News Center- Last Friday, student activist, poet, artist, researcher, journalist Kerima Lorena Tariman (nom de guerre: Ka Ella) was killed in a clash broke out between the Philippine army and the New People’s Army. Kurdistan Women's Communities (KJK) Committee for Democratic Relations and Alliances released a written statement for the death of Kerima Lorena Tariman. “Comrade Ella was one of the leading women in the revolutionary militant struggle in the Philippines. She did not only play a leading role in the resistance but in the organization of the people for a self-determined life. That’s the reason why she was brutally killed by Duterte’s army when captured wounded,” the KJK wrote in the statement.

KJK’s full statement is as follows;

“Red Salute to Kerima Lorena “Ka Ella” Tariman

As Women’s Liberation Movement of Kurdistan, we give the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) our condolences for the loss of their leading cadre Kerima Lorena “Ka Ella” Tariman, who got killed in combat by the Philippine army on 20 August in Negros. We express our highest tribute to her and her comrade Pabling from the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command – NPA North Negros Front.

Ka Ella was 42 years old but could look back to a life full of struggle and resistance. She worked as a student activist, poet, artist, researcher, and journalist and finally decided to dedicate her whole life to the revolutionary struggle. She was the mother of a child when she joined the armed resistance. Her deep affinity with the oppressed people played a decisive role in her whole struggle. This becomes obvious when one read a passage she has written 20 years ago: “The first time I went to the countryside to integrate with farmers, government troopers tried to show me firsthand how fascism, counterinsurgency, and psychological warfare work. As if to make sure I don’t forget, they gave me a minor grenade shrapnel wound, and a major, lingering fear of any man with a golden wristwatch who’d seem to loiter in public places to watch me.”

Confronted with the naked reality of fascism she decided to resist with all means against this misogynist regime and to struggle for a free, dignified , and self-determined life. Her struggle was not single-track but versatile, just like life itself.

Comrade Ella was one of the leading women in the revolutionary militant struggle in the Philippines. She did not only play a leading role in the resistance but in the organization of the people for a self-determined life. That’s the reason why she was brutally killed by Duterte’s army when captured wounded.

We can observe an increase in the killing of women who play a leading role in the resistance against fascism, state oppression, exploitation, occupation, and misogyny. By doing so the trinity of state, military and capitalism try to counter women’s increasing leadership in social and political struggles.

The same day commander Ella got killed by the Philippian army, our comrade Sosin Bîrhat, commander of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) was targeted by an armed drone attack of the Turkish army in Tell Tamer, Rojava. Sosin Bîrhat has played a crucial role in the resistance against the occupation by both, the Islamic State and the Turkish state in Rojava and North East Syria.

As the confederalist umbrella organization of the Women’s Liberation Movement of Kurdistan we are strongly committed to the memory of our comrades in our country and around the world that gave their lives for freedom and dignity. It is our duty to realize their dreams and hopes by strengthening the struggle and succeed.

While we as resisting and struggling women are confronted with the same logic of attack in different places of the world it is essential that we combine forces against the global order of capitalist modernity. Only if we struggle together we will be able to repel the fascist attacks against us. It is especially crucial that we organize together against the increasing femicides that target leading women in the resistance. The most powerful answer that we can give to those who target women’s revolutionary leadership is organizing women’s self-defense on a worldwide scale.

On this occasion, we commemorate in the person of Martyrs Ella and Sosin Bîrhat all revolutionary women who have been killed by organized fascism around the world. Once again we promise to realize their dreams and hopes of a free life by raising our organized struggle and realizing the women’s revolution.

August 23, 2021

KJK (Kurdistan Women’s Communities) Committee for Democratic Relations and Alliances”

Who was Kerima Lorena Tariman?

Kerima Lorena Tariman was born on May 29, 1979, in Legaspi City, Albay as the second of three daughters of Pablo Tariman and Merlita Lorena. Her family knew she was different from the time she started school. She grew up surrounded by books and was a natural at poetry, publishing her own collection of verses even before she could graduate from the Philippine High School for the Arts where she was a scholar. She walked barefoot when she claimed her high school diploma and read a poem instead of giving the usual long-winded speech. She was arrested while conducting research on poor farming communities in Isabela when she was a student at UP. “The first time I went to the countryside to integrate with farmers, government troopers tried to show me first-hand how fascism, counter-insurgency, and psychological warfare work,” she wrote her experience. She was an activist, poet, artist, researcher, journalist, and member of the New People’s Army.