RONÎDA HACÎ

Hasakah- Turkish attacks on Afrin, Serêkaniyê (Ras al-Ayn) and Girê Spî (Tell Abyad) displaced thousands, depriving them of their most fundamental rights, including the right to property. The displaced people welcome every International Workers’ Day, the first of May, with the hope of returning to their cities and homes for seven years despite the difficult living conditions.

‘Afrin is like a mother for us’

Newroz Haşim, a displaced woman from Afrin, never loses her hope of returning to Afrin although she has been a displaced woman for seven years. “Afrin is like a mother for us and we will take care of it,” Newroz Haşim told NuJINHA.

Following the attacks by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to capture Syria’s Aleppo city on November 27, 2024, the Turkish state and Turkish-backed armed groups intensified their attacks on North and East Syria, forcibly displacing the people from Shahba, including the displaced people of Afrin. “We are determined to return to Afrin and protect our labor. We will never lose our hope,” Newroz Haşim stressed.

‘Women always work very hard in all facets of life’

Newroz Haşim also commented on why the International Workers’ Day is important for the Kurdish people. “May Day is, of course, a meaningful day. It is also a special and meaningful day for us, women. Because women always work very hard for their people in all facets of life. The thoughts and ideology of leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) pave the way for women’s empowerment.”

‘We should receive a recompense for our work’

Newroz Haşim called on all women to unite “against capitalist modernity. The revolution in Rojava started by great efforts, work and sacrifice of women. Therefore, protecting the gains of the revolution is a responsibility on all of our shoulders. All women should unite with the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ philosophy and rise up against capitalist modernity that ignores human rights. Now, we should receive a recompense for our work.”

‘The Turkish state should not go unpunished’

“Before the Turkish state occupied Serêkaniyê, we had a happy life in our city,” said Nûra Seydo, a displaced woman from Serêkaniyê.

“We worked for years to build a just life in Serêkaniyê. However, we were displaced from our homeland. Now, we struggle to survive in tents despite the difficult living conditions. The Turkish state should not go unpunished for its crimes. We will definitely return to Serêkaniyê and work to rebuild our life there.”