TJK-E announces action plan for November 25: “Time to stand up for free women”

The European Kurdish Women’s Movement (TJK-E) released a statement to mark November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, saying the following;

“While the hegemonic system’s attacks on women continue unabated, women are expanding their freedom struggle with the demand for ‘greater freedom’ all around the world.  2021 was a year marked by an increase in violence, rape, sexism, and massacres against women around the world. Women’s rights in all spheres of life, from politics to the economy, were attempted to be usurped by governments. However, women in Kurdistan, the Middle East and many countries of the world, resisted and continue to resist in the face of these attacks.

‘WOMEN ARE IN GREAT AWAKENING’

We welcome 25 November in such an atmosphere. On this day, we remember the Mirabel sisters, who brought us together on the 25th of November to oppose violence against women. They became an expression of insistence on a free life against the fascist Trujillo regime, which ruled for 31 years. As a result, women’s freedom struggle has become a much more pressing issue today, resulting in a worldwide rebellion of women.

Today, the unity of nation-states and the dominating male mind are attacking the women’s resistance recklessly, employing a variety of means and methods. Women, on the other hand, are experiencing a great awakening against all forms of brutality, oppression, rape, and massacre. The organized power of women today is the most powerful weapon against this filthy system which is an enemy of nature, society and women. For this very reason, there is a significant fear of the developing women’s awakening. This struggle represents the footsteps of a free and equal life, from the Mirabel sisters to Sakine Cansız, Berta Caceres and Hevrin Xelef.

Women’s liberation has evolved as the most radical uprising against the male-dominated system of five thousand years, and its final stage, the capitalist modernity system. The capitalist modernity paradigm, which has enslaved society and used power in the most brutal way with deception, lies, and violence, has collapsed, and the birth of the alternative women’s libertarian-democratic-ecological paradigm has occurred, and it is now coming to life in Rojava under the leadership of women.

‘WE WILL BUILD A FREE LIFE’

As the European Kurdish Women’s Movement, we welcome November 25th this year with the claim of ‘Defend Free Society and Free Women Against Femicide,’ with the claim to strengthen the struggle and build a free life. Within the scope of the campaign we have been carrying out as the European Kurdish women’s movement for the last one year, we have a strong claim to take the struggle to a new level. We have more experience, knowledge, methods of resistance, and common ground as women than ever before. Women throughout the world took to the streets to protest inequality, unfairness, injustice, sexism, nationalism, racism, and all forms of violence. On this basis, our fundamental strategy will be to make every day a day of struggle, not just November 25th.

On November 25, the European Kurdish Women’s Movement will mark the one-year anniversary of the ‘100 Reasons to Prosecute the Dictator’ campaign. As part of our campaign, we will continue to advocate for tyrant Erdogan’s prosecution and accountability for his crimes. We will strengthen our efforts to bring the Paris massacre to light and to condemn the perpetrators. Stopping femicide in Afrin and freeing Afrin will be major priorities for us women.

Women face challenges in every area. Women who demand that their unseen labour in the home be made apparent, who seek social equality, and reject confinement to home for economic freedom are also striving to survive. This is a result of the fact that these most humane demands are considered crimes for women, and they are murdered by males in the middle of the street, at home, in front of their children. The capitalist system is essentially the murderer of every slain woman. As a result, the capitalist system, with its laws, gender culture, and customs that position women as the second sex in society, and every state that implements this system, is responsible for every murdered woman and every child subjected to sexual abuse. The working system, which has changed as a result of the ‘measures’ adopted to avert the Covid 19 pandemic, which has overtaken the entire world, has escalated the exploitation of women’s paid and unpaid labour. Increasing poverty and ‘stay at home’ appeals resulted in rising violence against women and children,as well as harassment and death. Women make up 70% of the health personnel fighting the pandemic on the front lines all around the world. Women did not remain silent in the face of the capitalist system’s attacks; on the contrary, they strengthened their struggle.

“LEADER APO’S PHILOSOPHY IS GROUND-BREAKING”

Leader Apo’s [Abdullah Öcalan] most ambitious goal, the women’s liberation revolution, defied all taboos by introducing new approaches to social problems and societal reconstruction, as well as new methods of struggle. Against this backdrop, the AKP-MHP fascist administration further aggravated the isolation of Leader Apo and targeted Kurdish women and democratic groups through genocidal methods. The women and people of our country, particularly the freedom guerrillas, have enhanced the struggle as a response to the horrific attacks of the AKP-MHP fascist administration, which seeks to achieve its goals by destruction and bloodshed. As women, we will continue to fight on the front lines against the invading Turkish state, which has been committing all sorts of war crimes and targeting the guerilla with chemical weapons for months, and its partner, the KDP. This will and power ensure that the fall of the AKP-MHP fascist administration would be a grave end for them.

