2nd phase of “No to Occupation and Extermination, Together We Protect Women and Life” campaign to be launched soon
With the aim of shedding light on the violations being practiced against women and the civilian population by the Turkish occupation in the occupied areas such as Afrin, Serêkaniyê and Girê Spî, the Kongra Star, in cooperation with women’s organizations in north and east Syria, launched the campaign “No to Occupation and Extermination, Together We Protect Women and Life,” on the 9th of November of last year, which lasted until the 9th of January of this year.
30women organizations participated in the campaign
Thirty women organizations in northeastern Syria participated in the campaign, namely, “the Kongra Star, the Syrian Women’s Council, the Syriac Women’s Union, the Women’s Coordination in the Autonomous Administration, the Women’s Council in North and East Syria, the Women’s Office in the Future Syria Party, the Women’s Office in the Syrian Democratic Council, the Women’s Office in the Democratic Society Movement, the Young Women’s Union, Sara Organization for Combating Violence Against Women, Peace Female Leaders Network, the Research and Women’s Rights Center in Syria, the Human Rights Organization, Insaf Development Organization, al-Yasmine Organization, Shawshka Women’s Association, Ashna Development Organization, Furat Organization for Relief and Development, the Justice Center for Human Rights, Dijlah Society for Environment Protection, Balsam Center for Health Education, Shemal Charitable Society for Relief and Development, al-Jazira Organization for Development, the Land of Peace Organization, Kobani Organization for Relief and Development, Hevi Organization for Relief and Development, Soz Association for Relief and Development, Ataa al-Baghouz Organization for Development, , Sawaed Organization for Development, Multaqa al-Nahrein Organization, Dan Organization for Relief and Development, Tarahom Organization for Development and Giving, Doz Organization of Civil Society, Bukra Ahla Association for Relief and Development, Maya Association, and Nor Jan Charitable Society in Amuda.”
Campaign activities within 3 months
The campaign organized a series of activities and events, including events specialized for women, and joint activities included organizing lectures and mass demonstrations in most regions of northeastern Syria, activities to document crimes committed against women in a legal manner, in addition to preparing files in this regard, and they were sent to the concerned authorities, where human rights organizations sent the files to international courts and human rights institutions, including the occupation’s crimes; the assassination of the politician Hevrin Khalaf, the Mother Aqeedah, and the three activists Zahra Berkel, Amina and Hebboun.
The Research and Women’s Rights Protection Center in Syria has documented the Turkish occupations’ violations against women, which amounted to 88 cases of murder, 140 kidnappings, and 497 cases of violence and abuse, documented with photos, names and videos to all concerned institutions, human rights, humanitarian and feminist organizations.
Moreover, a documentary film about violence against women was shown in Washokani camp located in Twina town in al-Hasakah city, and Serdem camp in al-Shahba canton.
30 dialogue seminars were held in the regions of north and east Syria on violence in all its aspects, in addition to holding three seminars through the Zoom program, with the wide participation of women abroad, on the following topics (Kurdish-Kurdish dialogue, violence in Arab countries, and the Turkish occupation).
A women’s initiative that included 34 women’s organizations and movements in the Middle East and North Africa was declared.
The Turkish occupation continues to practice violations against women
The official spokeswoman for the Kongra Star, Ramziyya Mohamed, said that the events held were well organized, in which all women’s organizations in north and east Syria participated, and added: “We will continue our campaign because the Turkish occupation continues to practice its violations against women, whether with the support of authoritarian regimes, or by the Baathist regime who are standing idly by before the flagrant violations.”
She also added: “Women in the occupied territories in particular are exposed to unprecedented violence and violations of their rights that rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity, as through this blatant aggression, women are being raped, assassinated, captured, kidnapped and exploited in the most horrific ways. They are also being annihilated, their will is broken; nevertheless, they determine and insist on struggle. We still remember the crime of assassinating the martyr Hevrin Khalaf and Mother Aqeedah, the mutilation of the martyr Amara’s corpse and many of the names against whom the occupation and its mercenaries committed crimes, recently the targeting and assassination of the martyrs Zahra, Hebboun and Mother Amina in Helinj village in Kobani.”
Ramziyya Mohamed indicated that the second phase of the campaign is scheduled to start on the 17th of January and will continue until the 17th of April.
She indicated that the campaign will include a set of activities, including activities on the occasion of March 8, International Women’s Day, and the continuation of documenting the violations that happen to women, including murder, rape, kidnapping and arrests, until the occupation is ended, in addition to the pursuit of reaching all women, and demanding their rights in all institutions to play their pioneering role at all levels.
Ramziyya Mohamed called on all women to join the campaign to confront all practices against women, escalate their struggle, and protect the gains made during the July 19th Revolution that spread in north and east Syria.
