BEHDINAN – Kurdistan Women’s Freedom Party (PAJK) Assembly Member Ronahi Serhat spoke to JIN TV about the stage the women’s struggle has reached. Expressing that no system can be democratic and free without the liberation of women, Serhat pointed out that today millions of women in the world have revolted. Emphasizing that a new system could be established under the leadership of women’s liberation, Serhat stated that a strategy should be implemented based on this.
PAJK Assembly Member Ronahi Serhat’s interview with JIN TV:
In this period of the 3rd World War, there is crisis and chaos everywhere. Do you think there is still the possibility of realizing the women’s revolution under these conditions?
It is a great excitement to evaluate this subject. Others, on the contrary, say that there is too much contradiction and pessimism, and that this situation blocks philosophy and sociology. Against this view, there is great hope for the exit. I salute all YJA Star militants who created this great hope. I salute all the revolutionary women of the world, who once again took part in the struggle for revolution, exhibited a historical resistance, paid a great price and revealed the legacy of the women’s revolution. Indeed, this is a very important issue. It can be said that with the entry of the 21st century, this issue has been discussed more and has become an important issue. Before talking about the development of women’s struggle, it is necessary to know the characteristics of the 21st century and how we entered this century. Undoubtedly, because we are the women’s liberation movement, we are in the 21st century. We know that the century will be the century of women’s freedom, and women want it too. This is not a utopian idea, it is a very powerful fact.
Most importantly, society sees this now. If this did not have a basis and reality, it would only be expressed theoretically in the books. When we speak of the 21st century, we are currently living in the last phase of capitalism modernity. Capitalism and modernity are experiencing a very serious crisis. Contrary to those who say that the end of socialism has come, the end of capitalism has come. There are serious crises in every part of the world, everywhere and in societies. One of the most important crises of our time is the economic crisis. Unemployment and poverty increased. The ecological crisis has increased, the water crisis is increasing. The society could no longer tolerate this policy imposed by capitalist modernity. There is a lot of pressure on society. This global crisis is not short-term, it is long-term, and it is shaking the foundations of many countries. Therefore, there are many countries that are trying to get rid of this crisis and not collapse. Undoubtedly, nation-state powers are approaching like this. Hegemonic powers reveal even deeper projects. They have now focused on the Middle East to rebuild themselves. There is Kurdistan in the Middle East and there are women at its centre.
This globalizing crisis can no longer be responded to with measures or any reform as before. At the same time, being limited to the region cannot be a solution either. Capitalist modernity built itself on industrialism and the nation-state. But it is currently experiencing a crisis over the foundation it has built. He wants to dominate the society with fake politics, culture and art and different projects through the media, but he can’t. The nation-state and industrialism are the basis of this paradigm and are about to collapse. In this period, they can no longer offer a bright future with short-term projects. Its basis is destruction and blockage. Then a new paradigm is needed. This paradigm is also based on the reality of women.
WE CAN MAKE THE 21st CENTURY THE YEAR OF WOMEN’S FREEDOM
It is not possible for us to solve this crisis if we do not start from the issue of women’s freedom. They can take action, reform, restore, but this crisis will not be resolved. Therefore, the reality of the 21st century is to make radical changes in the paradigm. Revolutionary and libertarian people need to do this. Protests in past centuries have also been worldwide. So why not at that time, because the bourgeois class betrayed and usurped the social revolution. At that time the working class, farmers, people, peasants and women revolted. The entire society rebelled against the authorities. But in reality, the program was missing, the leader was missing, the strategy and tactics were missing, so although it was successful at that time, it could not be permanent. The woman was also present in these revolts, but she was not prepared. In terms of organisation, there was no preparation in terms of the programme. Therefore, women and peoples lost this opportunity at that time. But now capitalist modernity is in its final phase. What stage will come after capitalist capital? No, but they can soften the rigid nation-states, soften the autocracy, and attract the people to their side until they implement their projects under the name of women’s liberation and democracy.