The AKP-MHP fascist administration is attempting to survive by relying on hegemonic forces for military, political, and economic support. The CPT’s condoning of the absolute isolation and torture system, the ECtHR breaking even its own law when it comes to Kurds, the open support of the European Union to the fascist regime for economic and political reasons, particularly from Germany and France, and the most hypocritical policies of the United States… These are all efforts to pull the AKP-MHP fascist regime, which is on the verge of destruction, out of this mess. However, these efforts to justify the Turkish state, which recklessly terrorizes Kurdish women and people, are futile. We women from all over the world will continue to unite under the motto “Defend Kurdistan” against occupation, isolation, and genocide, and we will broaden the struggle by uniting around Leader Apo. On November 25, we shall be out on the streets against the AKP-MHP fascism once more. We’re going to strengthen the “Dem Dema Azadiyê Ye!” [Time for Freeedom] campaign on the basis of ensuring Leader Apo’s physical freedom.

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION IN ACTIONS

The likelihood that the twenty-first century will be the century of women grows stronger by the day. Women all across the world are increasing their fight against the patriarchal capitalist system, inequality, injustice, racism, and all forms of violence, no matter where it comes from. The women’s movement has become more widespread than ever before, transforming into a social force. TJK-E will take action for November 25th, wherever we are organized. We, women, fight for a free society and free women against femicide. We encourage all women to join as much as possible in the actions and activities planned for November 25th.

DAYS AND LOCATIONS OF THE ACTIONS

TJK-E announced its action plan as follows:

25 NOVEMBER

Berlin

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.00

Location: S-Bahnhof Marzahn

Hamburg

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.00

Location: Jungfernstieg

Bremen

Date: 25 November

Time: 17.00

Location: Domshof

Kiel

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.00

Location: Holsenstrasse

Oldenburg

Date: 25 November

Time: 16.00

Location: Rathaus – Aurich/Oldenburg

Hanover

Date: 25 November

Time: 15.00

Location: Opernplatz

Duisburg

Date: 25 November

Time: 16.00

Location: In front of the Hauptbahnhof

Cologne

Date: 25 November

Time: 17.30

Location: Ottoplatz/ Cologne- Deutz

Wuppertal

Date: 25 November

Time: 16.00

Location: Poststrasse

Frankfurt

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.00

Location: In front of the Hauptbahnhof

Saarbrucken

Date: 25 November

Time: 13.00

Location: Europagalerie

Darmstadt

Date: 25 November

Time: 17.30

Location: Luisenplatz

Stuttgart

Date: 25 November

Time: 17.00

Location: Pusteblume/Ecke Marstallstr.

Freiburg

Date: 25 November

Time: 16.00

Location: Alte Synagogue

Munich

Date: 25 November

Time: 14.30

Location: Josephsplatz

Dortmund

Date: 25 November

Time: 16.00

Location: Cinestar (behind the Hauptbahnhof)

FRANCE

Rennes

Date: 25 November

Time: 17.00

Location: Republique Square

Marseille

Date: 25 November

Time: 17.00

Venue: Palais de Justice

Toulouse

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.30

Location: Capitole

Strasbourg

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.00

Place: Place Kleber

Mullhouse

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.00

Location: Place de la Bourse

SWITZERLAND

Zurich

Date: 25 November

Time: 19.30

Location: Helvetia Platz

Basel

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.00

Location: Theaterplatz

Lucerne

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.00

Location: Bahnhof Platz

THE NETHERLANDS

Rotterdam

Central march and rally

Date: 25 November

Time: 15.00

Location: In front of Rotterdam Central Station

BELGIUM

Liege

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.00

Location: Gare des Guillemins

AUSTRIA

Vienna

Date: 25 November

Time: 17.00

Venue: Richart Wagner Platz

ENGLAND

London

Date: 25 November

Time: 13.00

Location: New Scotland Yard

SWEDEN

Stockholm

Date: 25 November

Time: 17.00

Location: Soltorget

DENMARK

Copenhagen

Date: 25 November

Time: 16.00

Location: Gammeltorv

CYPRUS

Limassol

Date: 25 November

Time: 18.00

Place: Navenda Canda Kurda Teofilos

26 NOVEMBER

GERMANY

Dusseldorf

Date: 26 November

Time: 16.30

Location: Altstadt

SWITZERLAND

Bern

Date: 26 November

Time: 19.00

Location: Bubengbergplatz

NOVEMBER 27

Stuttgart:

Date: 27 November

Time: 16.00

Location: Rotebühlplatz

Marseille

Date: 27 November

Time: 13.30

Location: Quai du port

Bordeaux

Date: 27 November

Time: 15.30

Location: Place Victoire

Draguignan

Date: 27 November

Time: 10.00

Location: Place Rene Cassin

BELGIUM

Anwertpen

Date: 27 November

Time: 15.00

Location: Stadpark

NOVEMBER 28

Brussels:

Date: 28 November

Time: 13.00

Location: Gare Central.

X