PERWÎN AMARA

Qamishlo- Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) formed a new interim government, threatening women's identity.

NuJINHA interviewed Rîhan Loqo, Spokesperson of Kongra Star, about the recent developments in Syria.

 “The current situation of Syrian women is no different from what it was under the Baathist regime,” Rîhan Loqo highlighted. “December 8, 2024 was a special day for all Syrian people; it was a day of great joy and pride, especially for Syrian women. The Baathist regime had imposed its policies on women for years. The Syrian regime had a system built on religion and nationalism. When women rose up against the system, they faced all forms of violence by the Baathist regime.”

‘The HTS is an armed faction based on religion’

The resistance of the Syrian people aimed to topple the Baathist regime, Rîhan Loqo noted, adding: “The spark of the revolution that lit in Daraa and spread across Syria aimed to topple the Baathist regime. The suppressed anger and resistance of the Syrian people paved the way for an uprising against a system that did not recognize the rights of the people, especially women's rights. As the level of resistance and struggle increases in North and East Syria, the attacks on the gains intensify. The HTS, which aims to attack all areas of Rojava, is an armed faction based on religion. It aims to take control of all regions in Syria by force.”

‘The system of North and East Syria must be implemented in the new Syria’

Rîhan Loqa condemned the attacks and violence against Syrian women and said, “Recently, we have witnessed some decisions imposed in Syria that exclude women from all facets of life. These decisions are attacks against not only Syrian women but also people from all nationalities and ethnicities, including Alawites, Druze, Christians. Any attack on Alawite, Druze and Syriac women is also an attack on Kurdish women. The system based on democracy in North and East Syria must be implemented in the new Syria. This system allows everyone to have a democratic and free life. Our struggle is a common struggle. Neither the mindset of the Baathist regime nor the mindset imposed under the name of religion will be able to stop our struggle.”

‘The government must recognize women’s will’

Rîhan Loqo recalled the “Dialogue Workshop” organized by Kongra Star in January 2025. “Kongra Star held a Dialogue Workshop on January 7 with the motto, ‘With women’s solidarity, we will build a democratic Syria,’ and participation of women’s movements in North and East Syria. Not only Kurdish women but also all women living in North and East Syria participated in the workshop. At the workshop, women discussed how they could organize themselves against all forms of violence and their role in the new Syria. The new Syrian government must recognize women’s will. If it does not recognize the will of women, Syria will not be a democratic country.”

‘Women have paid a heavy price’

Rîhan Loqo demanded the end of the attacks on North and East Syria. “When the revolution started in North and East Syria, we first fought against the nationalist mindset. The fighters fighting against the recent attacks on the region are the fighters from all nationalities and ethnicities. Women have paid the heavy price for the region that they deserve to have a democratic Syria. The aim of the workshop was to end the attacks on North and East Syria and to make the voices and demands of all women in the region heard by human rights organizations.”