BERÇEM CÛDÎ

Kobanê-Gülnaz Karataş ( nom de guerre: Bêritan Hêvi), one of the leading commanders of the Kurdish Freedom Movement and Kurdish Women’s Freedom Movement, becomes immortal by throwing herself off a cliff in order to avoid being arrested by the KDP Peshmerga in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on October 25, 1992. She left an important legacy to the women's struggle with her struggle against the patriarchal mindset and her resistance against collaborationism.

In an interview with NuJINHA, Semîra Mihemed Elî, manager at Mala Jîn (Women’s House) in the city of Kobanê, Euphrates Canton of North and East Syria, talked about the impact of Bêritan Hêvi’s action and struggle on Kurdish women on the 32nd anniversary of her martyrdom.

 ‘She sacrificed herself to end the betrayal’

“Martyr Bêritan created a philosophy by fighting for the freedom of Kurdistan and especially for the truth of women by showing a great resistance, honor and will,” Semîra Mihemed Elî said. “At that time, the Kurdistan Freedom Movement was going through a war. Martyr Bêritan responded to this war by objecting to the betrayal and developed a new method. The action of Martyr Bêritan has a different meaning in the history of Kurdistan that determines the solution of the war. She sacrificed herself to end the betrayal of the KDP as a leading commander and woman.”

‘She became a light for women’

Speaking about the impact of Bêritan Hêvi’s action on women, she said, “The action of Martyr Beritan started a new era for the Kurdish Freedom Movement and the Kurdish Women’s Freedom Movement. She became a light for women within the movement with her stance and action. Her action was a spark for women to return to themselves and get to know themselves thanks to the ideology of leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan). His analysis and thoughts on women's reality become concrete through this action. Her action showed that women would not be active in Kurdistan if they did not form their defense forces and participate in all facets of life.”

 ‘We have followed in the footsteps of Bêritan for 32 years’

Semîra Mihemed Elî reminded that the YPJ was formed based on the principles created by Bêritan’s action and said:

“The war in 1992 and the action of Martyr Bêritan paved the way for us, women, to determine the kind of future we want. Martyr Bêritan is a symbol of resistance for women. The Women's Defense Units (YPJ), one of the most effective women’s armed forces, was formed on the principles created by the action of Martyr Bêritan. Our women's movement and organizations that play an active role in protecting women's gains and in the revolution (in Rojava) based on the same principles.”