Now they are doing this against our women’s liberation movement. They want to destroy us militarily with the fascist Turkish state, and NATO supports this. They implement the policy of destruction and liquidation everywhere. Yes, this is much deeper in the Middle East, but neoliberal policies in Europe are taking very strict measures against women and humanity movements everywhere. When people rise up and protest against wages, unemployment, hunger, and the policies of the current government, they face fierce attacks. Now the welfare and welfare state projects of the capitalist powers have failed. They can no longer silence society. At this stage, there is a conflict, which is the conflict of society against all powers. Lying and fake applications are not enough anymore, everything is clear. For this reason, all revolutionary forces must put forward a new project, a political regime. We have it and we are fighting for it. Therefore, the war waged by the YJA-Star and HPG guerrillas in their free mountains is not just a Kurdish-Kurdistan war.
This war is a war to defend humanity and women. Everyone needs to see this. We want this fact to be better understood. If we struggle, if we do not make mistakes in our program, strategy, policies and methods, if deficiencies are not revealed, we can make the 21st century a century of women’s freedom. This period has only one name, and that is revolution, that is, the period of revolution, freedom and change. Our movement has taken a step in that direction, but we have noticed that its content remains somewhat limited. Just as the 1917 revolution embraced the whole world, we are now at such a stage. All women and society are in the revolutionary phase. It has to do with our work and practice. If we do not do this, hegemonic powers will seize, appropriate, liquidate and institutionalize with new breakthroughs.
What are the ways and methods of struggle for all women and how should it be?
Now let’s look at capitalism, what does it do in tension, how does it do it? It is important to read history well so as not to lose all the oppressed. Now, after capitalism had set its commercial level in the 15th and 18th centuries, very serious reactions, demonstrations and protests arose. What conclusion should we draw from that period? Capitalism did not establish such a comfortable system, the peoples, workers, peasants, women and students always reacted.
So why did these responses fail?
To answer this, he wrote the manifesto of Marxism, socialism, communism. A paradigm was created and at the same time a revolution was made so as not to be delayed, the revolution of socialism was made and that is how it was answered. It took 150 years, that’s not a short time, then there is still debate about why it was destroyed. Rêber Apo criticized this situation, and some Marxists are now giving their self-criticism. Let’s come to the beginning of the 19th century, the industrial revolution took place, capitalism established itself on the basis of the industrial revolution, spread and systematized it. Did it spread easily? No. When capitalism spread, it occupied and exploited many countries.
The imperialist powers, which tied Algeria to themselves and India to England, divided everything among themselves. Now, in the 19th century, both the first world war and the second world war took place. Caused? Because it was about sharing. There was a great crisis going on inside to share the world, every time the system faced crises, a war always arose. In general, there were struggles against this situation, there were big protests. Now, a program should be prepared to stand against this sexist and patriarchal system, and a strategy should be created accordingly.
For this, a great unity, a serious unity, a very serious organization is required. It can’t be done only with activists and union movements, of course, the trade union struggle has a role, it is not right to make this meaningless, but if you only draw attention to the demands for a wage protest, raise and improvement of living conditions, this will not work. If it is said that we will change the system with the struggle for the liberation of nations, this will not bring results. What vanguard forces then remain. We are not talking about the fact that Palestine and the Kurdish nation do not have a freedom problem. Of course, we have to fight for this as well. But a new system can be established under the leadership of women’s freedom. Based on this, it is necessary to think and implement a strategy.
As the Kurdish women’s movement, you have a pioneering mission. What is the importance of leadership in the women’s revolution?
If a theory is not true, it turns out that its practice is not correct either. Then it’s getting late and everything goes out of hand. Therefore, if they cause all these problems, troubles and crises in the Middle East, of course, there will be chaos like the 3rd world war. We should not throw aside how capitalism laid its foundations. What is in the first layer; confinement and enslavement of women. Moreover, they established an authoritarian, hierarchical and patriarchal system. Now we will pull the stone from the bottom to create an alternative to this system, starting with women’s freedom, we will destroy women’s slavery. The priority is to find it and fight for it. Capitalism emerged in the 16th century. Let’s look at how societies and peoples resisted from the 16th to the 20th centuries. As a nation, as a proletariat, as women, as ecologists, they resisted together, they have never been silent. We are in the 21st century and there is still a very serious resistance.
