From past to present, the mountains of Kurdistan have continued to exist as a space that shelters, protects, and connects Kurdish women with life. Despite all impossibilities, hardships, and oppression, thousands of women today are waging a struggle for existence and freedom in the mountains of Kurdistan.
YJA Star guerrilla Rûken Botan explained the meaning the mountains of Kurdistan hold for them, emphasizing that the mountains are both a defense area and a natural refuge for the Kurdish people and the Freedom Movement. Botan underlined that, especially for women, the mountain signifies the continuation of life itself.
“For us women, the mountain is life itself,” said guerrilla Botan, noting that the bond established with nature forms the basis of liberation. She continued: “What gives us self-confidence and strengthens our will is the nature we learn from the mountains. The mountain is a return to our essence and a state of becoming one with nature. The bond between human beings and nature has always been strong; what separates us from nature is the mentality created by the system.”
Sharing the moment she first went to the mountains, Botan said: “The grandeur of the mountains deeply affected me. I wanted to wander at those heights and watch the mountains. For the first time, I felt this close to freedom.”
Guerrilla and mountain
Referring to Abdullah Öcalan’s assessment on the continuity of women and mountains, guerrilla Rûken Botan stated that the essence of nature is freedom and said: “The purpose of nature is freedom; we also become free in the mountains. The changing of the seasons and the blooming of flowers are a search for freedom. Nature constantly renews itself and becomes more beautiful through this renewal.”
Drawing attention to the similarity between women and mountains, guerrilla Botan said: “The essence of women is like the essence of the mountains—rebellious and strong. No matter what happens, the resistance of the mountain cannot be broken. In the same way, when a woman lays the foundations of freedom correctly, she gains her existence.”
Guerrilla Botan described the relationship between the guerrilla and the mountain with the metaphor of “a child and a mother,” concluding: “We are the children of the mountains. Every mountain is remembered with the name of a martyred comrade. Our comrades have risked their lives on every peak. We walk in their footsteps. That is why, for a guerrilla, it is impossible to be separated from the mountains.”