In the second part of our interview with the Kurdistan Women's Liberation Party (PAJK) Council member Rotinda Amed, we talked about the first women’s self-defense forces in Kurdistan. “We fight for all women in the world,” she told us.

News Center- In the second part of our interview with the Kurdistan Women's Liberation Party (PAJK) Council member Rotinda Amed, we talked about how women’s defense forces are important for societies.

Could you talk about the stages you went through as a woman in the Kurdish struggle?

The leap of August 15 is a milestone, renaissance and resurrection for the Kurds. It became a hope for the people, who were intimidated by the state oppression and what was expected occurred on August 15, 1984. On that day, the dead soil came to life and seeds planted in the soil. Silence turned into a cry, darkness into light and despair into hope. Actually, the women's freedom story began with the establishment of the PKK. We should not forget that the challenges faced by all people, particularly women, make the value of the goal to be achieved.

“We have always found the way to overcome challenges”

As women guerrillas, we choose to commune with nature whenever we face challenges. We have always found the way to overcome challenges by fighting, raising awareness against gendered approaches. We faced challenges but we learned how to overcome the challenges.  We have many comrades, who have guided us with their pioneering participation, pages will be insufficient if we tell their stories one by one.

 “Hanım Yaverkaya became a fearless commander”

Hanım Yaverkaya was one of these comrades. She decided to join the PKK after witnessing the Hilvan-Siverek events. She was a member of the armed groups returned to the country after receiving military training in Bekaa camps. She was involved in the preparation for the leap of August 15 and became a fearless commander. She was the first female guerrilla commander in Botan. Azime, also known as the Great Azime, was another important female commander in the Botan region. She was a self-disciplined and trusted commander. She was one of the first female commanders in our women’s movement.

“Beritan became a role model for the women’s armed struggle”

Comrade Beritan, who is the symbol of resistance for us, also became a role model for the women's armed struggle. She realized the elimination internally imposed on our movement. She fought and chose resistance against betrayal and surrender because she knew that betrayal has no place in Kurdistan. Her resistance led even some collaborators/ betrayers to lay down their arms and blame themselves. Our leader says, “The one who fights becomes free, the one who becomes free becomes beautiful, the one who is beautiful is loved”. This definition defines comrade Beritan. When comrade Beritan was a guerrilla for only a year, she improved herself very well; she was skilled in battles and became a best comrade with her beauty and her stance in life. She left a mark on everyone she spoke to. She showed all the beauties of the PKK in her life. After comrade Beritan was martyred, our leader foresaw that women’s participation in only troops or teams was insufficient and formed a women's army along with the People's Liberation Army of Kurdistan (Artêşa Rizgariye Gêle Kurdistan- ARGK).

“Every vulnerable woman is subject to male violence”

The resistance of Beritan paved the way for the women’s participation in armed struggle. Today, there are tens of thousands guerrillas of the YJA-STAR and thousands of fighters of the YPJ, YJŞ and YJR in the Kurdistan mountains thanks to her resistance. Everyone should know very well that her resistance becomes hope for all women, who are oppressed and subjected to sexism. Every vulnerable woman is subjected to male and state violence and forced into slavery. Women can protect themselves from all forms of violence by struggling, taking up weapons and liberating themselves.

“We claim to be the liberators of all women”

As women, we took our first steps to liberate ourselves in the mountains. We went to the mountains to find ourselves and be ourselves. We formed our army to organize and fight in the mountains. Today, we claim to be liberators of all women. We, of course, know that this is insufficient to defeat sexism in society.

“Comrade Zilan accelerated our struggle”

Comrade Zilan (Zeynep Kınacı, who carried out a suicide attack in Dersim on June 30, 1996 by sacrificing her life) is our symbol for our resistance. In her action, she showed us how a person could be an army. She is the Manifest of Life for us. Now, Zilan is a LINE, a PHILOSOPHY of life and a Goddess in our struggle for freedom. We saw and still see how our struggle gets stronger as we follow her path. Comrade Sema followed the path of Zilan and saw how ideology could overcome all challenges and obstacles. She showed how determination on freedom could strengthen the struggle in her action. Our comrade Delal Amed, one of the commanders of our Fourth Strategic move, led in the development of thousands of women, who sacrificed themselves for freedom by following the path of comrade Zilan.

