On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, the General Command of the Women’s Defense Forces (HPJ) in Eastern Kurdistan issued a statement emphasizing the importance of collective self-defense and unity among women as the basis for a peaceful and democratic society.
The HPJ statement on Tuesday includes the following:
“We condemn this day, which is remembered as a day of violence and massacre. At the same time, in the spirit of the ‘Jin Jiyan Azadî’ (Woman, Life, Freedom) revolution, we demonstrate our commitment to protecting our philosophy of freedom and our fundamental responsibility integrated with societal values.
As the Women’s Self-Defense Force, we will expand and strengthen our defense capabilities against all forms of attack and violence directed at women. To this end, every woman, wherever she may be, must uphold her historical values, stand firm in her philosophy of self-defense against the destructiveness of male-dominated mentality, and make this consciousness her fundamental guide. As Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) said, “There is only one weapon against the current attacks and injustices against women, and that is women’s self-knowledge.”
Women possess a deep-rooted history and a strong sense of self-worth; this enables them to both protect themselves and teach others. Women have the right to defend themselves against violence, murder, and rape. Therefore, all women must embark on a journey of self-discovery. Returning to her essence enables a woman to use her greatest weapon against violent killers. As the defense force of all women, we hold ourselves accountable to every woman’s cry, wherever it may be, and we hear her voice. For us, the criterion has never been to protect women based on their ethnicity, faith, or culture; our criterion is to protect all women everywhere from all forms of attack.
On this basis, we, as the defense force of all women, will take revenge for the years of suffering endured by Aryen, Barîn, Viyan, Ronahî (Andrea Wolf), Rojbîn Ereb, and Emîne Erciyes. Thanks to these comrades who have fought on this path, we will build the paradigm of social democracy based on free women’s science. In this context, we appeal to all women: take responsibility for defending your own values and social rights, and take your place at the forefront of this struggle. Through this struggle, which we will lead to success, we will build a peaceful and democratic society, the only path to an equal and free life.”