ANKARA - Women from the Middle East to Europe who support the struggle of the women resisting to oppression and violence of Taliban in Afghanistan, expressed the importance of a common line of struggle. 

 

With the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the rights and freedoms of women and girls were completely banned by the Taliban, which took over the country again after 20 years. The Taliban banned women from public spaces, worklife, education, banned female professional healthcare workers, local governments and bank workers, journalists. Having closed the doors of universities to women, the Taliban also prevented women and girls from playing musical instruments, singing and participating in any sports.

 

Women's struggle in the Middle East and European countries gave the message that they will be the voice of the women in Afghanistan and expand their solidarity networks. 

 

SOLIDARTIY FROM THE FEMINISTS FROM POLAND

 

Laurie Debeni from Antifascist Cracow movement and Krakowska Manifa collectivea, said: "For us, femmes in antifascist and feminist movement, it is vital to show solidarity with women in Afghanistan. We can’t turn our sight from their laws being broken and having no support at the same time. It is important for all of us to care and take action in this situation - we should show that we won’t tolerate and accept breaking human rights. I also want to emphasize that I really admire the fight for women’s rights in Afghanistan that took place for the last 20 years and I have no words to say what I feel about the dramatic loss of rights caused by Taliban rulers. I think that all women demonstrating on Afghani streets are very brave and I wish the women in Poland had the same energy and fearlessness to fight for what belongs to them. I send you all my love and admiration for your fight and I will support as I can from far away. We see you, we hear you, and we too wish it will be over soon."

 

VASSILA: WE WILL FIGHT TOGETHER

 

Speaking on behalf of The Labour Club of Nea Ionia, Ageliki Vassila said: "Today’s reality in Afghanistan is the result of an ongoing historical cycle of violence by foreign military powers, imperialist interests and corporate greed.

The longest-running military US intervention has killed thousands of civilians in military operations and left a stronger Taliban. 

The fall of Kabul to the Taliban, confirms the predominance of the most obscure theocratic forces, as well as the return of medieval notions concerning law, human rights, education, culture. Victims of imperialism and religious obscurantism are the people, minorities, refugees, and, off course, women. 

Afghan women and girls are being let down again. Their sacrifices, the sacrifices of the afghan people in whole, struggling for justice and equality, are in great danger. Women have been told not to come into work and universities, schools have been set on fire, while, other ones who have held public office, or work in the field of justice, or are journalists and activists are being target, despite ongoing claims. The strengthening of the Taliban in Afghanistan threatens both freedom and livelihood of women in particular and the people in general. 

In other words, the problems of gender-based violence, abuse and exploitation are increasing at this time.

In recent years, women have developed all over the world a great movement that demands equality, equal opportunities, democracy, work. They demand overall changes, and emancipation of women.

In Greece, as in the rest of the world, there are many collectives and organizations that fight for women's rights, for the protection from the aggression and violence women face from those in power, the employers and  the exploitative system that aims to make them stop talking, so that all these messages won’t  be heard in public, won’t  find justification.

 

So the message we send, as Labour Club of Nea Ionia, is this: all together, men and women, to fight for a society without exploitation, without oppression, without gender-based violence!

None of us is free until we are all free. "

 

KHADIR: EVERYONE MUST RAISE THEIR VOICE

 

Abeer Abu Khadir, a member of the Executive Board of the Association of Palestinian Women's Committees, noted that everyone should raise their voices for Afghan women. Khadir said: "We stand in solidarity with our Afghan sisters against those who finance groups like the Taliban to invade Afghan lands. All US presidents, from George Bush to Biden, who started the invasion of Afghanistan by making up lies, deserve to be held accountable before the International Court of Justice for their crimes. Because the destruction they cause is unprecedented, the destruction they created cannot be compared to any other. We stand by the women of Afghanistan in the face of the consequences of these crimes.” 

 

SHAFİİ: WE'LL BE SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH OUT SISTERS

 

Director of International Coalition Against Violence in Iran(ICAVI), Rouhi Shafiii said: "International Coalition Against Violence in Iran(ICAVI) stands firmly and unconditionally with the brave women of Afghanistan who are in danger of losing their hard won rights to the Taleban who took over the country in recent months. We, as an organisation which has worked to eliminate restrictions on women based on religious interpretations in Iran understand very well how hard it is to live under such philosophies. 

