Kurdistan Women’s Community (Komalên Jinên Kurdistanê or KJK) has expressed profound sorrow over the passing of Nora Cortiñas, co-founder of the Plaza De Mayo Mothers, on 30 May at the age of 94. Referred to as ‘Mother Nora,’ she was celebrated for her pivotal role in human rights advocacy both in Argentina and internationally.
KJK described Cortiñas as a steadfast warrior for women’s resistance and a dear friend to the Kurdish people, whose relentless activism inspired movements worldwide, including Turkey’s Saturday Mothers. She sought justice for Argentinean revolutionaries disappeared between 1976 and 1983 but also bolstered struggles abroad, notably in Haiti and during Turkey’s 2013 Gezi Park protests.
Cortiñas visited the region known as Kurdistan twice, championing the freedom of imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and standing against the persecution of the Kurdish people. She was also a prominent supporter of the ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, Political Status for Kurdistan’ campaign.
Her parting words, embracing the courage of Kurdish women and calling for the end of fascism, resonate as a testament to her indomitable spirit. KJK vows to uphold her legacy of nurturing love through resistance and carrying forward the wisdom that “great sufferings necessitate great battles”.
In this time of loss, KJK extends its condolences to Cortiñas’ family, the Plaza De Mayo Mothers and the Argentine public, affirming that her legacy as ‘Mother of Thousands’ will endure in the hearts of many across Kurdistan’s mountains and prisons.
