CENTRAL NEWS
YJA STAR Central Headquarters Commander Zozan Çewlik, through Nuce Ciwan Agency, saluted the “We Say No” move which was started by Komalên Jinên Ciwan (Young Women’s Union) and emphasised that massacre and rape are not the fate of women.
The YJA STAR Central Headquarters Commander evaluated how young women should fight against invasion, massacre and rape attacks, and pointed out that every young woman who says “No” to the system should take her place in the ranks of freedom.
A translated transcript of the call made by Commander Zozan Çewlik is as follows:
“For some time, a move by the name of “No” has been launched against authoritarianism in the leadership of young women, patriotic people and revolutionaries. Firstly I salute your actions and resistance in the name of all the warriors of freedom, and of the protection forces of women and the people – YJA-Star.
In line with the system of modernity, the authoritarianism of the state and the fascism which is being run today, all forms of authoritarianism is killing the woman and is killing life with the woman. Rape, harassment, femicides and murders are being implemented systematically as tools of a war.
In Kurdistan in particular, the AKP-MHP fascism is not only practising these policies as a product of an authoritarian mentality. It has become a piece of the war. In the person of the woman, [the AKP-MHP] is killing life, it is targetting society and the moral values of society directly. By attacking women, [the AKP-MHP] aims to push society to surrender and break the will of society.
In this sense, the move which has been launched was an appropriate step because the time has come to say no to this mentality. For this reason, we believe that your actions and resistance will spread and grow with each passing moment. We believe that in the leadership of young women and the youth, an effective fight will be put up against the authoritarianism which is being enforced on the woman’s will, thoughts, spirit and body.
Against these daily rapes, harassments and massacres, all young women must pour to the streets. They must react to this authoritarianism in all areas of life, whether this is the home or the streets. They must acknowledge that now is the time for resistance, now is the time for self-defence. Young women especially, all young people and all women must unite in mentality against the daily murders and war policies which we mentioned.
Saying “No” to a system of authoritarianism which is systematically, daily raping and harassing; is the right thing to do. No women must surrender her body, spirit, thoughts or will to authoritarianism. She must not surrender to the authoritarianism of the man. Now is the time for freedom, it is the time for uprising and it is the time for action.
As women, it is the time for organising against this system. It is the time to increase resistance. Against a system of complete authoritarianism, against its impacts which are being faced in different forms, it is time for the organization of women and the unity of women.
We believe that the unity of women and the youth will destruct the is system. The resistance of the woman will create fundamental changes and secure the freedom of not only women but the entirety of society.
My call to women is this: Rape, harassment and death is not fate. We are strong, not helpless. As hundreds and thousands of women, and as warriors of freedom, we joined the guerrilla because we say “No” to this system. This system is occupying our lands and raping, harassing and killing our bodies, thoughts and self-wills. We, as freedom fighters, have said “No” to this system and mentality in the most radical way.
This period will continue to spread and grow moment by moment – and we believe that the women chanting and resisting on the streets will tear down this system. This rejection should not only happen in houses or on streets, but young women and the youth should take radical steps and set out to the liberated spaces against the system which legitimizes rape and assault. They should set out to the spaces of the guerrilla and heighten their struggle against the system in this way. Now is not the time to remain silent. Now is the time to gain freedom and to destroy fascism.”
