CAROLINE BAZZI

Beirut- Yesterday, the Kurdish Women’s Movement held a Zoom panel with the motto, “Targeting our women pioneers cannot prevent women’s revolution”. During the panel, the situation of women in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in Iran and Afghanistan was discussed. Meral Çiçek, board member of the Kurdish Women's Relations Office (REPAK), Shiva Mahboubi, spokesperson for the Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran, and Afghan activist Zulfar made speeches at the panel.

‘The aim is to destroy the gains of the revolution’

 In her speech, Meral Çiçek drew attention to the massacre that took place in Paris on January 9, 2013 and said, “Kurdish women pioneers are often killed outside of Turkiye. The reason why these women are targeted is that they aim to destroy the gains of the revolution. The fascist and patriarchal system led by Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan sees women only as a baby-manufacturing machine. Throughout history, fascism has always aimed to destroy the existence of women and it has always been the biggest obstacle for women. On January 9, 2013, three Kurdish women pioneers were murdered in Paris. Six months before this massacre, the spark of the revolution lit in northeastern Syria and the revolution was continuing. These three Kurdish women were murdered in Paris to stop the women’s revolution in Rojava.”

Call for a common struggle against attacks

Meral Çiçek called for a common struggle to be waged by feminist movements to prevent the attacks on Kurdish women pioneers and said, “NATO and Turkiye are behind the attacks on Kurdish women pioneers. We should raise our voices everywhere. We should stop the killing of women political leaders and activists around the world. To achieve justice, we must make the demands of women heard all around the world and struggle for our societies. In Addition, we must protect our women pioneers.”

‘Women leaders never die, they become symbols’

In her speech, Shiva Mahboubi, spokesperson for the Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran, drew attention to the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” uprising that started in Iran and Rojhilat following the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini. “The feminist revolution that started following the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini spread all over the world. The Mirabal Sisters were murdered in 1960 by the dictator of the Dominican Republic. These women were the women, who raised their voices against injustice and the patriarchal system. On January 9, 2013, three Kurdish women pioneers were murdered in Paris. Women are still subjected to violence in Turkiye, Afghanistan and Iran. Women leaders never die, they become symbols.”

‘Afghan women are deprived of their rights’

In her speech, Afghan activist Zulfar drew attention to the global solidarity with the uprising in Iran, “However, there is no global solidarity with Afghan women and this situation is really upsetting. In Afghanistan, women cannot come together in groups because this causes suspicion. Afghan women are deprived of their rights. In addition, they are kidnapped and taken to unknown locations. Now, we do not know what is going on in villages. Solidarity with Afghan women is a must to make changes.”