Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan has issued a message for 8 March International Women’s Day. In his message Öcalan said: “nothing has affected me, both with sorrow and anger, and elation and enthusiasm, as much as the story of women’s slavery and freedom.” Öcalan emphasised that: “Women must take their own decisions. They must have their own free spaces, places you can determine your lives. Make the search for freedom the basis of your work. Don’t complain, be creative. When 3 or 4 women come together produce a solution. Trust your femininity,” he said.
Abdullah Öcalan wrote the message for 8 March during the recent visit by the BDP-HDP delegation. In the message which was full of emotional, he also explained the basis of his comradeship with women. Öcalan began his message: “My dear women comrades”, continuing: “For me, the freedom of women is more important than land and culture. A woman must be a freedom fighter. You must liberate yourselves.”
A revolution that cannot liberate women is not a revolution
Öcalan emphasised the importance of striving for women’s freedom, saying: “for a people cannot be free if the women are not free. A revolution is not a revolution if it cannot liberate women. An organisation that cannot organise women is not an organisation.”
The Kurdish leader continued by emphasizing that; “Your place is not just your homes. You should be everywhere. You must have a say. Women should speak everywhere. If it hadn’t been for the women’s freedom struggle women would have continued to live as slaves.” Öcalan added: “The heroines who have been martyred were all precious. I commemorate them all with respect. Sakine’s life is an example. Women’s liberation is Sakine’s struggle. You must uncover what happened to Sakine.”
Öcalan pointed out that; “The history of women’s enslavement is of course concealed in the culture of the Middle East. For this reason its departure will be in these lands, but it is clear it won’t happen in a masculine way. nothing has affected me, both with sorrow and anger, and elation and enthusiasm, as much as the story of women’s slavery and freedom. It seems to me that the fundamental error made in social life is that falsity and ugliness is evaluated regarding women and life is taken away. The main reason for this is the culture of capitalism. In no historical period have women been as exploited and used in serving the system as much as in capitalism. Consequently, in the liberation of women, self-defence must be a fundamental tenet of life. You will internalise this.”
Women should establish economic communes
Öcalan, stressing that dozens of women were murdered every day, said: “These deaths are worse than war. They take young girls as wives. Then when they rape them and they die they treat them like an animal carcase. Another of the biggest problems for women is unemployment. They have removed women from the economy. Women must find their place in society. They are in the vanguard of social change, and must establish economic communes.”
“Women must take their own decisions. They must have their own free spaces, places you can determine your lives. Make the search for freedom the basis of your work. Don’t complain, be creative. When 3 or 4 women come together produce a solution. Trust your femininity. Be positive, make efforts and believe in yourselves. It is important that there be women-based work. Women have a unique quality. It is only in this way that women can free themselves from 5,000 years of enslavement. You will determine life socially and aesthetically. You will construct economic life, social life and aesthetic life. And in this way you will sort out us savage men.”
“The question of women is a class, cultural and economic question,” said Öcalan, giving women the message: “The women’s question is also a political question. You will embrace politics and establish the co-chair system everywhere. This is a universal system. It is egalitarian. You can revitalise yourselves. Combine this with the principle of freedom. You must impose women’s freedom and identity. The best woman is one who works to become free. The most beautiful woman is one who lives an independent life. Nothing is more odious and contemptible than the partnership of an enslaved woman with a domineering man. And no union is more precious and true than that of a free woman and a man who has overcome tyranny.”
Our revolution is a women’s revolution
Öcalan said: “A huge freedom revolution is the sine qua non of a meaningful life”. “Therefore, the revolution in the Middle East must be developed as a revolution for women’s freedom. Equality and freedom will be ensured by means of the women’s question. Our revolution is a women’s revolution. We will transcend the enslavement of women. Our revolution is not merely a class one, it is one where women are in the vanguard. We are only half way along the road. But let us not forget that what is important is not the end of the road, but walking, running along the road with enthusiasm and a collective joy and beauty.”
We have more to say for women
“While commemorating those symbols of our freedom struggle, Sakine Cansız, Leyla Şaylemez and Fidan Doğan, I want to stress that we will definitely call this brutal massacre to account. We will dedicate this peace and democratic resolution to all our freedom martyrs, in their names. I will continue to do my utmost to contribute and to demonstrate my loyalty to our martyrs.”
Öcalan added that: “We have more to say for women. In this way I greet and embrace all comrades and friends, wish them all success and celebrate 8 March International Women’s Day.”
Source: Hawar News Agency