India, March 4 -- Rojava, the autonomous Kurdish-majority region in North and East Syria, faces its greatest existential crisis since its founding. Since early January, the Syrian army, in its attempt to bring Syria under centralised rule, has made rapid territorial gains into areas previously controlled by the Kurds. This has ramifications beyond the region: A globally relevant experiment in a democratic, feminist, and just society with worldwide lessons is under threat.

There is a temporary ceasefire and some progress in dialogue. But, the threat of renewed war lingers, and a collapse of the ceasefire could spell disaster for over 500,000 people trapped in Kobani since January with little aid, as Syrian government forces have already m...