40 French unionists issued a call to “support the hope represented by the Rojava Democratic Confederalism project” for March 24 International Day of Solidarity with Afrin.

The unionists stated that Afrin city center has been under invasion by the Turkish army and their “jihadist mercenaries” since March 18 and added that the invasion attacks started on January 20.

“NEFARIOUS WESTERN FORCES”

The call includes the following:

“Great Western powers have nefariously abandoned Kurds to fend for themselves. Worse, by the words of Emmanuel Macron France has called YPG/YPJ members ‘potential terrorists’ on January 31, in solidarity with Turkey. For the ultra-nationalist Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regime this attack, immorally named ‘The Olive Branch’, is the beginning of a war of conquest targeting all Kurdish territory in Northern Syria.”

The unionists also pointed out the oppression of NGOs, unions and democratic opposition in general in Turkey and said: “The European Union is silent in the face of all this. They prefer to renew the embarassing deal with the Turkish state, who they turned into the guard dog of Fortress Europe, shut off for refugees.”

The unionists stated that the SDF and YPG/YPJ forces have been on the forefront of the fight against ISIS in Syria and added: “They defended and rescued Kobanê. They liberated the ‘capital’ of the bloodthirsty caliphate Raqqa.”

“KURDISTAN CAN LIVE AND IT SHOULD LIVE”

The call continued with the following:

“Rojava, a decentralized region, lives with the rhythm of democratic confederalism where all peoples take their places in the administration. The administration is a truly progressive, egalitarian, feminist and secular alternative in the region. It can draw up a free future against all regressive and barbaric forces.

We as unionists and internationalists are committed to supporting the hope the democratic confederalism project can represent. Our union organizations have a responsibility to take part in defending the Kurdish people.

We are calling on all progressive forces, all women and men who defend freedom to engage with the Kurdish cause. The coming weeks and months are of vital importance. Afrin can be saved still. Kurdistan can live, and it should live.”

The first signatories are as follows:

Rémi Azemar, Solidaires 31 ;

Maxime Besselievre, secrétaire national de la CGT Éduc’action ;

Sarah Caunes, SUD éducation Paris ;

Pierre-Olivier Chaput, Solidaires étudiant-e-s Alsace ;

Nara Cladera, Solidaires Comminges ;

Anouk Colombani, secrétariat de Solidaires 93 ;

Mylène Colombani, SUD précaires ;

Quentin Dauphiné, élu au Bureau national de la FSU pour la tendance Émancipation ;

Fabien Delmotte, syndicat CNT-SO des travailleurs de l’éducation ;

Jacques Denis, retraité SUD PTT 54 ;

Pascal Devernay, secrétaire UNIRS Haute Normandie ;

Frank Duport, syndicaliste CGT CARSAT Aquitaine ;

Virginie Duval, Solidaires Asso ;

André Fadda, secrétaire national CGT Intérim ;

Jean-Claude Garret, Secrétaire SUD Chimie ;

Simon Hallet, secrétaire du syndicat CGT Thiolat ;

Rémi Hamon, syndicaliste CGT, Union locale de Lorient ;

Nicolas Jounin, Ferc CGT ;

Mina Kherfi, USTKE ;

Philippe Legrand, membre du Bureau Fédéral de la Ferc CGT ;

Jacques Leleu, CGT Métallurgie ;

Jean-Yves Lesage, militant SGLCE-CGT ;

François Lopez, syndicaliste SUD éducation 94 ;

Alexis Louvet, CGT RATP Bus ;

Christian Mahieux, Solidaires Val-de-Marne ;

Boris Mellow, SUD Culture Solidaires ;

Luz Mora, syndicaliste SUD travail ;

Grégoire Nadin, syndicaliste SNTRS-CGT ;

Jean-Michel Nathanson, Solidaires Finances Publiques ;

Nicolas Palmyre, SUD Rail Paris rive gauche ;

Laurent Pinatel, et le comité national de la confédération paysanne.

Marilyne Poulain, Syndicaliste CGT ;

Yann Renoult, SUD éducation 93 ;

Théo Roumier, syndicaliste Solidaires Loiret ;

Karine Saintipoly, SNUipp-FSU ;

Linda Sehili, Solidaires Finances publiques ;

Eddy Talbot, syndicaliste SUD PTT ;

Ali Tolu, FNSCBA-CGT et Union départementale 77 ;

Rémi Virgili, CGT Finances publiques Loiret ;

Stéphane Weinberg, syndiqué CGT, Union locale du Pays Niortais