HESNA MIHEMED

Shahba -  Jineology Academy member and Jineology magazine editor Nagihan Akarsel, who was assassinated in Sulaymaniyah on October 4, played an active role in promoting the Jenology and science of women in society. She worked in all parts of North and East Syria to carry out research on Jinology. She was well known by the people of Afrin because she held many meetings in Afrin to discuss Jinology with the women of Afrin. NuJINHA spoke to some women of Afrin, who were forcibly displaced from Afrin to Shahba Canton about Nagihan Akarsel.

“She struggled with the revolutionary spirit”

Gulistan Arêf, member of the Jineology Center in Afrin/Shahba, told us how she met Nagihan Akarsel. “Her smiling face showed how she was herself. She loved nature and animals. She always said that nature is alive and giving a message to people. She had research on science, women and nature. We went to Endar Hill in Afrin together and did research on it because its history goes back to the goddess Ishtar. She struggled with the revolutionary spirit. Martyr Nagihan always gave us advice and helped us to improve ourselves. We, as women, should complete the uncompleted struggle of resisting and fighting women.”

“She felt the sufferings of women”

Sayile Şêx Ehmed, member of the Martyrs' Families Organization in the Fafin town of Shahba Canton, is another woman, who met Nagihan Akarsel. “I met her when I was in charge of managing the conciliation committee in Afrin. I met her during a training course. We worked together for a month. She was a calm and clever woman. She wrote down women’s stories. She felt the sufferings of women. Women are targeted because they follow the truth. We condemn the targeting of pioneering women who want freedom.”

“You could see her love for freedom in her face”

Şerîn Hesen, coordinating member of Kongra Star in the Afrin Region, spoke about how she met Nagihan Akarsel. “Nagihan Akarsel conducted Jineology studies in Afrin between 2015 and 2016. When I first saw her, I saw her love for freedom in her face. She taught us to fight against the patriarchal mentality. Martyr Nagihan taught women the real meaning of life. She asked women to stand up and fight. She helped women to be strong and have a strong will. We must struggle against the targeting of such pioneering women and pursue their struggles.