-Rojava Revolution activity outside of Rojava borders and activity against the Rojava people, it turns out KDP is behind it.”