DİYARBAKIR - British journalist Emily Apple, who participated in the 3rd Women's Meeting of TJA-(Free Women’s Movement-Tevgera Jinên Azad), stated that they took the example of the struggle of the Kurdish women which they find inspiring, while lawyer Perixan Ahmed Kerim, who came to Diyarbakır to attend the meeting from Hewler, said that women should be united in four parts of Kurdistan.
In the 3rd Women’s Meeting which was organized in Diyarbakir by Free Women's Movement (TJA) with the main slogan of "We are women, we exist for our freedom, we stand for a change", women attending the meeting from Turkey and European cities declared that they find the struggle of Kurdish women inspiring.
Journalist Emily Apple from the UK, who participated in TJA's program, stated her aim of arriving in Diyarbakır: "The struggle of Kurdish women is inspiring, we are here to be inspired by them and learn the struggle from them.”
'THE STRUGGLE OF KURDISH WOMEN IS INSPIRING'
Stating that the struggle of Kurdish women also affects British women, Emily Apple said, “We evaluate the struggle here as moving, very powerful and inspiring. We have seen how the Kurdish women living in Turkey have organized themselves. For example, Kurdish woman are equal in their party and congress, they have woman co-chairs and many people are not aware of the fact that such powerful women and such a strong women's movement exists in Turkey and Kurdistan. The struggle of the woman here is actually stronger than the many women movements in the west.”
'WE ARE HERE TO TAKE THE EXAMPLE’
Expressing that as they try to take the example of how the Kurdish women are organizing both in civil society and politics and then to apply the organization models in their own movements Apple told: “It is very special to be here, to be in solidarity and to explain the women in England how women are organized here. It is very important to be here to take the example of the way Kurdish women are organized. We have a Kurdish group in England. We are working with women at the forefront of the struggle.”
“OPPRESSION ON KURDS PASS IN TO LAW”
Referring to the oppression on Kurds living in England, Apple said that the pressure against Kurds are tried to be made permanent by legal regulations. Stating that women will continue to raise their voice, she continued her statement: “They are trying to deepen the capitalist system; we are fighting for a better world. They are afraid of our thoughts.”
'WE CAN WIN ALL TOGETHER’
Emphasizing that women will make the revolution happen all together via international solidarity, Apple said, “Our voice will rise. Even though the state wants to silence us, our voice will rise. Together we can be part of this revolution against fascism. There is a lot to do. We can set free all together and we can win all together.”
The lawyer Perixan Ahmed Kerim from Hewler city of Southern Kurdistan also mentioned the significance of the women living in four parts of Kurdistan meeting all together in order to learn from and utilize each other's experiences.
'WE CAN’T ACHIEVE TRANSFIRMATION UNLESS THE UNITY’
Stating that women are struggling to have a voice in political parties and governments in South Kurdistan and women are limited in political arena, Kerim said: “Women are not visible in these areas. Generally, men appear more. I hope that we can act by considering the interests of all women as we try to achieve our future goals. Unity is the first thing needed for women. We must be united as women from the South, North and Rojava. I believe that women will be united in four parts of Kurdistan. If we cannot form this union, we cannot take further steps. If there is no unity, we cannot achieve change and transformation in the society.”