We call for the representation of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria (previously Rojava) on the Geneva Peace talks.

The seventh round of the Geneva Peace talks on Syria concluded in July 2017 without a resolution. This is partly due to the obduracy of Assad’s envoys who are reluctant to discuss a transitional political process and partly the inefficacy of the UN. Nonetheless this remains the only non-military option on the table and must be seriously pursued. The process of a Syria-wide peace resolution requires at the very minimum a Syria-wide representation of all the communities whose future depends on the outcome. Since the outbreak of civil rebellions against Assad in 2011, a little known self-governing administration in Northern Syria led by the Kurds has established a radical form of direct democracy based on principles of gender, class and race equality and ecological sustainability. It is their defence forces, YPG and the women-only YPJ, with the help of US Coalition air-cover, which have been winning the epic battle against ISIS in Raqqa. This northern region has been relatively the most peaceful part of Syria. The model of society that they have created could be a template for the whole of Syria. Their voice is missing from the Geneva talks. 
On 1 November, World Kobane Day, Peace in Kurdistan sent an open letter to Theresa May calling on the UK government to use of possible endeavours to ensure participation of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria at the table in the next round of the Geneva peace talks on Syria. See the full letter here: https://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com/2017/11/01/open-letter-to-the-prime-minister-theresa-may-on-world-kobane-day-on-1-november-2017/