Thus, the number of female commanders has been increasing. They fight in four parts of Kurdistan and become a role model for the women in the Middle East and all around the world. Many women such as Şirin Elemhuli, Viyan soran, Arin Mirkan, Avesta Xabur, Barin, Andra wolf, İvana Hotman, Mizgin Ronahi, Nalin Fırat, Avzem Çiya, Arin Kobani and Didar Harun fought for women’s freedom.

In our 50-year history of struggle, great progress and steps have been taken. A great struggle has been waged and great victories have been gained. For about 10 years, particularly since 2015, guerrillas have struggled against genocidal attacks in four parts of Kurdistan. On April 17, genocidal attacks were carried out in the Media Defense Zones, the guerrillas in Zap, Metina and Avaşin waged an incomparable resistance by exhibiting a stance thanks to the 50-year tradition of victory.

“The heroic resistance will be crowned with victory”

The heroic resistance of the guerrillas will be crowned with victory at the end. Our friends should know that and join hands stronger for our resistance for freedom and humanity. Our enemy should know that they will never leave Zap because Zap will be their grave. Not only the Turkish state will lose, but also its collaborator KDP and other states, which support the Turkish state by providing chemical weapons, will lose.

“We will prevail”

The resistance on August 15 shows that we will prevail and the end will be great…

We can specify Shengal as a place where the tradition of August 15 comes to life. On the 8th anniversary of the 74th edict against the Yazidis, the genocide committed by ISIS against the Yazidi community on August 3, 2014, I condemn the KDP for having left the Yazidi community alone and express my condolences to the families, who lost their loved ones in the genocide. I also respectfully commemorate the hundreds of people who lost their lives in the suicide attacks carried out in Til Ezel and Siba Sheikh Khidir on August 14, 2007 and condemn those who carried out this massacre.

“The people of Shengal regained their will to resist”

The people of Shengal, perhaps the most concrete example of the Kurdish people's ancient tradition of resistance, have gone through massacres and edicts 74 times but they have never given up on their freedom and originality. They are always determined to have a free life and will. During the last genocide against them, the people of Shengal regained their will to resist thanks to 12 guerrillas, who went to Shengal to protect the Yazidi community from the genocide. The people of Shengal have reborn from their ashes and shouted their demand for freedom. Although women were abducted, raped and killed by ISIS, many Yazidi women joined the resistance and fought along with 12 guerrillas to rebuild their lives in Shengal.

“The documentary film entitled Hêza tells the stories of the resistance”

Today, the documentary film entitled Hêza tells the stories of the Yazidis’ resistance. It has received many international awards. The best stance that should be taken by those who gave awards to the Hêza documentary film is to contribute to the recognition of the autonomy in Shengal and make efforts to stop the ongoing Turkish attacks on Shengal. Everyone should know very well that Shengal is the place and religious center of the people of Shengal.

“The Revolution in Rojava is the women’s revolution”

The Revolution in Rojava is the women’s revolution. The women’s revolution in Rojava is the embodiment of the leap of August 15. Last month, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the revolution in Rojava, The WOMEN’S REVOLUTION in Rojava raises everybody’s hopes thanks to the 20-year efforts of our leader. This revolution is the revolution of all of us. However, all hegemonic powers, the Turkish state and its AKP/MHP government want to destroy the achievements of this revolution. For this reason, the people all around the world, particularly the people in North and East Syria, should protect the revolution by saying “This revolution is the revolution of all of us.

“We fight for all women”

As women, we know that our aim is not only to achieve the freedom of KURDISTAN but also to fight for all women and women’s organizations all around the world. We see ourselves as the members of all women’s organizations struggling for the liberation of women everywhere such as in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan or America or Africa.

“We will break gender stereotypes”

We will be everywhere with our consciousness, our ideology and our defense forces to protect women. As we did yesterday, we exist and will exist in the common struggle of women. We are always in search of a relationship, alliance and cooperation with women all around the world. We know that women can save the world from the male-dominated mentality if they unite. As women, we continue to struggle in order to build a free future and we say that we will break gender stereotypes and achieve women’s freedom together.

Ended…