Swiss local politician Ilias Panchard, a member of the Lausanne municipal council and co-chair of the Lausanne Greens, has been following developments in Syria - especially in Rojava - with great attention for years. In an interview with ANF, he spoke about the current situation in Syria following the fall of the Baath regime on 8 December, the political influence of jihadist groups such as HTS and the ongoing attacks by Turkey in Northern and Eastern Syria. At the same time, he appealed to European politicians to live up to their responsibility and protect the progressive social model in Rojava.

The fall of the regime was good news, but many powers are exploiting Syria

On 8 December, the Baath regime was overthrown, after which the Islamist alliance Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took power. For Panchard, who himself took part in protests during the so-called "Arab Spring," the end of Bashar al-Assad's rule is a particularly positive event. He said: "For all democrats and certainly also for the Kurds, Assad's disappearance from power is good news. However, it would be desirable for him to answer for his crimes before an international court instead of going into exile. With the countless victims, arrests and hundreds of thousands of deaths, not to mention the millions of refugees, this is a long overdue step." Even after the coup, the situation in Syria is not stable.

In the current situation, according to Panchard, it should not be forgotten that numerous militias, including the so-called "Syrian National Army" (SNA), are financed and controlled by foreign actors - above all Turkey. For years, the latter has been pursuing the goal of destroying the Kurdish Autonomous Administration in Northern and Eastern Syria.

Skeptical about HTS

With regard to the new constellation in Syria and the role of HTS, Panchard is skeptical whether the now dominant group is really changing. He said: "The leading figures of HTS were and are, in part, radical advocates of global jihad. Even if some extremist wings have allegedly been pushed back, suspicion is appropriate. It is not known how many minority rights or democratic structures are really respected. The international community should take a very close look here and not be satisfied with vague promises."

Panchard said that the speed with which European governments in particular have made contact with HTS is pragmatism. He drew a comparison with Afghanistan, where Europe showed too little commitment at the time and thus indirectly encouraged radical forces.

Turkey continues to attack Rojava

Meanwhile, Turkey is continuing its attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria. It is primarily using mercenary armies, such as the SNA. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are currently defending the Tishrin Dam and the Qereqozax Bridge against these attacks. Panchard said that this policy as a continuation of the Turkish strategy that was already evident in the attack on Kobanê and later in the occupation of Afrin, and added: "What we are now observing is a seamless continuation of previous Turkish aggressions. The only new thing is that Erdoğan is increasingly relying on militias to avoid the appearance of directly intervening. He is thus pursuing a similarly indirect tactic to that used by Iran in other conflict regions. But the Turkish leadership regularly underestimates how determined and battle-hardened the Kurdish forces are - and above all, that these fighters are defending a concrete political project."

Panchard said that it is precisely the ideological support and the vision of democratic self-government that make Rojava strong, and added: "The SNA militias, on the other hand, are only united by their dependence on Ankara. They have no political program of their own and are not defending their own country."

Unique project with a real claim to democracy

In his article recently published in the Swiss newspaper "Blick", Panchard praised the principles of democracy, pluralism, equality and ecology implemented in Rojava as groundbreaking, especially against the background of a difficult security situation. He reaffirmed this, saying: "What fascinates me about Rojava is the seriousness with which, for example, a gender quota has been implemented. There is the co-chairmanship system in which each institution is headed by a woman and a man. The idea of ​​a grassroots democratic administration that includes a wide variety of ethnic and religious groups is also well advanced, despite massive attacks. That deserves enormous respect.”

Rojava's democracy is more advanced than Europe

Panchard is convinced that Rojava can serve as an inspiring example of a future federal or confederal order in Syria: “The building blocks for a social, ecological and multi-ethnic state can be seen here. In a certain sense, a 'democracy from below' already exists - something that we often only preach in Europe but do not actually implement.”

Europe must no longer fear Erdoğan

Since the military defeat of ISIS, the Kurdish forces in Syria have been repeatedly abandoned by the Western states: Turkish troops occupied areas in Syria with international approval. Europe has also remained largely silent on the matter. Panchard said this behavior with Ankara's "blackmail policy" on the migration issue: "Erdoğan is constantly threatening to open the borders and send refugees towards Europe. And since populism and xenophobia are growing in many EU countries, people are afraid of further mass migration. But we must finally move away from this politics of fear and defend our values. This also means imposing sanctions on Turkey if it continues to intervene in Syria in violation of international law."

Stop arms exports and increase diplomatic pressure

The local Swiss politician proposed several measures to protect Rojava and persuade Turkey to turn its back on its course:

1. End arms sales to Turkey: “Switzerland can set an example here. Even if it is ‘only’ military equipment that is used indirectly, it must be stopped.”

2. Targeted sanctions against the Turkish regime and its economic elite: “Why should we not take similar measures to those against the Russian oligarchs? The options range from entry bans to freezing accounts and withdrawing diplomatic privileges.”

3. Diplomatic efforts: “The UN and individual states continue to have influence. Erdoğan uses every opportunity to show that diplomacy no longer works. But he must not be allowed to get away with this tactic. Diplomacy certainly has power when it is used consistently. There needs to be a clear commitment to protecting Rojava and an international mission that actually offers this protection.”

4. Support for the Kurdish community in exile: “The Kurdish community in Europe is large and well-connected. Civil society organizations can do more to strengthen this diaspora. At the same time, we should remind our governments that a strong commitment to Rojava is a commitment to stability, democracy and human rights throughout the region.”

Rojava deserves our respect and solidarity

Finally, Ilias Panchard underlined once again why the future of Rojava and the Kurdish freedom movement is personally important to him: "I have rarely seen so much courage, perseverance and democratic conviction in my life as in the Kurds, who are implementing a social project despite the most adverse circumstances. When I was able to attend a court hearing against Figen Yüksekdağ some time ago, I was impressed by her attitude and determination. Such examples show the power of this movement. It is an honor for me to support these people and I call on all democrats to do the same. Europe - and especially my home country, Switzerland - can no longer stand still. We must stand up for Rojava and defend this model."

The Autonomous Administration in Rojava, which was established in 2012, has been exposed to massive threats since its founding, from Islamist militias to Turkish attempts at occupation. Panchard said that the fact that the project continues to exist is thanks to the unbroken spirit of resistance of the local people. It remains to be hoped that European governments will finally take this perseverance as an opportunity to take action and not leave the democratic development in Northern and Eastern Syria to the destructive plans of an Erdoğan regime.