From Rojava to Rojhilat, Iran and all over the world we will guarantee the Women’s Revolution
Kongra Star statement on the anniversary of the JIN JIYAN AZADI uprisings
From the area of women’s revolution in North and East Syria, we salute the struggle of women and all people in Iran and Rojhilat, who have been on the streets for a year, rising against oppression and violence. For one year, the different peoples of Iran and Eastern Kurdistan have been rebelling with unique determination and courage against the ruling system of Iran, which is a patriarchal system and enforces its laws by force.
The assassination of Jina Amini, a Kurdish woman, a year ago was a spark that ignited the anger and discontent people had carried for years and turned it into a demand for freedom. This popular uprising began in Kurdistan and developed into a mass uprising for democracy and freedom throughout Iran.
At the funeral of Jina Amini, the slogan “JIN JIYAN AZADI”, a slogan of the women’s movement in Kurdistan that has been on everyone’s lips for years in the revolution in Rojava, became the slogan of the uprising in Iran. It is not the first time that there are protests against the Iranian regime, but this time people, led by women, are demanding women’s freedom and the democratization of Iran.
For the past year, we have seen women as leaders of the resistance who act with courage, anger and creativity and inspire people with them. With these activities they lead all freedom-loving people in Eastern Kurdistan, Baluchistan, Iran, Kurdistan and the whole world and give them courage and morale.
For more than forty years, the Iranian regime has oppressed the people and rejected any changes and transformations, which is why it fights popular uprisings with great violence. History has shown that reforms cannot be a solution, because this system is based on the oppression of women and society, so that change can only be achieved through its destruction.
From the beginning of the uprising, the world was once again shown the true face of Iran’s patriarchal, fascist and authoritarian system. Since the beginning of the uprising, more than hundreds of people have been killed and an unknown number injured by the Iranian armed forces. Thousands have been arrested and hundreds executed. Female students have been systematically poisoned in schools. Evin Prison, known as a prison for political prisoners and a place of torture, was set on fire. To this day, the Iranian regime violently attacks people.
Above all, women who lead these uprisings are arrested and murdered – attempts are made to silence women, such as the arrest of the journalist who reported on the ceremony of Jina Amini. Despite everything, people are resisting with determination and courage all the constraints and attacks, shaking the foundations of the system. The main demand of the revolting people is the freedom of women.
The people of Iran and Eastern Kurdistan, especially the women, reject the Iranian system of rule and shake the foundations of the regime with the slogan “Women, Life, Freedom”. As the leader Abdullah Ocalan said, “Society will not be free until women are free,” with this realization, the people of Kurdistan and Iran have begun to demonstrate for the freedom of women and all peoples.
The slogan JIN JIYAN AZADI, inspired by the philosophy of Abdullah Öcalan, has a long history, and this philosophy and slogan are companions of the struggle of women for a free society. Martyr Shirin Alam Holi already wrote “Jin Jiyan Azadi” on the wall of her cell in Evin Prison before she was executed on May 9, 2010 along with her three companions. With the spirit of resistance of the martyr Shirin and her comrades, a revolution with the same slogans and demands was now started under the leadership of women and has not stopped since.
The regime is trying to intimidate the people by force, it is trying to silence the people, it is trying to isolate them and cut them off from support. To this day, the people are oppressed by Iran at the highest levels. But the sacrifice, courage and resistance of the people have had a great impact, and everyone should see them, listen to them and struggle alongside them.
We call on all women, organizations and freedom-loving people to support and advance the people’s struggle against the Iranian regime. In this spirit, we offer our condolences to all the families and friends of the activists killed in the uprising. We salute the first anniversary of the uprising and renew our pledge to make the 21st century the century of women’s revolution.
The uprising “Jin Jiyan Azadi” is an uprising of all women, we must continue together with our awareness, attitude and organization until success.
Kongra Star Council North and East Syria