The Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) has taken Abdullah Öcalan’s perspective of freedom as its foundation from its establishment to its transformation into an organized military force. YPJ General Command Member Sarya Efrîn spoke to ANF on the occasion of the approaching anniversary of the YPJ’s founding and April 4, which is also Abdullah Öcalan’s birthday. She began by congratulating both occasions and said: “On the 13th anniversary of the founding of the YPJ, we commemorate Bêrîvan, Arîn, Avêsta, Sîdar, Denîz and all those who were martyred in this struggle, and we promise our martyrs that we will continue their struggle to the end. On the occasion of April 4, which is also Öcalan’s birthday and a new birthday for us women, we extend our congratulations to Öcalan and all freedom fighters on this special day.”
We love this people, defending them is our responsibility
Commander Sarya Efrîn spoke about the founding phase of the YPJ and its impact on society, saying: “As defense units, we held our founding conference in 2013 and formally organized ourselves; this struggle has continued ever since. The struggle in which the YPJ represents women’s will and has become the pioneer of the Rojava Revolution did not come easily. In many respects, we faced major difficulties and obstacles, especially in the social sphere. A society that did not see women as individuals who could take part in wars and on the front lines rejected this, considering it contrary both to the state and to its own traditions. For this reason, the struggle was not easy. We first struggled with our own identities, then against the society in which women live, against the traditions prevalent in that society, against the mentality of men who did not accept women alongside them, and even against the country we live in. We fought to overcome all of this and to make it accepted that we exist, that we love this country, and that protecting it with love and responsibility is also our responsibility.”
YPJ has gained great trust within society
Sarya Efrîn said that the strength of the YPJ comes from women fighters and continued: “Women’s freedom movements inspired us in gaining strength, in coming together in our struggle, and in organizing ourselves. We faced difficulties from every direction, but especially when our regions were under attack, our experience and self-confidence, and our desire to represent ourselves, came to the fore. There were also women who took on responsibility and command positions within the women’s defense units and organized YPJ forces across all regions, from Afrin (Efrîn) to Kobanê and even Qamishlo. The successful results achieved enabled the YPJ to organize in all cities and to stand on its own feet with its natural strength. When these results became visible in the field, they had a positive impact on society and on women. Society also came to understand that if women are given the opportunity, they can succeed. The YPJ gained great trust from its society. Our society accepted the YPJ, and dozens of families sent their daughters to join its ranks to learn the consciousness of freedom and the knowledge of self-defense. The presence of women in the military also created a sense of reassurance within society. Because those who defend in a better and more ethical way are women.”
Commander Sarya then drew attention to the wars currently taking place in the Middle East and their impact on Syria: “Today, there are wars driven by hegemonic powers, and the victim of all these wars is always the Middle East, with Syria in particular becoming a center of conflict. Although the attacks on Iran mark a moment when Syria is not the primary target, this does not mean that Syria is free from threat or that this situation will continue. It appears that Syria is under significant pressure to support the project of Western countries in this war in order to confront forces linked to Iran. Following the collapse of the Baath regime, a new interim government has been established, and although Syria is in a process of rebuilding itself, the consciousness represented by the government and the authority that has emerged today in Syria do not eliminate the high risk of a renewed outbreak of war. The situation in Syria today, with ongoing conflicts across all its regions, is a war among peoples and religions. In fact, Syria’s multi-national, multi-faith, and multicultural structure is a richness.
If this interim government does not establish a democratic system and authority that encompasses the rights of all components in Syria, and if all these nations do not come together to form a force and foundation for a new government, it will not achieve much and will lead to further civil war. Especially today, the threat of the re-emergence of ISIS is very high, and there is significant conflict among the different components. This does not bring peace to society. The people of Syria, with all their components, participated in this revolution.”
The absence of women in the current government makes solving the problems impossible
Sarya Efrîn stated that it is not possible to resolve the existing problems unless women are included in the current government and said: “If a modern and peaceful Syria is to be built, women must take part in this process. Women have paid a very heavy price in this revolution; they have passed through prisons, been subjected to torture, beaten, killed and displaced. They even lost their children and spouses for this cause. However, until now, women’s voices have not been included in official statements, nor in the current government, nor in administrative and ministerial work, nor in the army that has been established.
