a-5004 (ACC-SYR-5004)
Among the sources consulted by ACCORD there could be found information with the following party names: “Democratic Union Party”, also called PYD, “Syrian Democratic Union Party”, “Unity Democratic Kurdish Party“, “Syrian Kurdish Democratic Unity Party” (SKDUP), “Kurdish Democratic Union Party”, “Kurdish Democratic United Party in Syria”. From the sources consulted it cannot be concluded which of these parties are identical and which are not:
In its report from September 2005 Amnesty International (AI) mentions the attempt to assassinate Nadeem Yusef, member of the Kurdish al-Wifaq Party. According to AI, this attempt was most probably the work of the rival Democratic Union Party, known as PYD:
“Nadeem Yusef (m), aged 37, Kurdish political activist and journalist
Kurdish political activist Nadeem Yusef survived an assassination attempt on 10 September, allegedly carried out by a rival Kurdish political party. It is feared that there will be further attempts on his life, but the authorities have done nothing to protect him. Nadeem Yusef is a senior member of the Kurdish al-Wifaq Party, and responsible for its media and cultural activities. On 10 September a bomb planted on his motorbike exploded as he was riding, causing serious injuries to his back. He was treated in hospital in Aleppo, but reportedly still has many pieces of shrapnel embedded in his body.
According to a range of sources, including Syrian journalists and Kurdish human rights activists, the assassination attempt was most probably the work of the Democratic Union Party (known as the PYD), possibly working with the Syrian authorities. The al-Wifaq Party has apparently broken away from the PYD, and this is believed to have led to the assassination of one party member, Kamiran Muhammad, in mid-August 2005, and attacks on several other party members. There are further concerns that Nadeem Yusef may have been put at higher risk because of criticism of the Syrian authorities expressed on 26 August by his brother Hanif, in exile in the Netherlands, in a programme on politics in Syria broadcast by a London-based satellite TV channel. Nadeem Yusef is now reportedly sheltering in a house in the village of 'Osmaneleh, near Aleppo in the north of the country. The house is said to be surrounded and kept under constant surveillance by PYD agents. People believed to be connected with the PYD reportedly took pictures of the family car which collected Nadeem Yusef from hospital.” (AI, 22 September 2005)
AI in the same report provides background information on Kurdish political parties operating in Syria, mentioning also PYD. According to the text, PYD have members who were previously members of the Kurdish Workers´ Party, known as PKK. It also states that PYD has closer links to the Syrian security sources:
“Syria's Kurdish population, which numbers between 1.5 and two million, is the second-largest ethnic group in the country, behind Arabs. They suffer from discrimination because of their ethnicity, including restrictions on the use of the Kurdish language and culture. There are about 20 Kurdish political parties operating in Syria. No independent political parties are authorised in the country. Both the PYD and al-Wifaq have members who were previously members of the Kurdish Workers' Party, previously and more famously known as the PKK, an armed Kurdish group operating in both Turkey and Syria. According to sources close to the party, al-Wifaq is committed to non-violence, and the PYD has closer links to the Syrian security forces. The Syrian security forces have allegedly infiltrated Syrian Kurdish parties in order to, amongst other things, foster divisions between them.” (AI, 22 September 2005)
The report continues with the names of arrested members of the Unity Democratic Kurdish Party. No information could be found whether the Unity Democratic Kurdish Party is identical with the Democratic Union Party (known as the PYD):
“Kurdish sources have revealed that the number of Syrian Kurdish detainees is increasing day after day. Sources close to the Unity Democratic Kurdish Party have also revealed that the Syrian authorities have arrested many of its members, supporters and sympathizers this year (2005). In accordance with these sources, 56 Kurds have been detained this year without being transferred to court.” (AI, 22 September 2005)
In its Annual Report on Human Rights Situation in Syria 2006 covering the period from June 2005 to May 2006, the Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) mentions that security authorities arrested a large number of members and supporters of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party during 2005:
„On the 16th of February 2006, security authorities arrested the Syrian Kurd Faheem Sheikho (31 years old) from Afreet village in Dirbasiyya district, upon his arrival at Damascus Airport from Germany. Security Authorities also arrested a large number of members and supporters of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party during 2005 (list of names available on the SHRC website). According to the Party, 56 of those arrested are yet to be referred to the judiciary, while 4 minors were previously arrested and referred to the Primary Investigation Judge in Aleppo. Three Kurds were also arrested in Aleppo, while 42 were detained by security authorities and referred to the SSSC in Damascus, bringing the total number of detainees this year alone to 105. The SHRC is satisfied that the numbers of Kurdish detainees is far greater than that, as a large number of supporters of the same party were also detained in March of last year, 45 of whom remain in detention until now. Further, the lawyer Soubast Sheikh Zada was arrested and detained at the Political Security in Aleppo, during the peaceful candle march on the 20th of March 2006 which security authorities oppressed.“ (SHRC, 8 August 2006, p. 18)
