ROJ HOZAN

Qamishlo- 65-year-old Caziya Hisên is a Yazidi mother. She was born in the Otilce village of Qamishlo’s Tirbespiyê town. Growing up in a patriotic family, the door of Caziya Hisên's home was always open to Kurdish revolutionaries. Influenced by her father's speeches, Caziya Hisên began to participate in political activities when she was very young.

After the emergence of the Kurdistan Freedom Movement, she learned more about her rights. After reading the book written by her father about the resistance of the Kurdish people, she joined many Kurdish uprisings. Now, she carries out her activities in both Rojava Kurdistan and Europe. She is a board member of the Yazidi Women's Council in Europe, Germany, and the Yazidi Women's Council in Rojava Kurdistan.

“I was born in revolution”

“I grew up in a patriotic family. Our door was always open to Kurdish revolutionaries. My family participated in three Kurdish revolutions. My father was a Peshmerga and worked for 14 years. After the Barzani revolution, the Jalal Talabani revolution took place. Then, the Kurdistan Freedom Movement emerged and we have participated in the activities of the movement for 33 years. My father raised me with the Kurdish ideology to be aware of Kurdishness. In my life, I always believe in love, understanding and equality. When I was a child, the children weren’t sent to school in my village. But my father sent me to the school. I went to the school in the village of Til Xatun. I was the only child going to the school in the village. In 1972, I married my cousin and had seven children. I raised my children with the principles of my father. I can say that I was born in revolution. When we were children, my father was arrested and tortured many times in front of us by the regime. Despite everything, we always defend our cause and tell ourselves that Kurdistan is a bride in the hands of the enemy and must be liberated.”

She learned her rights through the Freedom Movement

Caziya Hisên told us that as a Yazidi Kurd, her rights were violated in Syria.

“Like all Kurdish people, we have had our share of state oppression. As Yazidi Kurds, we faced more pressure. We were in villages having houses and lands but the regime took our houses and lands and gave them to Arabs in the 1960s, when I was four years old. I saw how the people had faced pressure and understood why my father was involved in the Kurdish movement. In the past, women could not take part in revolutions. But the speeches, struggle and comments led us to join the revolutions. I always say that home is the school for children where they are first educated. After the emergence of the Kurdistan Freedom Movement, I became aware of my rights and myself as a Yazidi woman because Leader Apo's ideas are different from the ideas we learned. My brother Sebrî was martyred while fighting for freedom.”

She witnessed the genocide committed by ISIS

Speaking about the edicts carried out against the Yazidis, Caziya Hisên said, “My father had witnessed several edicts carried out against us. But I witnessed the brutal edict (genocide) committed by ISIS. I will never forget the genocide committed by ISIS in Shengal. My father had written a book telling the edicts carried out against the Yazidis. I still keep his book with me.”

Activities in both Europe and Rojava

Speaking about her activities in both Europe and Rojava Kurdistan, Caziya Hisên said, “I have lived in both Kurdistan and Europe for 17 years. I have carried out activities in Germany for Yazidi women. In 2014, the Yazidi Women's Council was founded in Europe. I am a board member of the council now. I have carried out activities in three parts of Kurdistan for 17 years to support Yazidi women. I have participated in many activities carried out for Yazidi women in many European countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Sweden. I went on hunger strike many times to protest the isolation imposed upon leader Apo. I joined many marches. I am also a board member of the Yazidi Women’s Council in Rojava. I carry out activities for six months in Rojava and six months in Europe. I do my best to serve Yazidi women in Rojava and Shengal. I have participated in conferences, seminars and workshops held in Shengal, Shahba and Afrin for Yazidi women. Undoubtedly, I have faced many obstacles and pressures from the enemy particularly in Europe but I am determined to struggle.”

Hope for a free country

Expressing her hope for a free country, Caziya Hisên said, “Kurdistan is our home, our country. We have a beautiful country. I feel very happy when I see how Yazidi mothers in Shengal make efforts to improve themselves. My only hope is to see a free country and an independent Kurdistan and I want to see leader Apo free among us.”