The Kurdistan Women’s Liberation Movement (KJK) has issued a written statement to show solidarity with women in Australia. “Your chanting from the streets of Australia is heard by the women in Kurdistan and we are deeply inspired by the masses of you that are opposing the ruling patriarchal system and searching for women‘s freedom,” says the KJK in the statement.

News Center- Women of the Kurdistan Women’s Liberation Movement (Komalên Jinên Kurdistan-KJK) has issued a written statement to show their solidarity with Australian women waged the March 4 Justice. Sending greetings to the March 4 Justice women‘s uprising in Australia, the KJK says in its statement, “Your chanting from the streets of Australia is heard by the women in Kurdistan and we are deeply inspired by the masses of you that are opposing the ruling patriarchal system and searching for women‘s freedom.”

The written statement of the KJK is as follows;

“As the Kurdistan Women’s Liberation Movement – KJK (Komalên Jinên Kurdistan) we sent our greetings to the March 4 Justice women‘s uprising in Australia. Your chanting from the streets of Australia are heard by the women in Kurdistan and we are deeply inspired by the masses of you that are opposing the ruling patriarchal system and searching for women‘s freedom.

“Urgent necessity to break the ideology oppressing women”

 As Kurdistan Women’s Liberation Movement we see the basic problem of freedom and democracy of human history in the relations between the genders. Patriarchy marks the first oppression in human history and could develop its ideology in a 5000-year-old history. The violence and oppression that we are facing now is a product of this mentality that strengthened and organized itself within capitalism and nation-states. We see the urgent necessity to break this murderous ideology that not only oppresses us as women but also peoples and the planet. Our fight for freedom is not a fight against men, but an ideological one to liberate our societies from the oppressing, male mentality.

“Women are leading the resistance”

As Kurdistan Women’s Liberation Movement we have been fighting since 1987 against the sexism of feudal structure in Kurdistan as well as patriarchy that the liberal capitalist system is forcing on our societies. Through our struggle in all areas of life, especially in those that traditionally were regarded as “belonging to men” we gained self-confidence and could achieve serious changes in the mentality of our society.

We are challenging patriarchy everywhere where we are organized. Our country Kurdistan is divided between Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. The struggle in each part of our country is influencing the situation of women and society in the other parts. In Northern Kurdistan women are leading the resistance against Turkish state fascism. In Eastern Kurdistan women challenge the Islamic-misogynist regime of Iran. In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, women are the motor force of the struggle for true democracy, freedom, and justice. We consider each sphere of the struggle as the scene of the women’s revolution. 

“The revolution in Rojava is a women’s revolution”

Since 2011, we have been creating a new society within the Rojava Revolution in West Kurdistan/North and East Syria. The Revolution in Rojava is a women‘s revolution that builds up the idea of Democratic Confederalism, that our imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan developed. Democratic Confederalism is not a far-away utopia but a concrete alternative for society how to organize in direct democracy guaranteeing women‘s freedom and ecology. This stateless democracy is being built up with women as the leading actors. In all spheres of life we as women built up our own structures like education systems, justice institutions, communes and councils, and our own self-defense forces. The women protection forces YPJ fought alongside the mixed-gender peoples' defense forces YPG against the misogyny of ISIS and the fascist attacks of the Turkish state. The women of the YPJ proofed that women can defend their will, their physical integrity, and the freedom of their societies. The women’s revolution in Rojava led to serious changes in the traditional, ruling mentality of men towards women and is not a project restricted to the Middle East. Men and women from all around the world came to Rojava to support the social revolution. Three comrades from Australia (Jamie Bright, Reece Harding and Ash Johnston) gave their life while fighting in the lines of YPG protecting the women-based revolution against ISIS. These sacrifices are incredibly valuable for us and we promise to continue their struggle and fulfill their dreams!

“If we unite to fight we can build a new system”

Dear friends, women’s resistances against nation-states that are attacking our will and our bodies are growing all around the world. Your marches in Australia are a clear sign for us that we as women are the ones who can stop this system and built up collective freedom. If we unite to fight we can build a system in which everybody - no matter which nation, gender, or class – can live in equality and freedom. We believe that Democratic Confederalism is a key concept leading humanity out of the crisis caused by nation-states, capitalism, and patriarchy. We live in times where big changes are possible, and so we want to invite you to turn the 21st century into the century of women's revolutions. The only way to stop this violating system is to build up an alternative – our alternative in which the people make decisions and not the powerful, in which the will of women are respected and in which diversity creates unity.

From Kurdistan, we sent you strength and hope – hope, that another life is possible!

Jin, Jiyan, Azadî – Women, Life, Freedom!”