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) in its report from July 2005 mentions that “Mr. Ismail Oussi (Kurdish Democratic Union Party) is still held without charge.” (OMCT, 4 July 2005, p. 40)
Amnesty International (AI) states in its Annual report from May 2006, that there were many political prisoners in Syria in 2006 including members of banned political parties. Among the banned parties also the Kurdish Democratic Union Party is mentioned:
“Scores of people were arrested during the year for political reasons, including tens of prisoners of conscience. At least several hundred people, including prisoners of conscience, remained imprisoned for political reasons. Scores were brought to trial before the SSSC and Military Courts, all of which suffer from a gross lack of independence and impartiality. Many of those facing trial were suspected members or affiliates of banned political parties such as the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb al-Tahrir, and the pro-Iraqi Arab Socialist Democratic Ba’th Party.” (AI, 23 May 2006)
An Article from April 2004 published by the Middle East Intelligence Bulletin (MEIB) confirms the connection between the Kurdish Democratic Party and PKK stating that it is a pro-PKK party:
“When the main Kurdish factions issued a statement declaring that there should be no public celebration of Kurdish New Year on March 21 out of respect for the dead, Syrian officials persuaded the pro-PKK Kurdish Democratic Union Party (KDUP) to hold an officially-sanctioned celebration in Qamishli that attracted several hundred participants, some of them carrying posters of Bashar Assad. Syrian media then pointed to the festivities as an indication that all was well in Qamishli.” (MEIB, April 2004)
An article published on KurdishMedia.com in May 2006 states that the Kurdish opposition in Syria is fragmented into many political parties, that can be categorised into 4 main blocs. PYD is also mentioned:
“The biggest issue that the Kurdish movement in Syria is there no a unified voice to speak on the behalf of Kurdish opposition in Syria. The Kurdish opposition in Syria is fragmented into many Kurdish political parties, and you can categorize them into 4 main blocs. The Itihalof, or Alliance, bloc includes four political parties. This bloc is asking for cultural rights. The next major bloc is the Jabha, or Front. They are asking for cultural rights and some local governance. The other two major blocs are the Azadi (Freedom) Party and the Yeketi Party. They are independent of the Itihalof and Jabha. The Mustaqbal (Future) Party, Kurdistani Democratic Party, and the Democratic Union Party (PYD) will also be attending.” (KurdishMedia.com, 27 May 2006)
According to Kongra-Gel news bulletin, PYD (called in this source The Party of the Democratic Alliance) announced an “Explanation over the political situation in Syria to the second anniversary of the rebellion of March 12, 2004“. In this explanation is presented also the PYD conception of a political solution of the Kurdish question in Syria:
„The Party of the Democratic Alliance and all other Kurdish political forces want to achieve a peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish problem. This is in the context of a national unity, in which Kurds, Arabs and all other minorities live together equally. We request to waive all special measures against Kurds, to return the deprived rights and to make compensation, recognize the existence of the Kurds by the constitution and protect their rights as the second largest group in this country and above all recognize their language. Since the establishment of the Party of the Democratic Alliance, their cadre suffer under terror and pursuit by the security forces. One of the members, Ahmad Hussein Hussein Joudi, was arrested, tortured and killed, while he was on his way on behalf of the party. Many of its members were arrested and still in prisons of the Syria. Zeinab Schams El Dien was recently arrested went into a hunger strike.
The Party of the Democratic Alliance requests a fair solution to the Kurdish problem. This means the recognition of the existence of the Kurds on their own land, to abolish discrimination and to treat Kurds as citizens of first class. The party stresses to improve the relationship with the Arabs and with the Arab oppositions in order to develop a democratic modern country. In this, all citizens are to find their place, regardless to which group of peoples, to which religion or to which political group they belong.
The Party of the Democratic Alliance represented its conception to a political solution of the Kurdish question in Syria with following points:
1. the acknowledgment of the Kurdish nation by the constitution,
2. the reinforcement of the organized forces and the participation of Kurds in all national institutions.
3. to guarantee the freedom of political parties and waive their prohibition,
4. to enable the Kurds to get into the municipal administration in Kurdish areas in their control
5. the acknowledgment of the Kurdish language and the Kurdish culture,
6. to guarantee the freedom of press in Kurdish language and strengthen it by using national forces,
7. the establishment of Kurdish cultural centers and the protection of the historical monuments.
