Speaking on a special program broadcast on Medya Haber TV, KJK (Kurdistan Women’s Communities)Executive Council member Çiğdem Doğu assessed the process that began with Kurdish Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s February 27 ‘Call for Peace and Democratic Society.’ She stated that the withdrawal of guerrillas from Northern Kurdistan on October 26 is a historic step that could never be seen as an ordinary development at a time when everyone is asking if the process has stalled.
Çiğdem Doğu also explained that guerrilla groups withdrew after facing great difficulties and undergoing a process of persuasion, saying, “These friends are a guerrilla force that has remained in positions in Northern Kurdistan for years, fighting. They are a guerrilla force with motivation. Of course, it was very difficult to convince our friends to withdraw. What convinced them was, of course, the process led by Leader Öcalan. Everyone should know this very well.”
Noting that a historical issue such as the Kurdish question cannot be addressed solely through visible events, facts, and discourse, Doğu stated that resolving such an issue requires a deep perspective. She underlined that the process is not a matter of give-and-take, not a matter of bargaining, but a matter of genuine democratization and genuine peace.
A new concept of “us”
Çiğdem Doğu pointed out that Öcalan is trying to create a new sense of “us” through this process, explaining that the Kurds and all peoples, and all differences have a strategy of unity while preserving their identities, consciousness, and forms. She said they approach the process as a matter of democratization and cultural achievement; a concept that has been severely eroded in Turkey. “Now we need to create a concept of “us” based on a democratic society. This is precisely what Leader Öcalan is striving for,” she added.
Çiğdem Doğu stated that Öcalan is working to bring the process to a successful conclusion despite all the negative developments and the lack of action, asking, “Why doesn’t the parliamentary commission engage in a discussion with him, listen to him?” She emphasized that Öcalan is at a crucial point and must be heard.
The Commission’s hearing of Öcalan is a strategic issue
Çiğdem Doğu stated that the Parliamentary Commission’s hearing of Öcalan is a strategic issue for them. According to her, this should be followed by the creation of democratic integration laws, the development of a democratic constitutional process, and ultimately the development of a comprehensive legal approach to the Kurdish question.
Women can end male violence by developing their struggle against it
Çiğdem Doğu also made statements regarding November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, stating that violence against women stems from the reality of male dominance. She said, “From the day it emerged until today, there has been a reality of murderers who have never reduced their violence, but rather increased it even more. On the occasion of November 25, we must focus even more on this issue this year. In other words, we must address it over men, over changing and transforming men.”
According to Doğu, women’s awareness, organization, and development of their self-defense are very important points, and women can end male violence by analyzing it and developing their struggle against it.
Insisting on organized struggle is important
Çiğdem Doğu, who also drew attention to the actions taken in Northern Kurdistan for Rojin Kabaiş, a 21-year-old university student who died a year ago in circumstances that remain unclear to this day. Her body was found 18 days after she disappeared from a dormitory on the shores of Lake Van. The investigating authorities quickly put forward the theory of suicide—an interpretation that was questioned by the family from the outset. An updated forensic report contains concrete evidence of possible sexual violence—two male DNA traces were found on sensitive parts of the body.
“As the women’s movement, we saw this as very important and very positive. There is actually persistence there. That is, there is a problem, and there is persistence in addressing this problem. If there is persistence, you can get results from there. In our women’s struggle, this is a very important point in terms of putting an end to male violence.”
Speaking on the occasion of November 25, Çiğdem Doğu said, “Once again, we understand that the more organized and conscious our struggle is, the more persistent we are, the more this male violence will decrease and eventually end.” She emphasized the importance of developing a persistent struggle that does not give up when such attacks occur.
An armor of organization
Highlighting the importance of self-defense, Çiğdem Doğu said, “Women should organize themselves in such a way that these so-called murderers, these dominant male realities, won’t dare to act against them. They won’t be able to approach her, talk to her, attack her. They won’t be able to attack her with a gun, rape her, throw her off the building. There needs to be this kind of armor of organization.”
Çiğdem Doğu drew attention to the necessity for women to organize themselves on a communal basis, develop their self-defense, and produce policies aimed at resolving the male problem: “As women, we must reject the standards, behavior, words, tone of voice, and attacks of men and male dominance. We can only accept their form if they meet these standards. This is also about an ideological and a philosophical struggle. This, of course, naturally turns into self-defense, vital self-defense.”
November 27 is a day of national revival
Çiğdem Doğu also commented on the PKK’s founding anniversary on November 27, which, she said, is a day of national revival: “The PKK created a moral code, a culture, a philosophy, meaningful values, and great martyrs. Comrade Fuat and Comrade Rıza are among the founding members of this party, among our great martyrs; they embody great values. Of course, the PKK has experienced a relentless war throughout its history, and tens of thousands of our martyrs have emerged as great values. One of them is Comrade Delal, a great commander for HPG and YJA Star, a comrade who worked for years in this struggle, valued it, and paid a great price. I respectfully and gratefully commemorate all the martyrs of the PKK in the persons of Comrade Fuat, Comrade Rıza, and Comrade Delal.”
Doğu continued: “The PKK conduced to the revival of a nation, the revival of women’s hope for freedom, their courage, their ideas, and their perspective. Therefore, yes, it may have been dissolved, but it is everyone’s duty to embrace these values of resistance, to embrace and keep alive the ethics and philosophy of freedom and its martyrs. It is very important that we embrace these values and keep them alive by bringing their legacy together with current values and current necessities.”
Call for participation in the November 8 rally in Cologne
Çiğdem Doğu also called for strong participation in the November 8 rally in Cologne to demand freedom and the right to hope for Abdullah Öcalan to “truly carry the action to an effective and impactful level.”
“The physical freedom of our leader is very important. We wholeheartedly believe that the more freely Leader Öcalan can speak, the more he can address the peoples of Turkey and the world. The atmosphere will change completely. Leader Apo Öcalan great influence and great power of thought. The sooner freedom and the right to hope are granted, the sooner peace will actually come,” she stated.
Çiğdem Doğu concluded: “Focusing on the physical freedom of the leader, it is truly crucial to organize such powerful actions and events everywhere – not only in Europe, but also in Bakur, Bashur, Rojava, Rojhilat, in different parts of the world, everywhere in the Middle East – to ensure the right to hope is realized. It is our duty and responsibility to strengthen the upcoming process with such actions and events. I call on everyone to do the same.”