Medya News Audio Articles

From Aleppo to Kobani (Kobanê) and Qamishli (Qamişlo), journalist Fréderike Geerdink offers a rare on-the-ground account of Kurdish resistance, grassroots resilience, and political negotiation in North and East Syria (Rojava) - an unfiltered look at the stakes and struggles defining the region today.

Fréderike Geerdink marks her 200th opinion piece for Medya News, offering a sharp analysis of the Kurdish Freedom Movement and the ongoing reconciliation process in Turkey. As an expert on Kurdish struggles, Geerdink dissects the evolving political landscape and the growing demand for peace.

Despite Abdullah Öcalan’s historic call for peace, Turkey remains deeply resistant to change. Fréderike Geerdink argues that while Kurds are ready for a peaceful resolution, Turkish society and politics remain frozen, refusing to move even an inch. The media's treatment of Öcalan’s message, including the silencing of the Kurdish language, exposes deep-seated racism and a continued reluctance to en...

There have been great expaectations for Abdullah Öcalan’s long-awaited call for a democratic path forward, but the announcement has been postponed. Independent journalist Fréderike Geerdink explores the reasons behind the delay, linking it to state repression, political manoeuvres and ongoing consultations with Kurdish leaders. Despite setbacks - including the Turkish state’s latest replacement of...

In an interview, PYD's Salih Muslim discusses Syria's crisis, calling for a flexible federal system, cessation of Turkish attacks on Kurdish areas, and Kurdish unity. He stresses the importance of inclusive talks and highlights Abdullah Öcalan's potential role in peace efforts.

As we wait for the anticipated peace message from Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, Turkey is attacking Kurdish freedoms both through violence and through wile. The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal has been examining Turkey’s past violence in Rojava as war crimes and crimes against humanity. These crimes persist, and meanwhile, Turkey is attempting to negotiate a new role for itself in Syria, and to ensu...

A Medya News X-space on Thursday 30 January heard contributions from the prosecution team of next month’s Rojava Peoples' Tribunal, taking place at Vrije University in Brussels from 5-6 February.

Journalist Fréderike Geerdink, known for her extensive reporting on Kurdish issues and the complexities of the region, has compiled a terminology list to clarify key concepts and actors in the Kurdish struggle and broader Middle Eastern conflicts. This list provides essential definitions and context for understanding the political, social, and military dynamics shaping the region.

In a compelling episode of Political Dialogue with Erem Kansoy, Danish-based political scientist Jino Victoria Doabi sheds light on Turkey’s aggression towards Rojava and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). She highlights the failure of international powers to act decisively, calls for the establishment of a no-fly zone, and discusses the transformative potential of Rojava's democratic experiment...

The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria is under existential attack from Turkey and their mercenaries. This has been a week of broken ceasefire agreements and of difficult negotiations. The Administration has put forward proposals and compromises, but is ready for total resistance, while Erdoğan has restated his neo-Ottoman ambitions. The United States is in the middle, but political...

Debbie Bookchin, Salih Muslim and Jeremy Corbyn took part in an online panel on Wednesday 18 December. The speakers discussed the escalation of violence against the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), and the stance of political actors and forces operating in the post-Assad Syria. The panel analysed the relationship between Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and AANES, as well as s...

Sinam Mohamad, US Representative of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), analyses the humanitarian situation amid fighting in Aleppo (Heleb) and Shabha (Şehba), with thousands, many already displaced Kurds, forced to flee. She stresses the need for a dialogue for peace involing all parties in Syria, including representatives of the region's minorities, and urges international support for Kurdish s...

Turkey has continued their attack on democracy by ousting the DEM Party Mayor of Tunceli (Dersim) and the CHP Mayor of nearby Ovacık (Pulur), provoking mass resistance and employing heavy policing. A BBC documentary has highlighted Turkey’s weaponising of water against the people of North and East Syria. And Öcalan has again been refused access to his lawyers. Yet discussion about a resolution to...

Erdoğan’s chief advisor has declared that what is happening is not a “solution process”, but a "state initiative towards a terror-free Turkey". So far, this “state initiative” doesn’t look very different from the previous approach of eliminating the PKK through state violence, and the crushing of Kurdish politics. Elected mayors are being removed, and Erdoğan continues to talk about, effectively,...

Is the Turkish government genuinely open to negotiations with the Kurds? Or was Öcalan's fleeting prison visit just a war tactic? Tune in to listen to our panel of experts from various freedom movements around the world, to discuss the real prospects for peace.  Sinn Fein MP Dáire Hughes, joining our panel of freedom fighters from various conflicts, points to the success of Northern Ireland's Good...

Turkey’s political drama continues with the arrest of the Mayor of Esenyurt and his replacement by a government trustee - the first time these tactics have been used against the mainstream opposition CHP. The rationale for recent government actions is still unclear, but the movement for a solution to the Kurdish Question has taken on a certain momentum of its own; and the CHP’s response has been g...

After a momentous and rollercoaster week, today’s review sets out the key events – talks about a possible new peace process; the PKK attack on an Ankara arms producer; Turkish bombardment of North and East Syria; and the long-desired visit to Abdullah Öcalan after his 43 months of total isolation. It looks at comments by some of the key players, including the PKK, and includes background observati...

While all eyes have been on Gaza and Beirut, tensions in Syria have become increasingly violent, as well as complicated by the variety of different countries all jostling for position and ready to take advantage of any opening that they can use to increase their own power and influence. This week’s review also looks at the run-up to tomorrow’s important election in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, ho...

Rumours of peace appear to be belied by Turkey’s continued aggression towards the Kurds both inside and outside their borders. Meanwhile, actions have been carried out across the world calling Öcalan’s freedom; and an acrimonious election campaign may be the first step towards a new uncertain chapter for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Fréderike Geerdink discusses the recent rescue of a young Yazidi woman from ISIS captivity in Gaza and reflects on the divisive reactions to the story within the Kurdish community. She warns against blaming Palestinians collectively for the girl's ordeal and urges Kurds not to fall into the trap of divisions that serve the interests of oppressive states such as Israel and Turkey.

In their principled support of Julian Assange, the Council of Europe have acted according to their founding purpose. At the same time, they have proved incapable of meeting the challenges of the spreading war, or even of disciplining Council members who flout their own rules. The week’s review looks at the situation of Kurdish politics in a fast-changing Middle East, through the prism of the Counc...

Kurdish activist Elif Genç discusses the shared history of Kurdish and Palestinian solidarity, and how state leaders like Erdoğan and Netanyahu have pitted the two communities against each other.

Fréderike Geerdink’s article examines the Kurdish political reactions to the assassination of Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah and the broader geopolitical implications. She highlights the PKK's unique analysis, suggesting the murder could fuel regional conflicts and advance Turkey’s strategic ambitions.

As the world lurches towards further destruction, no one should dispute the validity of Erdoğan’s UN criticism of Western hypocrisy, but he can match the West with a hypocrisy of his own. This week’s Turkish authoritarianism focussed on the suppression of Kurdish culture – while a letter from a political prisoner described the reality of solitary confinement in Turkey’s prisons.