8. to waive the so-called special people census and the plan "the Arab belt", to give the agricultural land back to their original owners. Further, to solve the problems of the so-called foreigners and to give them the Syrian nationality. Furthermore, the victims of the terror must be compensated.
9. the Party of the Democratic Alliance considers its own development as a component of the development of the democracy in Syria.
10. to make the Kurdish language to Kurds available at schools,
11. Places, in which predominantly Kurds live (e.g. Kamischli, Ifrien, Kobani) must be regarded as Kurdish. The cities, which were given Arab names should be given back their old Kurdish names.“ (Party of the Democratic Alliance, March 2006, p. 6-7)
The PYD published the main characteristic of the party on their official website:
“The name of the organization: the party of democratic unity. The abbreviation: PYD.
The organization identity and the party’s goals:
The party of democratic unity PYD adopts the theory of social democracy aechology and gender liberty, and the democratic unity, the democratic socialism is the strategy for its struggle work line. It is a national publican political party, refuse the chauvinistic concepts and attitudes, and believe in equality and the freedom of belief. And adopts the public legal compete as a basis to deal with the cases recognized in the program by democratic ways and political debate. And concentrate on the social classes and categories, and the social civil organizations in Syria, specially the exerted and educated classes on the basis of free citizenship principle. Youth and women occupy the advanced position in it.
To solving the Kurdish question on the basis of democratic change in Syria. And organizing the society in west Kurdistan on a confederal democratic basis, struggling for brotherhood among nations and ethnics in a free united framework, supporting the liberty democratic struggle in all Kurdistan parts, and solving the question of national union on the basis of Kurdistan democratic confederation without narrowing the political borders, And working for the democratic middle-east union confederation, moving forward to build the aechological democratic gender library society as a part of the democratic communist humanity.” (PYD, no date)
To see more information about the party, e.g. political programme, sociological goals, economical targets, news, etc., visit the official web page:
www.pyd.se
An article published on kurdishinfo.com: from March 2006 states that the chairman of the PYD is Fuad Omer:
“Fuad Omer, the chairman of Pro- Kurdish Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) by making a call to Kurdish parties wanted not to remain silent against killing of 14 members of HPG in the operation conducted by TSK. Omer, the chairman of PYD, who made a written statement , condemned killing of 14 members of HPG in the operation conducted by TSK. Omer who made call of union to all parties, wante not to remain silent about what was lived. Omer who also evaluated celebrations of Newroz which thousands of people participated stated that it is the message of union and Kurdish Peopel's Leader Abdullah Ocalan is the willpower of Kurds.“ (kurdishinfo.com, 28 March 2006)
In a talk entry at Wikipedia it is mentioned that, among other parties and organisations, the PYD is a part of the PKK:
“PYD (Partiya Yekitiya Demokratik - Democratic Union Party), active in "western Kurdistan" (Syrian Kurdistan).“ (Wikipedia, no date)
The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey reported in its Human Rights Report on Turkey November – December 2004 that Himmet Toprak, official of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) was killed together with Meysa Baki, executive of Kongra-Gel and three other men on 29 November 2004 in an armed attack on their way from Mossoul to Syria:
“On 29 November Meysa Baki, executive of Kongra-Gel, Himmet Toprak, official of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), Zekeriya Ibrahim, Nebo Ali and Haci Cumali were killed in an armed attack on their way from Mossoul to Syria near Shengal town. Meysa Baki, Zekeriya Ibrahim, Haci Cumali and Nebo Ali were buried in Kandil on 4 December. Himmet Toprak was taken to Turkey and buried in Malazgirt district (Mus).” (Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, November – December 2004)
In the list of leftist parties of the world in Syria three Kurdish democratic union parties are mentioned, the Democratic Union Party founded in 2003, the Syrian Democratic Union Party and the :
“Democratic Union Party - Partîya Yekîtî ya Demokratîk PYD: close to Kongra-gel, [founded in] 2003, led by Ali Muhammed [...]
Syrian Democratic Union Party - Hizb al-Ittihad al-Dimuqrati al-Suri: founded by former PKK members [...]
Kurdish Democratic United Party in Syria - Partîya Yekîtî ya Demokrat a Kurd li Sûriyê / Hizb al-Wahdah al-Dimuqrati al-Kurdi fi Suriyah - PYDK-S
Yekîtî, [founded in] 1981 as split from PDK-Al Parti” (Leftist Parties of the World, last updated 22 June 2004)
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the ACCORD within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
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