BÊRÎTAN ZINAR

News Center- 124 years have passed since the first issue of the Kurdistan newspaper was published in Cairo on April 22, 1898, by Miqdad Madhad Badirkhan. The newspaper was printed in Cairo due to the pressures during the Ottoman Empire period. Totally, 31 issues of the newspaper were published from 1898 to 1902.  Since 1973, April 22 has been celebrated as Kurdish Journalism Day. We spoke to JIN TV editor Aysel Avesta about the Kurdish Journalism Day and Kurdish women’s role in journalism.

Kurdish journalists have paid a great price

Stating that the tradition of free Kurdish media was created thanks to the Kurdish journalists, who have paid a great price, Aysel Avesta talked about the first issue of the Kurdistan newspaper as follows: “Kurdish journalists of that period wanted to give the following message to the invaders: ‘Kurdistan exists, Kurdistan is a colony and this country must be recognized.’ The Kurdistan Newspaper is the cornerstone of the Kurdish media.”

Kurdish channels maintain this tradition

“For the first time in the history of the Kurdish Freedom Movement and the history of the Kurdish people fighting for the four parts of Kurdistan, the first Kurdish channel Med TV started broadcasting in 1994. Since four parts of Kurdistan were occupied and under intense repression, the channel began broadcasting from outside of Kurdistan. After Med TV, many Kurdish channels began broadcasting to maintain the tradition of the Kurdish media,” Aysel Avesta added.

Emphasizing that now there are dozens of Kurdish channels, Aysel Avesta said, “We have news agencies in the four parts of Kurdistan. The Kurdish Journalism Day is a legacy left to us. Today, ANHA reports every moment of the revolution in Rojava. Rojnews was established in Başûrê Kurdistan (Southern Kurdistan) against the occupation. Mesopotamia News Agency in Bakurê Kurdistan (Northern Kurdistan) maintains the tradition of the Kurdish media. There were Özgür Gündem and Azadiya Welat newspapers but they were shut down. But now, Yeni Yaşam and Xwebûn newspapers continue to report. There are a large number of daily and weekly publications.”

The Role of the Kurdish women in journalism

Emphasizing that the Kurdish women have played an important role in the free Kurdish media, Aysel Avesta said, “Gurbeteli Ersöz took responsibility as the first editor-in-chief in Bakure Kurdistan against the oppression and attacks of the Turkish state. She paved the way for the development of the Kurdish media. On Kurdish Journalism Day, we commemorate her. Many women following the path of Gurbeteli Ersöz established the women’s channel JIN TV. The closed women’s news agency JINHA became the voice of women. And now Jinnews becomes the voice of the women. NuJINHA is now the voice of all women in the Middle East. We also commemorate the women journalists such as Deniz Fırat, Gulişan İbiş, and Nujiyan Erhan, who lost their lives while reporting from war zones.”
         

“Women journalists are the target”

Stating that women journalists are most subjected to oppression, Aysel Avesta said that the governments are most afraid of women journalists, “Because they investigate everything in detail. For this reason, women journalists are the target. Deniz Fırat lost her life while reporting every moment of the fight against ISIS. Nujiyan Erhan lost her life while reporting the betrayal of the KDP against the Yazidi community. Dilişan İbiş lost her life while reporting the experiences of women rescued from ISIS. They were targeted and killed.”

Stating that many of her colleagues are behind bars now, Aysel Avesta said that journalists are targeted because they report the truth.

Speaking about JIN TV, Aysel Avesta said that JIN TV is the voice of women, children, nature, and animals.