The Free Women’s Movement (TJA – ‘Tevgera Jinên Azad’ in Kurdish) launched its 8 March ‘International Women’s Day’ linked campaign in the Botan region of the east of Turkey, in an area that covers Siirt (Sêrt), Mardin (Mêrdin) and Şırnak (Şirnex).
The ‘We defend life against femicide, freedom against isolation’ campaign was launched by the TJA on 26 February. The organisers stated that the main aim of the campaign is to gift peace to all women and break the isolation that has been imposed on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan.
‘We have reached thousands of women and organised a great number of protests’
Güler Tunç, the co-chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP’s) Cizre District stated that they have already been able to reach a great number of women due to the TJA’s campaign. “Thanks to the TJA campaign, we have reached thousands of women and organised a great number of protests. We will take to the streets with the soul of Asya, Fatma, Pakize, Berivan and Berjin all around Botan”, she said.
Paying attention to the ongoing hunger strike in Turkey’s prisons, which has reached its 97th day, Sabuha Akdağ, the co-chair of the HDP’s Şırnak Bureau, stressed the significance of ‘8 March’ for the women in Botan. The ongoing hunger strikes have as their goal the ending of the prison isolation conditions of Abdullah Öcalan and an end to rights abuses in Turkey’s prisons.
‘We will end the isolation in the 21st century and we will march towards freedom as women’
“This 8 March is more significant for us than before, considering the women who have been massacred and the hunger strikes. Our jailed women friends currently on hunger strike face many problems. Therefore, this ‘8 March’ means more for the women who are struggling outside”, she said.
“We will end the isolation in the 21st century and we will march towards freedom as women. The 21st century will be the century of freedom of women and people”, said Zilan Ecevit, a TJA activist. “Women’s struggles continue everywhere. Women will be on the streets protesting against the fascist Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) ruling coalition”, said Emine İnan, another TJA activist.
