To women and the public:
To begin, chaos and crisis have been intensifying since the beginning of this century. This state of chaos is influencing all ares of life and all regions of the world. War, fighting, massacres and displacement, hunger and ecological problems, anti-democratic attitudes and violence, exploitation and occupation show us that the worldwide system is in a desperate state. While the effects of this can be felt everywhere, nowhere stronger are they felt than in the Middle East. So, the sickness of war in the developping world is taking its clearest form on earth in the Middle East. The cradle of civilization is today the scene for wars of domination between local and global forces.
Kurdistan has also become a central location of this war. As a result of this war, a new world order will be formed. Both forces of the state system and democratic forces of the people will struggle to determine the character of this new system. On the side of the democratic forces of the world and the region, the Kurdish people and especially Kurdish women have a deciding role. Firstly, today the Rojava revolution and the struggle of the Kurdish people to create an alternative system is gaining attention from the four corners of the world. But at the same time, the fighting of global forces and regional forces in Kurdistan is intensifying. Turkish state now wants to bring into force the Misak-i Milli contract, 100 years after its creation, through methods of occupation and massacres and to completely annihilate the Kurdish people. Their aim is that, in the new global world order, the Kurdish people won’t have any legal or democratic status. In this way, not only inside its own boarders, but also in Rojava and South Kurdistan, it is steering a war of annihilation. It is trying to annihilate all the achievements of the Kurdish people. This war of annihilation is especially targeted against women. Because women play a pioneering role in the struggle against fascism and oppression to create a life of freedom and respect. With the aim of destroying the pioneering role of women, special warfare is being directed against women. As a result, hundreds of women politicians, women who defend their homeland or that resist today are facing torture and isolation in Turkey’s prisons. A large number of Yazidi women are still being taken hostage. At the same time, in the occupied areas of Rojava, Kurdish women are being abducted by the Turkish state and its mercenary forces. From the Paris massacre to Kobani, women who play pioneering roles are targeted and killed. As a result, Kurdish women feel the effects of the occupation and genocidal politics even more, and despite this they still do not give up on their role as pioneers in their people’s resistance. In particular, they defend their role as pioneers in becoming a common nation, making freedom possible for their people and being responsible and decisive together. As women we know that, more than ever before, we have a need for unity and that the unity of women plays a strategic role in defending Kurdistan against occupation. Women, if they unify their strength, can succeed in every way.
To end the occupation by the Turkish state and to prevent new attacks, there is an urgent need for women to unite from all parts of Kurdistan and outside the homeland. In light of this and based on decisions made at the Urgent Meeting of Kurdish Women in Rojava on the 15th of May in Qamishlo, we, the women who have signed below, have created an women’s initiative for the defense of Kurdistan against occupation and share this with the public. We, the initiative of women for the defense of Kurdistan against occupation, will from now on work and organize common actions with the aim of strengthening the stance of women and end the occupation by the Turkish state and prevent further attacks. We will use the slogan “Women defend Kurdistan against occupation”. With this aim, we proclaim the initiative to the public and call on women to join to take an influential stance against all attacks of occupation and defend Kurdistan.