Although a women’s police force has recently been formed, it remains unclear to what extent this represents all the sacrifices made by women. If women are not included in this government, it will not be possible to resolve the existing problems or to end the civil war. In the clashes that have taken place in many cities so far, women have not participated; this shows that women in Syria do not want to suffer again or see further bloodshed. The stance of women clearly demonstrates that the war must now end and that Syrian society, with all its components, must rebuild the country together.”
The struggle will continue until YPJ is recognized within the Syrian army
Commander Sarya Efrîn stated that the struggle will continue until the YPJ is accepted within the Syrian army and said: “Today, the issue of integration is on the agenda, and everyone is wondering how the YPJ will be integrated. We are also making efforts to take our place within the Syrian army while preserving our gains. In the agreement regarding the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian government, there was no provision excluding the YPJ. On this basis, as the YPJ, we organized ourselves in the form of a women’s fighter battalion within each brigade. Although this step has not been welcomed, as women we have waged a strong struggle from the very beginning of this revolution against the Baath regime and ISIS, we have led this struggle and paid its price. We achieved our gains through our labor and our blood; therefore, protecting them is one of our fundamental duties.
For this reason, as the YPJ, we will continue our struggle to take part within the Syrian army, and we will persist in our efforts until this is accepted. Because, to this day, there has been nothing in either the law or the constitution that convinces us that women’s rights are guaranteed within this government. Some statements have been made by certain individuals regarding how the number should be or that this is not accepted. However, numbers are not important for us; what matters is the representation of our identity and our will.
On this basis, we have repeatedly stated that we requested meetings with the Defense Minister of the interim government and the head of the interim government, that we conveyed our demands to them, and that we wanted to establish a common ground for dialogue.
The presence of women in the military is not something new; there are examples of this both in Middle Eastern countries and in European countries. However, based on what we have heard so far from interim government officials, the goal is to build a new Syria. If that is the aim, and if women constitute half of Syria’s population, we have not seen the presence of women within the government, apart from one female minister. We have also not heard any official speak about the presence of women, what their rights will be, or what kind of role they will assume.
This situation raises concerns for us. Because there are women who have contributed for years to the Syrian revolution. For this reason, in the Syrian constitution to be prepared, women’s rights must be guaranteed, and the inclusion of women in the Syrian army must be secured.”
Continuing her remarks, Sarya Efrîn also addressed the fighters taken captive as a result of attacks: “In previous periods, our region was subjected to war, and as a result, some fighters were taken captive. One of our fundamental issues is the fate of our fallen comrades’ bodies and our captured comrades. This is, first and foremost, a humanitarian duty. If an integration process is to be carried out and the unity of the Syrian people is to be discussed, the issue of prisoners must not be turned into a political matter. So far, some of our captured comrades have been released as a result of negotiations. However, none of the international actors, whether inside or outside Syria, have addressed and followed this issue sufficiently as a humanitarian responsibility.
It was these women who fought against the Baath regime, who resisted under siege, and who struggled against ISIS, an enemy of humanity. For this reason, relevant humanitarian organizations must fulfill their duties and responsibilities and ensure that these fighters are released from prisons as soon as possible.”
It is time for women to defend their gains by saying ‘We are all YPJ’
YPJ General Command Member Sarya Efrîn said in her final remarks on the occasion of the YPJ’s anniversary: “As the YPJ, we have always tried to stand by women and protect them wherever they seek to reach us. One of the most concrete examples of this is going to Shengal and ensuring the rescue of Yazidi women. The YPJ has had an impact on women around the world, and hundreds of internationalist women have joined the YPJ; it has become a structure that embraces every woman. Likewise, the YPJ has shared its knowledge and experience in defense with these women. In the past period, extensive work was carried out, and we believe that with our experience, our struggle has become a source of inspiration. But now is the time for all women to defend their gains with the slogan ‘We are all YPJ’ and to continue their struggle in the legal, diplomatic and political fields. In this way, we can secure the gains we have achieved in the new Syrian constitution and take our place in the construction of a new Syria with the values of women’s identity, together and with a common will.”
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