QAMIŞLO, ROJAVA
Rojava Kurdistan and Northern Syrian Women’s Organizations today have dedicated their 25 November events to Hevrin Xelef, the Secretary General of the Syrian Future Party, YPG fighter Amara Rênas, and Mother Aqide, a member of the Women’s Justice Assembly, who was massacred by the gangs of the occupying Turkish state.
In a joint press release in the External Relations building of the Autonomous Administration in Qamişlo, the women expressed, “occupation is violence. Our 25 November activities will be in memory of our fallen martyrs! Let us defeat the occupation and fascism with the resistance of the Hevrîns!”
The press release for the November 25 – Day of Violence Against Women was organised and attended by Kongra Star, North and East Syrian Assembly, Syrian Women Assembly, Syrian Women Union, Democratic Syrian Assembly, Syrian Future Party Women Bureau, Young Women Movement, Democratic Autonomous Women Coordination, Revolutionary Communist Women North and East Syrian Women Organization.
The statement included the following:
“On November 25, 1960, three women from the Social Change Movement, who chose resistance and struggle against the fascist attacks against the people and laborers, who did not accept the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic, were tortured to death on 25 November 1960.
59 years have passed since they were killed. Maria Teresa, Minerva Argentina and Patria Mercedes, the three women fighting against the dictatorship, went down in history as the Mirabel Sisters. Although it was announced that the sisters died in a car accident, the mobilisation of women, the anti-Trujillo movement ended the dictatorship a year after the death of the Mirabel Sisters.
Since then, every November 25, the day when the Sisters were killed, has become a symbolic day for the women of the world who are struggling for freedom and democracy.
Latin American women, who did not forget how they were tortured, gathered in Dominican on November 25, 1981 for the Sisters they called the ‘Butterflies’ and organized a women’s congress. With the decision taken at the General Assembly, the “cursed” day in which the Butterflies were killed was accepted as the Day Against Violence Against Women and International Solidarity Day. We promise to follow in the footsteps of Sara, Sêvê and Hevrîns for all women who struggle for freedom on this basis.”
‘WE WILL NOT SURRENDER TO THE FASCISM OF ERDOĞAN’
“As the northern and eastern Syrian women, we will commit and become the Syrian Future Party Secretary General Hevrin Xelef who was massacred by the gangs affiliated to the occupying Turkish state, we will become the YPJ fighter Amara Rênas who resisted against the dark fascism of the Turkish state and we will become Mother Aqide, Member of the Women’s Justice Council.
These friends lived and fought bravely to give the peoples of North and East Syria an honorable, democratic and equal life. They did not give in, they resisted like the Saras, who resisted the September 12 fascism, the Sêvês who resisted against Erdoğan fascism, and the Mirabel Sisters who resisted the Trujillo dictatorship. They proved that the 9-year Rojava revolution was a women’s revolution. They became heroes of honor and brotherly life. They risked death for an honorable life and the brotherhood of our peoples. We vow that we will not surrender to Erdogan’s fascism. Our November 25 events will be in memory of our martyr friends. Violence is occupation! Let us defeat occupation and fascism with the resistance of the Hevrîns.
In the 9-year struggle for revolution, ISIS was the biggest enemy of the peoples of North and East Syria. The biggest supporter of ISIS is the fascist Erdogan dictator. The attacks launched on 9 October 2019 against our lands are a new move of the dirty alliance against the revolution. Their aim is to continue the brutal war on our land. We know that they have imposed fascism, occupation and organized violence on peoples and women in the last 9 years. Women’s personal violence is the result of fascist mentality and organized violence. Organized violence refers to migration, change of demography, disruption of ecological balance, unemployment, economic crisis, usurpation of health and education rights and many human rights violations. Today, we are exposed to all kinds of violence in every moment of our lives. We will resist with a unique struggle.
On October 9, 2019, an anti-revolutionary movement against the people and women’s revolution was launched in the northern and eastern Syrian territories. We will expand our struggle against this anti-revolutionary move. We will develop the democratic political model in memory of Martyr Hevrin, the defense line of honor in Amara’s memory, and democracy and justice in the memory of Mother Aqide. Just as the Dominican people destroyed the Trujillo dictator in memory of the Mirabel Sisters, the peoples of northern and eastern Syria will destroy the fascist Erdogan dictator in the memory of the Hevrins.”
‘WE WELCOME THE SUPPORT OF WORLD WOMEN TO OUR FIGHT’
“We all know that our struggle is part of the worldwide struggle against the fascist dictatorship. We are strengthened by this struggle, strengthening each other. Therefore, we call on all women in the world to carry out a joint legal struggle for Erdogan to be punished for the war crimes committed. We salute the support of the women of the world to our struggle. We call on women from all over the world to defend the northern and eastern Syrian territories and raise the struggle together.
We call on all women in the world to expand the struggle against organized state violence, fascism, racism, occupation policies and all forms of violence against women.”
ACTIVITY PROGRAMS FOR THE WOMENS’ FIGHT AGAINST VIOLENCE DAY, 25 NOVEMBER:
1- On November 22 at 11.00, a press conference will be made in relation to the 25 November International Day Against Violence Against Women.
2- On 23 November, the 10 members of the women’s management affiliated to the Autonomous Administration will give a seminar in Zana Hall. On the same day, the Syrian Future Party will make a statement in the Euphrates Region.
3- The Women’s Initiative will make a statement on November 24 at 11.00
4- March on 25 November in cities
5- HPC will give a seminar on November 26, the women of Serêkaniyê and Kongra Star will make a joint statement.
6- On November 28, a statement will be made by Sara Qamişlo Organisation and the Free Women’s Foundation in an immigration camp.
7- On 30 November, Martyr Families Institution will make a statement in the Martyr Burrial Grounds
8- Assyrian Women’s Association will make an announcement on 1 December
9- North and East Syria Assembly to support YPJ on 2 December
10 – 3 December will be dedicated to the Young Women’s Organization
11- On 4 December, the Education and Science Committee (KPC) will organize activities for children
12- Syrian Future Party General Assembly will convene on 5 December
13- On November 6, the Justice Women’s Assembly will hold an event
14- On December 7, there will be women’s activity for political parties
15- December 9, the Syrian Women’s Assembly will make a statement
16- On December 10, Sara Qamishlo Organisation will make a statement about Hevrin Xelef
Long live the women’s revolution of Rojava!
