The pervasiveness of sectarianism in today’s Middle East has turned into misogyny, muddying the waters of justice and peoples’ struggles in the whirlpool of deceit of the age, the Free Women’s Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad, TJA) said on Monday.
In a statement on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants, the TJA emphasised that the situation only serves the interests of capitalist hegemony and intensifies existing conflict.
The group pointed out that moral code is the only principle that maintains the validity of a war, even wars that last for an extended period under unequal conditions. They stressed that morality is the ultimate determinant in conflict. TJA said modern warfare is rooted in sexism, nationalism, religious extremism, and sectarianism, which manifests in practices of genocide, particularly against women and children.
TJA also noted that sectarianism has turned into misogyny, not only in the Middle East but globally too, confusing the fight for justice and serving the interests of capitalist hegemony. “No side in an immoral war can claim legitimacy,” TJA stated, rejecting wars imposed by hegemonic powers that fail to defend women, children, and the elderly. They called for a reevaluation of just causes that tainted by those in power.
To provide context, TJA is closely aligned with the broader Kurdish freedom movement and its principles are deeply influenced by Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned founding leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Öcalan has been a strong proponent of women’s emancipation as an essential element of social liberation. His ideologies have been pivotal in shaping the feminist and egalitarian dimensions of the Kurdish struggle. Notably, the PKK is among the few non-state actors to have signed the Geneva Conventions, reinforcing their commitment to ethical conduct in conflict.
