SORGUL ŞÊXO

Hasakah- Armenians have been subjected to genocidal attacks for centuries. Following the revolution that took place in North and East Syria, they began to rebuild their lives and reorganize themselves. In North and East Syria, Armenian, Syriac, Arab and Kurdish people have lived together under the umbrella of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria despite the genocidal attacks of the Turkish state. Female fighters of the  Martyr Nubar Ozanyan Brigade, an Armenian military organization in Syria and a part of the Syrian Democratic Forces, play an important role in the resistance against the attacks of the Turkish state.

‘Armenian women have proven themselves’

Guhar Kayîpaka, one of the female fighters of the brigade, told us that Armenian women have proven themselves in the women’s revolution of Rojava. “Every year on April 24, we commemorate those who lost their lives in the Armenian genocide. Today, as Armenian women, we say that we exist and we are here. Undoubtedly, we receive this confidence from the Rojava Revolution. As people from all nations and religions in North and East Syria, we preserve our values together. We fight today to protect our language, culture and history. Our unity strengthens us to fight all kinds of attacks.”

‘Women are targeted’

Noting that they, as Armenian women, improve themselves in all spheres of life, Guhar Kayîpaka said, “We do not want more massacres to be committed against our people. The occupying Turkish state aims to take all of our gains from us by targeting women. We will not allow any massacre to be committed against Armenians. We will protect Armenian women against all kinds of attacks. The power of Armenian women and all women are targeted. Our response to them is that: We will not be defeated. We are stronger than before and we will win.”

‘We protect our gains’

Another female fighter of the brigade, Sêlîna Sunsûz drew attention to the attacks on Armenian people and said, “Today, we fight to protect not only Armenian women but also Middle Eastern women.  During the Armenian genocide, women were brutally attacked, raped and killed. For this reason, we fight to protect our gains we have achieved after 100 years. The duty of women is to unite the Armenian community. And women do their duty very well.”

‘We do not accept the slavery imposed on the peoples of the Middle East’

Sêlîna Sunsûz added that the unity of women in North and East Syria is a slap in the face of the enemy. “Our unity affects the entire Middle East because we defend our existence together, and we fight together against the enemy and patriarchal systems. The aim of the occupying Turkish state is to take women captive; however, women will never surrender. Women rise up against the genocidal mentality of the Turkish state. We do not accept the slavery imposed on the people of the Middle East. We call on all women to fight together.”