The numbers of attacks against women in Turkey is increasing each day. In such a heavy process, the Free Women Movement (TJA) came together with the slogan of “We are women, we exist for our freedom, we are standing for a change” together with the attandance of 700 women. At this conference, we talked with Ayşe Gökkan, who was selected as TJA Spokesperson, about the attacks on women and the struggle of Kurdish women.

 

As TJA, you held the 3rd Women's Meeting on February 1-2. Could you please evaluate the conference, which brought 700 women together?

 

The conference is a result. Everyone knows that when carrying out a work, the most important thing is the work carried out before you start. In many cities in North Kurdistan and many cities in Turkey meetings were held. We have worked with the women's councils of all women's institutions and political parties for several months. It is not that easy for 700 women to arrive in Diyarbakır, the heart of Kurdistan. If there is no claim of freedom, not that many women could come together. That meeting was enthusiastic due to women's claim of freedom. 

 

Another thing that came to the fore at the conference was the identity of TJA. What does it mean for women to have such a strong ownership of this identity at a time when TJA is tried to be criminalized by the government?

 

The state mentality says, "Women cannot be organized independently." According to their mentality, women cannot live without men, cannot be organized in institutions where there are not men and establish the principles of freedom by themselves.

 

We have stated that in all contracts of life, such as democratic, intellectual and ecologist institutions members and managers

should be women. However, this does not mean that our independent identity is ignored. In this meeting; we stated that our first identity is that we are women and our second identity is consisted of the independent organisations we engage ourselves.

 

Anyone who is against neoliberal politics, capitalism, natural plunder, nationalism, sexism, sectarianism is from TJA. The TJA identity can not be terrorised. Because the history of TJA started with the struggle of Sakine Cansız against militarism in Diyarbakır Dungeon.

 

The anniversary of Öcalan's being delivered in Turkey, which is February 15, is approaching. Although the isolation was partially broken after the hunger strike action last year led by DTK Co-chair Leyla Güven, the interviews are interrupted once again. How do you evaluate the isolation of Öcalan as TJA?

 

Firsty, we evaluate isolation against Kurdish People's Leader Mr. Öcalan as an isolation against women. Because we know isolation very well. When the man imprisoned the woman at home, he pulled women out of society, from the thought, from the dialogue. Women are first isolated by men, by the state, men and the dominant mindset. The state is now applying a heavy isolation against Mr Öcalan to destroy his thoughts. Isolation is a white genocide.

 

We condemn February 15. Because the conspiracy is a conspiracy against the people of the Middle East. For the legal rights of Öcalan all segments of Turkey should raise voice. If the state claims to be a state, it is a state by its laws. Then it must act according to the laws it enacted. February 15 is a black mark on the forehead of the state and the world.

 

The discussions related to national unity has started with the invasion of Turkey on the northern and eastern Syria. In this process, the United Kurdish Women's Platform, including TJA, held a meeting. How will the process continue at the point of unity from now on?

 

Many decisions were taken at the meeting organized by the United Kurdish Women's Platform. Language and are at risk if we are not involved. Look, they want to take all Kurdish women and youth into hostage. They try to make Kurds worthless and disreputable. There are big games played on Kurdish culture. The assimilation policy is now breaking into the brains. In this process, the Kurdish national union is the drug of Kurdish freedom. Kurds can never set free if they do not unite. As TJA, we call upon all women pioneers to lead the National Congress of women.The fighting energy of Kurdish women gives power to all the other cornes of the world. The resistance of the Kurdish people is a great morale and power for all stateless peoples and beliefs. Therefore, us Kurds should be united at first.

 

MA / Arjin Dilek Öncel - Dicle Müftüoğlu