SORGÜL ŞÊXO

 Amûdê (Amuda)- Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan sowed the first seeds of the Kurdish Freedom Movement in North and East Syria, also known as Rojava, in the 1980s. Many women were involved in the movement by taking up arms. 67-year-old Bedîa Mihemed Silêman, mother of Martyr Ali and sister of Martyr Xorşîd, is one of them.

‘We did not know anything about politics’

Bedîa Mihemed Silêman did not know anything about politics until she learned the ideology and thoughts of Abdullah Öcalan. “We only applauded the parties related to Barzani’s family because they were Kurdish parties. But we did not know anything about the purpose and strategy of those political parties and what they did for women’s rights. Then, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was officially founded.”

Bedîa Mihemed Silêman told us that the lives of women in the village of Botana (Sinceqa xelîl), changed after being involved in the Kurdish Freedom Movement. “Kurdish women used to do only housework and childcare tasks. The seeds sown by leader Öcalan in Rojava Kurdistan grew in several years. The Kurdish people began to organize themselves against the oppressive regime. When our children joined the party, we, as mothers, followed them.”

Bedîa Mihemed Silêmani pointed to the assimilation policies of the Baathist regime and said, “Kurdish language would disappear without leader Öcalan. Kurdish people used to speak Arabic because their native language was forbidden. Today, we can freely speak Kurdish language thanks to leader Öcalan.”

‘Leader Öcalan sowed the seeds of freedom’

During the rule of the Baathist regime, women in the village of Botana used to secretly gather in houses to hold meetings and teach Kurdish. “Our village was a small village but there was unity. People of all ages were involved in the movement. Leader Öcalan sowed the seeds of freedom here and laid the foundation for today's revolution.”

 ‘The physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan will be a solution to all crises’

Mentioning the international conspiracy against Abdullah Öcalan 25 years ago, she said, “Leader Apo is not a person being held behind bars. He raised awareness among women. When the international conspiracy was carried out against him, Kurdish people flocked to the streets to protest.”

Bedîa Mihemed Silêman emphasized that the physical freedom of Abdullah Öcalan would be a solution to all crises.

“He made great efforts not only for the Kurdish people but also for people all around the world. If leader Öcalan was free today, There would not be so many wars in Ukraine, Palestine and Kurdistan. Erdoğan sees the release of leader Öcalan as a threat. All Kurdish people and people all around the world should struggle for his freedom. They should put pressure on the Turkish state so that leader Öcalan can see his lawyers and family members.”