“In unity we defeated Daesh, together we will defend Rojava”
On August 8th Kongra star announced the co-ordination of women’s defence of the revolution, calling out to women in Rojava and all over the world.
Women Defend Rojava is the international part of this campaign. The campaign slogan “In unity we defeated Daesh, together we will defend Rojava” speaks of both the history of resistance and the commitment to a shared future struggle.
Actions in Rojava began on the 17th of August. The women of Rojava call for a continuation of global resistance at the same time as their actions continue.
The following statement was read out in Kobane:
For eight years a very intense struggle has been fought in north and east Syria, which has led to the establishment of an island of freedom for women and the people of the world. Since the beginning the Turkish state has claimed this to be a threat to its security.
Daesh is the enemy of humanity, and if we remember the support that the Turkish state gave Daesh, we can clearly understand the new wave of threats against our land.
We, the people of this region, have resisted the cruel attacks of Daesh and destroyed their oppressive hegemony. We succeeded through the heroic resistance of thousands of young women and men. This revolution has opened a door for the people of the middle east to live without oppression and the state, after thousands of years. For all the world this democratic and free system has also become a source of hope. Because of this, the forces of the nation state are angry and on the defensive. With 8 years of effort and struggle, we overcame the attacks of Daesh and opened a space for democracy for the whole world.
Now Turkey, with the lie of establishing a “peace zone”, is negotiating for a corridor to commit mass murder. The people of north and east Syria have started to build up a free life after the period of destruction and heavy war. As all of the world knows we have never been a threat to anybody, and we never shall be. Here we are giving all we can for the values of all humanity. But against all this, Erdogan and the fascist party leader Bahceli threaten us with the words “we will bury them” “we will burn them” and “we will destroy them”. In the crisis of the middle east, Rojava has so far always been a region in which people could live the most secure and peaceful life.
In the historic resistance of Rojava, especially in Kobane, and all regions of north and east Syria, we gave 12,000 martyrs and thousands of wounded and disabled. In the resistance against Daesh, we have made the greatest sacrifices for the benefit of the whole world. We have become an important place for progressive people from all over the world. This is a huge gain for the forces of revolution and freedom, and against the darkness of Daesh. This victory, that began in Kobane and spread all over north and east syria is a victory in the name of all humanity. It is a victory of all the Arabs, Turkmen, Kurds, Ashori- Suryanis, Cecen, Armenians, and all women, who live together in this land. In the 21st century colonialism and fascism legitimise genocide, feminicide and massacres of children. The revolution in Rojava gives us an important opportunity to end this. We call upon all people who defend peace, freedom, democracy and unity of the people to join the resistance against the occupation, attacks and massacres of Erdogan.
In front of the eyes of the whole world, the Turkish state has committed crimes against humanity in Afrin. This time they want to spread these crimes all over north and east Syria. And they want to strike a heavy blow on the life of the people. Everybody must know that no one will benefit from this war. This bloody war which starts with the occupation of Rojava, North and East Syria, would deepen the crisis and insecurity all over the middle east. As well as reawakening Daesh, this will be a danger for the whole world. Therefore, this threat of war and occupation is not only a danger for the Kurds and other people of the region, but for all women and the whole world. In the name of the women of north and east Syria we call on all people of the world, especially the people of Turkey, Syria and the middle east, to come together and join the struggle against occupation.
The people of north and east Syria will defend the gains of their struggle and are determind to resist with all of their force. We are sure that we will succeed and that our achievements will continue to live on.
We join together under the slogan: “Defend your land and your honour, defeat Daesh and occupation.” This is our call for a joint struggle of all women in the world. We must prevent the attacks directed on our land and on the achievements of the revolution, and we have to increase women’s unity. During our struggle against Daesh, people from all over the world came to join the Rojava revolution. We are calling on all internationalists and democratic and revolutionary forces of the world. We say: “In unity we defeated Daesh, together we will defend Rojava.”
First of all we call for a joint struggle against occupation and mass murder and to join the ranks of the YPG and YPJ. We call upon the International Court Of Justice and the United Nations to remove the Turkish threat against Syrian land and investigate and put on trial the crimes against humanity that Turkey committed in these territories. Thousands of women and men who are members of Daesh must be tried according to universal principles of justice. This is a historic duty that international organisations must accept.
We in north and east Syria will defend our revolution with the spirit of so many freedom loving women, with the spirt of Hannna from Raqqa, Dr Meryem from Manbij, Arin and Avesta from Afrin, Barin and Revan from Kobane, Toprak Cerkez, Helin from England, Legerin from Argentina, Avasin from Africa and Destan from Turkey. This is our promise to the thousands of martyrs of freedom: We will build up a democratic and free land. In order to realise the dreams of thousands of children who were injured or killed, we will answer to all attacks against us with self defence. All women who want peace, freedom and democracy should join their voice to our voices, and we invite them to join the struggle.
As women we joined together to defeat Daesh, and together we will defeat the fascism of Erdogan. Let’s come together under the slogan “Defend your land and your honour, defeat Daesh and occupation” and make a historic defeat of Erdogan’s occupation plans.
The women and people will be victorious in our struggle for freedom!
Long live unity of women!
Death to fascism, colonialism and occupation!
Kongra star Rojava
08.08.19, Kobane
