MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Amed- Special war policies systematically carried out in Northern Kurdistan have spread to every sphere of life; agencification, ecological destruction, dams, femicide, suspicious deaths, the policy of impunity, drug addiction and the incidents of harassment are all part of these special war policies. These war policies are carried out in Kurdish cities especially by public employees, police officers and soldiers. The recent harassment of two women in the city of Van by six specialized sergeants sparked anger. Women call on NGOs, social dynamics of cities, to take action against these policies.

‘The situation has been deteriorating since 2016’

Fatmagül Tekin, one of the founders of the Rosa Women’s Association, said that their association has carried out activities against these policies since it was founded. “These policies are carried out against especially women and children. The aim is to force young people into prostitution and to use and sell drugs. The NGOs fighting these policies were shut down by emergency decrees. The NGOs providing support to young people and women were sealed. These policies isolate women and young women in the region,” Fatmagül Tekin said.

‘These policies leave society breathless’

‘These policies have spread to every sphere of our lives,” Fatmagül Tekin said, “These policies are generally carried out by uniformed people such as public employees, police officers and soldiers. There are many incidents of specialized sergeants such as the missing of Gülistan Doku and the death of İpek Er. These policies leave society breathless. Forced migration, the drug use and agencification are some parts of these policies. We face such policies in almost every sphere of our lives. As women, we have brought these policies forward for years; however, these policies continue to be carried out in our region.”

‘The solution is self-organization’

Fatmagül Tekin thinks the only solution to end these policies is self-organization. “Women’s organizations and NGOs should unite against these policies. They should carry out awareness-raising activities.”

‘We all know that policies are implemented deliberately’

In an interview with NuJINHA, Aygün Taşkın said, “We all know that these policies are implemented deliberately. Drug use is on the rise. The age of drug use has dropped to nine. These policies are especially carried out against young people, women and children in Kurdistan. Awareness-raising activities should be carried out against these policies.”

Aygün Taşkın called on parents and young people to “be aware of these policies. In the region, at least a woman is killed every day. The incidents of suspicious deaths among women are also on the rise. These policies aim to keep young people and women away from politics. Those who sell drugs and kill women go unpunished. Although the state knows what is going on in the region, it remains silent. Everyone should raise their voices against these policies.”