In the war-torn Northern Syrian Rojava want to overcome Kurdish activists economic sanctions with the help of crypto-currencies. The anarchist crypto-programmer Amir Taaki supported group wants to build educational facilities for cryptography and crypto-currencies. So a new economic infrastructure for a young democracy is to be created, which works independently of the surrounding States.
The situation in Rojava, the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria, is currently peaceful, but is anything but stable. After six years of war, the Kurdish residents are victims of the economic sanctions, which are enforced by all the surrounding countries – Syria, Iran, Iraq and Turkey. The people in Rojava want economic and social autonomy and hope in crypto an effective tool for self-currencies to have management found.
Rojava – the hope for democracy in the hotspot?
Rojava is a Region in the North of Syria along the Turkish border. The approximately five million inhabitants there belong mainly to the Kurdish minority, but also Assyrians, Turkmen, and many other ethnicities are represented there. Until a few years ago this was a rural and little-noticed area, the Kurds from their neighbors Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran received no legal recognition. As of 2011, the protests against the Syrian Regime grew, al-Assad drew his troops from the Kurdish areas, in order to stop the Rebellion in the centers.
A small democratic party (PYD) was able to exploit the resulting power vacuum, and a built in small self-administered zones under the name of Rojava. In these zones, members of all ethnic groups shall enjoy the same rights. Also, the equality of women is legally established. Women in Rojava have the right to vote, may participate fully in the cultural and political life and fight in the army side by side with male soldiers.
In the Syrian civil war, the Kurdish militia of Rojava were able to achieve considerable successes against ISIS and the Islamists are pushing back. The autonomy of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria, Rojava is officially called, is backed up at all. From Israel, you will not be recognized and the Turkey wants you to fight just like the there, as a terrorist organization classified the PKK, with all the Power.
you Can save crypto-economy in Rojava?
Currently, the rojava American economy is based solely on paper money that is subject to constant Inflation. The inhabitants need to hoard large amounts of cash to secure your assets and to be able to trade. Economic sanctions will ensure that any money transfer costs abroad and high fees. A Transfer to Turkey costs ten percent. With crypto-currencies, the activists of global transactions hope to be able to about two percent in fees.
The Plan is to reasons in addition to the establishment of self-managed local governments, academies, in which the people of Rojava programming knowledge and insights about cryptography and Cryptocurrencies can learn from. The unstable Syrian Lira is to be replaced by Bitcoin, and later by local crypto-currencies. Blockchain-technologies should contribute to a non-centrally controlled society.
As the first steps for the conversion to crypto-currencies, local exchange offices with Bitcoin are to be equipped with technology. Accordingly, residents should receive in local languages, translated the Wallet Software. As a payment infrastructure the Lightning Network, or another customized network could be used.
not everyone has in these areas, Since on a Laptop or a Smartphone, investigate the hacktivists also to alternative solution approaches. Under the ideas of crypto-transactions, which can be transmitted via radio waves, and a paper currency, which is tied to a crypto currency.
Initiative and with the technical support of the British Hacker Amir Taaki. This deals with the revolutionary potential of Bitcoin, and referred to the Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan as an ideological role model.
Who is Amir Taaki?
Amir Taaki is a British Hacktivist and entrepreneurs with Iranian roots. He dropped out of University to dedicate himself to Open Source projects and lived in squats in London. Early on, he recognized the revolutionary potential behind crypto-currencies. He was actively involved in the development of Bitcoin and Electrum-Client and co-founder of Dark Wallet and the precursor of the open Bazaar project.
in 2015, went Taaki in the Autonomous territory of Rojava. The movement he sees as the most important Revolution of this century. As an Anarchist, he felt obliged to fight for his Ideals. Three and a half months he was at the Front and fought with the people’s defense units YPG against the forces of ISIS, after which he engaged for another year in the social area.
Taaki centralized financial institutions as parts of an oppressive system that wants to receive with the military means of its own Power to maintain. For him, currencies are Crypto the only ways for the people, their own economic System outside of these structures. Among his main influences, Abdullah Öcalan. Whose Vision of a democratic confederalism is based on the abolition of hierarchies and self-management through community based organization. In addition, Ocalan’s ideas have also inspired the System in Rojava. In addition to his efforts for Rojava Taaki is dedicated in Catalonia currently building a crypto-Academy.