NEWS CENTER - Êzidî women are expanding their organization under the roof of TAJÊ after the 74th Edict. TAJÊ Spokesperson Riham Heco said: "We are conducting a comprehensive study on the basis of women's ability to protect themselves."

 

Thousands of Êzidîs who returned to Shengal, which was liberated after the invasion attacks of ISIS on August 3, 2014, reorganized themselves through parliaments and communes in their lands. Êzidî women, who resisted the ongoing attacks with their self-defense, are now leading the society in every field.

 

Riham Heco, Spokesperson of the Êzidî Women's Freedom Movement (TAJÊ), which was founded at the conference held in 2015, spoke about their organization and work.

 

WOMEN'S STRUGGLE IS IN EVERYWHERE

 

Stating that it was difficult to organize women during the edict process, Heco said: “August 3 is a dark day for  Êzidîs. In a period that the whole world calls the 'age of democracy', ISIS carried out an inhuman massacre. The whole world is responsible for this massacre. They could have prevented the massacre; however, they did not do this and remained silent. It was the women who suffered the most after the Massacre and were oppressed, destroyed, sold in the markets, and whose fate is still unknown. ISIS built its hatred and pollution through Êzidîs women. However, the women turned their pain and hardships into resistance during the edict period. They trained and organized themselves. In this context, the Women's Council was established in 2015. When the parliament was established, Shengal was besieged. A council was formed with 15 women. Problems started to be solved with step-by-step studies. There was no food at that time, and the council entered every house and tried to meet the needs. Women were organized militarily and ideologically. After the assembly was established, women's councils were established in every village, town and district of Shengal."

 

WOMEN LEAD THE COMMUNITY

 

Stating that the return of women to Shengal increased with the establishment of the assembly, Heco said: "It was necessary to establish a women's movement and TAJÊ was established in the same year (2015)  with the development of the assemblies. There are committees affiliated to women's councils in Xanesor, Sinûnê, Dîgor, Dugulaye, Borik, Caravaye, Guhbele, Tilizêrê, Sibaşêx Xidirê, Serdeştê. These are diplomacy, culture and arts, economy and press committees. Êzidîs women were first organized through these committees. This organization was not easy. Women were going through a difficult period because of the edict. Women, who were exposed to the male-dominated mentality for thousands of years, achieved this by choosing to organize in the face of their suffering. Society itself was an obstacle to women and was against their gains. But Êzidîs women put up a great struggle both with the family and with the society. It was such a unique challenge that they carried it to this day. Today, those women who are ignored and left without a will are leading the formation of a democratic society.

 

THE CHANGE CREATED BY THE STRUGGLE

 

Stating that the attacks failed with the organized resistance of women, Heco said: "The following about the change created by the struggle. Many changes have taken place among women with the establishment of TAJÊ. Today, we are fighting for women all over the world. Before TAJÊ, women had no say or thought. TAJÊ politically and socially every woman who met TAJÊ realized that she did not live a life before and TAJÊ is now the size of an army. Councils are organized by committees. All the ongoing plots and attacks against Shengal have not achieved their purpose because of women's resistance. We do not say this as empty propaganda. This was clearly seen in the war of Xanesor and Sinûnê. Women in Shengal are failing the attacks, organizing and resisting. Êzidî women are now resisting to break the isolation of Leader Apo."