1. Asya Abullah, Member of the Coordination of the Women’s Council of North and East Syria
2 Awat Husam El Dîn, Leader of the Association of Zoroaster in Kurdistan (South Kurdistan)
3 Arya Mele Ehmed, Co-Chair of the Committee of Creating Laws in the Jazira Region
4 Arzû Temo, SARA organization
5 Aynur Paşa, Lawyer
6 Beser Şahîn, Artist (Europe)
7 Beşîra İsmayîl, Lawyer
8 Canda Muhemed, Member of the Executive Institution of the Syrian Democratic Council
9 Delal Elhaşimî, Leader of the Democratic Green Party
10 Delal Fehîm Xelîl, Co-Chair of the Democratic Islam Congress
11 Derya Remezan, Co-Chair of the Relations Office of the Syrian Democratic Council
12 Dilsoz Zengene, Member of the Initiative for Solidarity with Rojava (South Kurdistan)
13 Dilşa Osman, Speaker of Kongra Star Relations (Europe)
14 Ebîr Hesaf, Academic in the Rojava University
15 Erîfa Bekir, Committee of Women’s Relations in the Democratic Union Party (PYD)
16 Emîna Omer, Co-Chair of the Syrian Democratic Council
17 Emîna Şêx Muhemed, Women’s Organization of the Syrian Kurdish Party
18 Enehîta Sîno, Writer
19 Enehîta Şêxê, Intellectual
20 Etiya Yûsif, Lawyer
21 Evîn Cuma, Human Rights Organization of Jazira
22 Evîn Qafûr, Democratic Peace Party of Kurdistan
23 Evîn Yûsif, Civil Reporter and Activist
24 Eyşê Efendî, Leader of the Council of the Martyrs Families in the Euphrates Region
25 Eyşê Hiso, Co-Chair of the Democratic Unity Party (PYD)
26 Fewziye Spiz, Teacher (South Kurdistan)
27 Feyrûz Xelîl, Member of the Women’s Council of North and East Syria
28 Foza Ebdê, Co-Chair of the Committee of Creating Laws in the Euphrates Region
29 Foza Yûsif, Member of the Leadership Institution of the Democratic Unity Party (PYD)
30 Hanan Osman, Kongra Star Diplomatic Committee (Lebanon)
31 Hediya Şemo, Coordination of the Yazidi Union in the Jaizra Region
32 Helîma Ebû Bekir, Leadership of the Internal Security Forces
33 Heyfa Mehmud, El Hedas and Democratic Party in Syria
34 Hêja İbrahîm, Member of the Kongra Star Council (Europe)
35 İlham Ehmed, Leadership of the Executive Institution of the Syrian Democratic Council
36 Jiyan Husên, Member of the Coordination of the Women’s Council of North and East Syria
37 Leyla İbrahîm, Co-Chair of the Mala Yazidi in the Jazire Region
38 Leyla Musa, Representation of the Syrian Democratic Council (Egypt)
39 Medya Ebdê, Speaker of the Research Center for the Defense of Women’s Rights (Europe)
40 Meryem Fettahi, Leadership of KJAR (Europe)
41 Mizgîn Hesen, Leadership of the Research Center for the Defense of Women’s Rights in Syria
42 Mizgîn Zêdan, Co-chair or El Texyîe Party
43 Narîn Metînî, Leadership of the Deomcratic Women’s Forum
44 Necah Gilo, Martyrs Families Council
45 Necla Temo, Şawoşka Association
46 Nezahet Nebo, Member of the Kongra Star Council (Europe)
47 Pencewîn Elî, Rights Activists
48 Perwîn Yûsif, Ch-chair of Qamishlo Canton
49 Remziye Muhemed, Speaker of Kongra Star
50 Riwyda Şêxê, Committee of Women in the Organization El Tecdid El Kurdistan
51 Rîham Hico, Member of the Coordination of TAJÊ (Shengal)
52 Ronak Mecid, Kurdistan Freedom Organization (South Kurdistan)
53 Roşna Cemîl Cafer, Civil Activists (South Kurdistan)
54 Ruken Ehmed, Co- Chair of Tev- Dem, the Democratic Society Movement
55 Saza Abdullah, Goran Party (South Kurdistan)
56 Sema Begdaş, Speaker of the Democratic Unity Party (PYD)
57 Sinem Mihemed, Representation of the Syrian Democratic Council (DYE)
58 Sîham Emoka, Rights Activist
59 Sîham Daud, General Secretary of the Syrian Future Party
60 Stêr Qasim, Civil Activist
61 Suad Hiso, Women’s Office of the Democratic Society Movement, Tev Dem in the Sheba Region
62 Sultanê Xişo, Free Women’s Foundation in Syria
63 Surûşt Helepçe, Rights Expert (South Kurdistan)
64 Şehle Muhemed, Member of the RJAK Coordination (South Kurdistan)
65 Şeyda Maruf, Party of the Laobrers (South Kurdistan)
66 Şoxan Salih Mîrza, Civil Activist (South Kurdistan)
67 Xedîce İbrahîm, Lawyer
68 Xurbet İşlek, Member of the Coordination of the İştar Council (Makhmour)
69 Zeyneb Muradî, Co-Chair of KNK (Europe)
70 Zeyneb Qenber, Women’s Office of the Syrian Democratic Council in the Sheba Region
71 Natalia Szarek, Women Defend Rojava Committee (England)
72 Dr. Mechthild Exo, Defend Kurdistan (Germany)
7/6/2022