We will do all we can to support our Afghan sisters and pass on our experiences of fighting against religious fundamentalism in Iran in the past 4 decades. At this historical painful days let’s remember that women all over the world have gone through similar experiences in securing their rights to equality. We believe that Afghan women will secure their rights as well." 

 

TJA: WE MUST UNITE OUR FORCES

 

Speaking on behalf of Free Women's Movement (TJA-Tevgera Jinên Azad),  "As Tevgera Jinên Azad we believe our struggle for the freedom of women and society is inseparably linked to the struggle of Afghan women against patriarchy, colonialism and religionism. Our hearts, thoughts, energies is one with them in their resistance for their lives, for their freedom, their rights, for an equal place under the sun. 

We believe women throughout the world should join their forces and coordinate strategies against the all out attack of patriarchal state systems and capitalism globally. We will prevail over male-domination.

 

Jin jiyan azadi. Women life freedom."

 

HİSO: WE MUST STAND AGAINST DARKNESS

 

Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) Co-chair Ayşe Hiso underlined that women are the first ones to be targeted in wars in the Middle East. Underlining the need to work on how the women can strenghten themselves, how they can organize, how they can develop themselves and how they can look further into their pursuit of liberating themselves, Hiso said: "Rojava is a women's revolution. It is a revolution of justice and equality. In this context, the Rojava revolution offers a model that can be taken as an example to all women of the world. The role and mission of women is at the forefront here. This revolution was led by women and it continues to happen. Now Taliban is targeting women too. The life Taliban wants to build, is a life in darkness expanded to the whole society. How are they doing this? They are turning the women into slaves. A slave society actually begins with the creation of the enslaved women. This is what Taliban is doing.  That's why we call on not only the women of the Middle East or the women of Rojava, but also all women of the world who is in pursuit of freedom and a new life, to stand by the women of Afghanistan, fighting against this darkness. In this context, as the women of Rojava, we promise to do whatever we have to do for our sisters in Afghanistan and call on all women to fight together."

 

REILLY: AS A JOURNALIST FROM BRITAIN, I PROMISE TO BE THEIR VOICE

 

Bethany Rielly, a reporter from Morning Star Newspaper from Britain said: "Despite claims their new regime would respect women's rights, in a few short weeks the Taliban have predictably backtracked. Banning girls from secondary school, replacing the women's affairs building with the barbaric ministry of vice and promotion of virtue and ordering female politicians to stay at home all point to a regime equal in misogyny and oppression to 1996. I stand with women and girls in Afghanistan against these heinous attacks on their human rights. As a British journalist I particularly stand with my Afghan sisters in the media, bravely reporting on the situation at great personal risk. I also call on my government to do more to provide safety for Afghan refugees fleeing the country, especially given the UK's role in the current crisis."

 

HİCO: WE MUST UNITE UNDER A COMMON ROOF

 

Êzidî Women's Freedom Movement (TAJÊ) Coordination Member Rîham Hico underlined that both the problems and the solutions for the women are the common. Reminding the massacres carried out by ISIS in 2014, Hico said: "As the women in the Middle East, we still face terrible dangers. This fact did not change. Attacks against us continues unabated. The disaster brought on by dark mentalities such as ISIS and the Taliban continues to exist in Shengal, Serekaniye and today in Afghanistan. It is imperative that women meet under a common roof against this darkness. This is an urgency for women. Women should not be unaware of each other's pain. The roof we will build should be in this regard. Women should not rely on others or hope for help. We, as the women, must form a line of defence against this threat. Where there is an attack against women by the male dominated mentality, there will be a women's struggle there. Women will raise their voice. As the Êzidî women, we hear the voice of the women in Afghanistan. We will not be deaf to their cries, nor we will be silent. We no longer can think locally, regionally or unilaterally. The darkness carried out by the Taliban today is no different from ISIS. Therefore we can say that what is being done to Afghan women, what will be done to Afghan women is no different than what has been done to Êzidî women. In this context, we appeal to all women in the world. Today we have to hear the voices of women in Afghanistan. We stand by the struggle of our sisters. We cannot leave them alone in this war. We simply can not. We say that if a single woman disappears in the dark, all women will disappear in that darkness."

 

 

MA / Gözde Çağrı Özköse