It would be good if we also consider what happened in the 21st century. But it is very important to build a new and democratic system, build freedom, protect the democratic confederalism project and fight for it. Like our women’s movement, all other women’s movements are actually discussing this, we are already working on this strategy, we are struggling. The problems of women concern the society in general, the problems of the society concern the women in general. If the union resistance, students, ecologists, anarchists, anti-capitalists together form a new bloc, a new front against capitalism, that is, if such a strategic stance is displayed all over the world, then the result will be achieved.
Revolution requires a very strong struggle, a very strong organization. After all, the struggle of anarchists, feminists and ecologists was not lacking in theory, but there was a lack of program and organization. Why are ecological movements not effective in the 21st century, when there is such a great ecological crisis? Why they were effective in the 90s, now they are gradually drowned out. There is a very tough war in Kurdistan, they are using all forbidden, nuclear and chemical weapons. HPG makes a statement every day, then they say what ecological forces and ecological movements say, this is not within our knowledge. If they become opportunists they fail, then the people will want new real and radical movements. This stage reveals everything, does not allow opportunism and reform. I am not talking about rejecting reform in general, as in other policies, but it is a fact that radical revolution is needed. We want to fulfill our historical duty with our struggle for this.
How do you see the stance and struggle of women in the world?
Protests against the growing crisis are increasing and at the same time the alternative to the system is getting stronger. The crisis is happening everywhere and it is happening at an extraordinary level. In 2010, 13 Arab countries revolted against the Arab autocracy and women did it. Again in 2016, 6 million women went on strike in 60 cities in Poland. Women rose up against violence and economic crises in Argentina. In 2018, 6-8 million women went on strike in Spain. 4 million Swiss went on strike. Almost fifty-six percent of Mexico went on strike. 1 million people went on strike in Chile. In 2017, 500,000 women protested Trump in America. From Saudi Arabia to Iran, there was an Arab uprising in India. Kurdish women, Kurdish society and the freedom movement never stopped in Kurdistan. Argentine women held their 33rd meeting. This was very important. It was held in Frankfurt, the Middle East conference was held, there are serious searches.
All women rebelled against the sexist system. These contradictions can no longer be resolved. There is a consensus among women. Although religion, politics and parties are different, these differences do not prevent them from being united. This is a very important achievement. Women are very angry and hateful towards the system. They start in parallel and walk together. There is a theoretical and practical development. There is a serious questioning at the root of these searches. There is also pressure against it. When the hegemonic powers cannot control the society, they apply more pressure. This may be a contradiction for some, on the one hand, alternative forces, anarchist forces, feminists, cultural movements, anti-system forces may not all be a strong front, but they can complement each other.
So why do autocratic, fascist right-wing parties win in the elections? By increasing the pressure, these forces are taking away the tools of struggle and democracy from the whole society. They bring themselves to power through coercion. The current agenda in Turkey is this year’s elections. The AKP is also fighting for elections, putting pressure on women and the entire society, and destroying the fields of struggle. The fact that such a useless and cruel party was in power also affected women and society. A few families took to the streets and organized against HDP. They are so dishonest. The fascist AKP-MHP regime has deepened the war with its mercenaries during its 22-year rule. He spent his entire economy to deepen the war. In order to win the election, he took all the means of the people and used them for himself. Therefore, all women, youth and students of the 21st century, in the spirit of the 1968 revolution, They need to make their own century with the Apoist spirit. Of course, this has a price, it has gains, and there are many opportunities for this right now. But let’s just say, never stop, if the struggle gets a little weak then we lose the historic opportunity. Let’s admit that governments, hegemonic powers, nation-state powers, fascism do not stop for a second.
It carries out an all-out attack on the people 24 hours a day, in every area and in every way. Therefore, it is necessary to demand freedom 24 hours a day, to struggle, to stand up and to live accordingly. Opposing the system has a meaning, has an important role, and we can achieve this with a stronger organization both in the Middle East and in Europe. No system can be free and democratic without women’s freedom, there can be no equality and justice without women’s freedom. All programs of freedom-seeking movements must be in line with this. I wish success to all women revolutionaries and freedom fighters. Success will be us women.
