SORGUL ŞÊXO

Qamishlo-Women's Defense Units (YPJ) has inspired many women all over the world by waging a historical resistance. “Every living creature is in need of protection and the need for protection is as important as bread and water for people,” said YPJ Spokesperson Rûksen Mihemed.

 Emphasizing the importance of the protection system for both human beings and animals to continue their existence, she said, “Undoubtedly, every organizational system needs protection as much as the human beings, otherwise it will break into pieces. Women are those who protect their society with its culture, history and language. The sovereign and oppressive systems always produce misogynous policies and women play an important role in the protection of their society.”

‘Armies all over the world have male mentality’

 Highlighting the role of women in revolutions and uprisings all over the world, she said, “Women play an important role in revolutions and uprisings. In history, there were many women in the armies by treating wounded or working in factories belonging to armies. Some women dressed as men to fight. They could not participate in revolutions and armies as themselves, with their will and reality. Still, there is no system and mechanism in the world to determine the presence of women in any army. Armies all over the world have male mentality.”

‘Each revolution needs a women’s revolution’

“The YPJ was founded to protect the values of the revolution (in NE Syria)” Rûksen Mihemed said, “The foundation of the YPJ was an urgent necessity for the values of the revolutionary and the struggle for the rebirth of thousands of women in North and East Syria. The YPJ has played an important role in many fields such as military, economic and cultural fields to protect women and society from all kinds of attacks.” Noting that each revolution needs a women’s revolution in itself, she added, “YPJ trains free fighters acting with their own will and thoughts.”

‘The YPJ broke traditional stereotypes’

Emphasizing that the members of the YPJ are fighters who know why they fight, Rûksen Mihemed said, “The YPJ broke traditional stereotypes. It believes that in order to strengthen women's defense mechanisms, it is necessary to analyze their enemies well. All women in North and East Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and even in Europe need their own defense units to protect themselves.”

‘Our revolution is the revolution of all women’

Highlighting that the unity of women brings the current system down, Rûksen Mihemed said, “If our revolution in North and East Syria affects women in Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen today, this means our revolution is a women’s revolution. Why are Afghan women attacked by the Taliban and unable to protect themselves now? Because they do not have their own defense units. If they had their own defense units, they could protect themselves. The women's struggle in the North and East of Syria is a revolution that will continue and be protected with the philosophy of the women of Eastern Kurdistan, "Women, Life and Freedom.”

‘The YPJ has become an internationalist force’

Since the foundation of the YPJ, hundreds of women from different countries have joined the YPJ. “We must turn every day into March 8 (International Women’s Day). We must turn every moment into a moment for life, freedom and democracy. Today, the YPJ has become an internationalist force. Many of our fighters were martyred while fighting ISIS. Now, women protect themselves, their people and their lands.”

‘We will secure women's freedom’

Rûksen Mihemed concluded her speech saying, “The revolution in Rojava is an internationalist revolution with the love of our comrades Helina, Lêgeri, who joined our ranks from England and died in Afrin, and with the stance Ivana, who joined the YPJ from Africa. The attacks on the women of North and East Syria are the attacks on women in England, Afghanistan, Egypt and Africa. We fight sovereign and oppressive systems which always produce misogynous policies. We will strengthen each other and secure women’s freedom by sharing our experiences, thoughts and ideas.”