The Solidarity Economy Association has been documenting and publishing information about the amazing growth of the women led co-operative movement in Northern Syria, on our website cooperativeconomy.info. Our most recent post is an article about the success of a new food co-operative in the Afrin region. If you have been following the international news this week, you will know that the Turkish Army and Airforce, with the support of Islamist militias, have now invaded this part of Syria. We are very worried about our fellow co-operators and all other civilians in the region and we call for all UK co-operators to express their strong opposition to this illegal invasion into what was, until just a few days ago, one of the safest and most stable parts of Syria.
Please join us in signing the following open letter to the UK government. The letter is to be presented midday on Saturday 27th, so if you or your organisation would like to join us, we can place our names together on the letter as a UK co-op/solidarity economy movement bloc. Please let us know ASAP, by emailing contact@cooperativeeconomy.info.
If you are unable to arrange the consent of your organisation by then, please still get it, as we are sure we will be able to append supporting signatures after it has been presented. However, the earlier you can get it, the greater its impact.
We would also like to invite all our friends and supporters to join us at a demonstration in London tomorrow at 1pm at the BBC building at Portland Place or in Oxford on Sunday at 1pm at Manzil Way. Let’s show solidarity with the besieged co-operators and their families in Afrin.
There is also a map available with other planned demonstrations worldwide here.
Please share this callout with your networks.
In solidarity & co-operation,
Colm Massey and Jo Taylor,
On behalf of the Solidarity Economy Association
