BERÇEM CÛDÎ

Ayn Issa- In 2015, Girê Spî was liberated from ISIS by the YPJ/YPG fighters, However, the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions attacked Serêkaniyê (Ras al-Ayn) and Girê Spî (Tell Abyad) on October 9,2019, displacing thousands.

A NuJINHA team visited the Tal al-Samin IDP camp, situated about 25 kilometers north of Raqqa, to speak to displaced women of Girê Spî, on the fifth anniversary of the occupation of the town.

‘The occupation and genocidal attacks are a plan to destroy the revolution’

“Five years ago, we, the Arab, Kurdish, Turkmen and Armenian people, had a democratic, peaceful and common life,” said Fadîle Mihemed, Co-chair of Girê Spî People’s Assembly. “Girê Spî is a small town subjected to the attacks by ISIS, the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army and Al-Nusra Front. Despite all the attacks, we built our system based on democracy. Since Girê Spî is close to the borders of the Turkish state, it was subjected to threats and attacks by the Turkish state. Following the revolution in North and East Syria (Rojava), the Turkish state launched operations into northeastern Syria to occupy our cities. They first occupied Afrin.”

‘We stood against the occupation with all our might’

Speaking about the resistance of the people, especially women, of Girê Spî, she said, “After the occupation of Afrin, the Turkish state attacked Girê Spî and Serêkaniye in 2019. It used warplanes and prohibited weapons to occupy Girê Spî and Serêkaniye. Despite all the attacks, we, as the people of Girê Spî, stood against the occupation with all our might.”

‘People are deprived of even basic living supplies’

Fadîle Mihemed told us that they knew the situation in Girê Spî. “Yes, we are not in Girê Spî but we always follow what has been happening there. The people living in Girê Spî face inhuman practices such as arrest, kidnapping and rape. In addition to these inhuman practices, they are deprived of even basic living supplies. The people of Girê Spî, especially women, always tell us that they want Girê Spî to be liberated to have a life with dignity.”

‘We will liberate our cities by resisting’

Fadîle Mihemed concluded her speech, saying, “We should unite to end the occupation in Afrin, Al Bab, Azaz, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî. Together, we should liberate our cities to live with dignity.”

‘Our hometown will be liberated’

“In October 2019, the Turkish state and Turkish-backed factions attacked our town,” said Cevahir İsa, a displaced woman of Girê Spî. “We did not know how to protect ourselves from the Turkish attacks and eventually we came to this camp. Life in the camp is very difficult; we suffer from hot weather in summer and cold in winter. Our children have no future here. Despite everything, we are still hopeful. We resist and endure all the difficult living conditions in the camp because we know that our hometown will be liberated one day and we will return to our home.”

‘They plundered and destroyed our houses’

Rehîme Remo, a displaced woman of Girê Spî’s Hicazi village, told us that all the people left the village because it was a Kurdish village. “On October 10, I left the village along with my family. As we heard, the members of the Turkish-backed factions plundered and destroyed our houses. As the displaced people of Girê Spî in the camp, we share our feelings, our longing, our resistance and our dreams with each other. We strengthen each other.”