BERÇEM CÛDÎ

Kobanê- ISIS attacked the city of Kobanê in North and East Syria on September 15, 2014; however, it found the resistance of the fighters of the YPJ and YPG, internationalists and residents of Kobanê, including women. Upon the call of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, hundreds of women and young people went to Kobanê to defend the city. After a 134-day resistance, the liberation of Kobanê was declared on January 26, 2015. On November 1, 2014, the International Day of Solidarity with Kobanê was declared with the call of thousands of people, including Nobel Peace Prize laureates, academics, intellectuals, writers, and representatives of civil society organizations. After the declaration, people from 30 countries and 92 cities flocked to the streets to be in solidarity with Kobanê. Since then, November 1 has been observed as World Kobanê Day.

In an interview with NuJINHA, Zozan Bekir, coordinating member of Kongra Star in Euphrates Canton of North and East Syria, commented on the International Day of Solidarity with Kobanê, World Kobanê Day and the resistance of women in Kobanê.

‘What happened in Kobanê was an unprecedented event in history’

“Actually, November 1st is a special day, very meaningful and important for people,” she said. “Being a part of this resistance, witnessing this resistance makes people have a different spirit and feeling. The attacks on Kobanê were a spark spreading all over the world. Undoubtedly, the whole world, especially the Middle East, suffers crises, conflicts and attacks. However, what happened in Kobanê was an unprecedented event in history, and can be described as a rebirth for humanity. The resistance to extinction versus extinction took place in Kobanê. Despite the violent conflicts and attacks, many journalists, politicians, activists and internationalists came to Kobanê and witnessed the resistance and how women fought against ISIS.”

At a time when ISIS spread fear among people all around the world, everyone was following what was happening in Kobanê, Zozan Bekir said. “The resistance and struggle that emerged in Kobanê changed the destiny of all humanity. ISIS caused a great fear among people by abducting women and beheading people in Iraq, Shengal and Syria. In such a period, no one believed that the resistance in Kobanê would be crowned with victory. Countries that supported ISIS, especially the Turkish state, used the media outlets to say that Kobanê would fall. Despite everything, Kobanê was liberated from ISIS.”

‘The revolution led by women prevailed’

Although years have passed since the Kobanê resistance, the Turkish state does not accept the victory in Kobanê, Zozan Bekir stressed. “The revolution led by women in Rojava prevailed. However, the Turkish state aims to break the will of the people in the region and destroy the gains of the revolution by attacking North and East Syria. Despite everything, we will stand against all methods of genocidal attacks with the spirit of November 1st and the ‘Jin Jiyan Azadi’ philosophy.”