Gire Spi (Tal Abyad) was liberated by YPG-YPJ fighters on 15 June 2015, after suffering the occupation of DAESH mercenaries.

ANHA made an interview with former co-chair of the Canton of Gire Spi’s Autonomous Administration Hemdan El-Ebid to talk about the developments since the liberation and the role of the Democratic Nation project in social solidarity.

Why the mercenaries occupied Gire Spi?

One of the main reasons for the occupation of Gire Spi was to increase tension among the peoples of the region and exploit this tension to establish their own power.

From here they thought they could start their own rule in the whole Middle East. Their model aimed at keeping the Middle East society alive providing people with food and drink but away from politics.

This is why armed groups and DAESH could easily occupy the region with the help of regional states like the Turkish state.

What was the effect of the mercenaries on the life of the occupied people during the occupation of Gire Spi?

Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, all mercenary groups have been plundering the region in the same way. These armed groups and mercenaries were destroying the structures in the region and treated people harshly and tortured them in different ways. They killed people.

The dark times under DAESH

You are one of the first places in which the Democratic Autonomous Administration was established. What did you do after the liberation of Gire Spi?

Gire Spi was liberated from the DAESH mercenaries by the YPG-YPJ and the Euphrates Volcano Room. The liberation of Gire Spi ended up being the way leading to freedom and common life, to solidarity of all the peoples in the region.

After the city was liberated, we established the Council of Opinion Leaders, composed of active and known people in the region.

Then, on the proposal of the Council we established the Democratic Autonomous Administration on 21 October 2015 in order to manage those territories and to reach all sections in the region.

This administration is not far from the culture of the region and the people can govern themselves now.

What is the basic thing that the administration has developed and strengthened in terms of participation and solidarity among the peoples in the past 3 years?

The government was created by the peoples of Gire Spi and is carried out jointly by them, so that the problems of all the peoples in the region could be solved, providing peace and stability.

The success and development of this governance owe much to the solidarity among all components. Gire Spi can provide one of the best examples for the all of Syria.

How do you evaluate the situation of Gire Spi after 3 years?

Undoubtedly, despite all the obstacles in these three years, great efforts were made as to political and administrative aspects. We want to further develop our administration and prove that Democratic Autonomous Administration is the best solution for the Syrian crisis. In fact this system would provide a solution to the problems of the whole Middle East.

In these three years, services, economy, people’s mentality and solidarity among the peoples have come a long way thanks to the Autonomous Administration and as a result of this, the region has been providing peace and stability.

What was the role of the democratic nation project in the development of Gire Spi's situation?

Our self government has been achieved thanks to our martyrs, and we have been living in stability thanks to them.

Some argue that the Democratic Nation project has in fact helped to the division of the country. But in reality this is not the case. On the contrary, the democratic nation project fosters solidarity among peoples, giving people an ethic a prominent role. Thanks to this project, the peoples of Gire Spi have chosen to live together on the basis of the fraternity of the peoples in Gire Spi. The peoples can protect their realities freely and honorably.

In terms of the political work in Gire Spi, what are the plans in services and social areas?

Everyone knows that the balance of politics here is changing and that this also depends on interstate interests.

We are a part of Syria and our aim is to protect the integrity of Syrian land and society. Our challenge is to start a dialogue among Syrians and the preparation of a constitution which protects the rights of all sections.

This issue is also included in the political documents of the Syrian Democratic Council. At the moment, the Syria Future Party is calling for the protection of Syrian territory and the unity of society.

Gire Spi is a mosaic of peoples. Solidarity among the peoples was strengthened by the democratic nation project.