Politician and Sebahat Tuncel, who is also an activist with the Free Women’s Movement (TJA) commenting on the process, said that reaching an agreement and establishing a ceasefire are important steps, but stressed that the real issue goes beyond this. Tuncel said, “Reaching an agreement and establishing a ceasefire is very important. However, a process is still underway to guarantee freedoms and to build a democratic, ecological, women’s liberationist life for Kurds, Alawites, Druze, Arabs, all peoples, and women.”
Assessments by politicians and journalists regarding the agreement signed between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus are continuing. While it is anticipated that implementing the articles of the agreement will take time, the blockade on Kobanê remains in place despite the ceasefire decision. Politicians describing the agreement as positive and important for protecting the peoples’ right to life continue to call for preserving the ground for dialogue.
Tuncel spoke to ANF about the agreement and ongoing political developments, drawing attention to the growing women’s freedom struggle in the face of attacks and the emerging spirit of national unity. She said, “Ensuring democratic unity among Kurds and transforming this into a democratic organized force in the Middle East is also an important responsibility.”
The practice of the agreement will become clear in the coming period
Sebahat Tuncel said that the process that began on January 6 started with the attack on Aleppo, noting that Abdullah Öcalan described it as “a new February 15 conspiracy.” Tuncel said: “Following the launch of the attacks, the Kurdish people took to the streets across the world. The agreement itself emerged because of this resistance. I think the Kurdish people have now shown that they have the right to determine their own destiny and that they deserve a life based on equal and free citizenship together with the peoples they live alongside. This process of resistance should not be forgotten. There was truly a comprehensive attack. That attack, through the resistance of women and the Kurdish people, in one way laid the foundation for the agreement that has been reached today. How the agreement will be implemented in practice will become clear in the coming period, but the struggle will continue until its objectives are achieved. What must be underlined is this: this agreement represents an important process in terms of building a democratic regime in Syria, guaranteeing the freedom and security of the Kurdish people, and securing Kurds’ language, identity, and cultural rights. Until these are ensured, the struggle will continue in one way or another.”
We will discuss the idea of a democratic Middle East more in the coming period
Tuncel said that the emerging solidarity must be sustainable and stressed that, in a Middle East whose future remains uncertain, the solution perspective for building a democratic life lies in ending imperialist intervention. She said: “At this point, I think we need to discuss Mr. Öcalan’s perspective on democratic integration, a democratic republic, and a democratic Middle East much more in the coming period. Peoples will both be able to live their own language, identity, and culture freely and build a democratic, freedom-based system together with the peoples they live alongside.”
Tuncel continued with the following remarks: “This will also strengthen solidarity among the peoples of the Middle East, which is very important. Against the misogynistic, male-dominated structures imposed on this democratic unity in the Middle East, such as the mentality of ISIS and Al Qaeda, and against regime-building projects, it is extremely valuable that the democratic, ecological, women’s liberationist paradigm embodied by the Rojava Revolution organizes itself socially across the Middle East. In other words, we need to discuss the idea of a democratic Middle East more in the coming period and build this process through the peoples themselves.”
Persistence in the women’s struggle has re-emerged
Sebahat Tuncel also assessed the process from the perspective of women, stressing that the attacks directly targeted women’s will and underlining that women’s representation at the negotiating table is extremely important and valuable.
Tuncel said: “Throwing the body of a woman resistance fighter from a building in Aleppo, and then cutting the hair of another woman fighter and giving it to a friend as spoils, reveal an attack by ISIS members against the women’s freedom line, and women responded with very strong reactions. From this perspective, women’s resistance has played an important role in the development of this process. The women’s freedom line has taken a clear stance against fascism, and this must be understood correctly. This was a moment that showed women’s struggle and women’s insistence on the freedom line. At the same time, it was also significant from the perspective of the women’s movement.”
The process of securing rights is ongoing
Tuncel underlined that this is a process and that a cautious approach must continue and said: “Reaching an agreement and establishing a ceasefire are very important. However, a process is still underway to guarantee freedoms and to build a democratic, ecological, women’s liberationist life for Kurds, Alawites, Druze, Arabs, all peoples, and women. This process must be carried through with solidarity, struggle, and unity.”
The spirit of unity must be organized
Tuncel said that the national spirit of unity that has emerged among the Kurdish people marks a turning point for the Kurdish freedom struggle. She said: “This is a turning point for the Kurdish freedom struggle. Throughout history, Kurds have lost because they were divided. For the first time, they won through unity. Organizing that spirit of unity, ensuring democratic unity among Kurds, and transforming it into a democratic organized force in the Middle East is also an important responsibility.”