Leyla Gulo: We built the women's revolution with a great struggle

Leyla Gulo is one of the witnesses of the International Women's Day celebrations spreading from houses to the streets in NE Syria. “Women, who didn’t dare to go out, broke their chains and led to the revolution in Rojava. Today, they have taken part in many institutions and organizations by protecting their revolution. When YPJ was formed, I cried with joy as a mother,” she said.

RONAHÎ NÛDA

Qamishlo - In the second article of the article series, Leyla Gulo tells us how women first celebrated International Women’s Day at home under the pressure of the Baathist regime, and then they spilled out into the streets. Stating that International Women's Day started to be celebrated first at homes in NE Syria, Leyla Gulo said that women in NE Syria celebrated International Women’s Day for the first time in a village of Qamishlo in 2004. “We would celebrate International Women’s Day at the center of the village for the first time. We were very curious about how the celebration would be. At that time, I was involved in culture and art works. We were asked to take to the stage to perform a short theatre play. We decided to play a short theatre play about the Goddess of Ishtar, who freed women from slavery.”

“There was great enthusiasm”

Noting that they went to the place of celebration with great enthusiasm and morale, Leyla Gulo said, “At the beginning of the celebration, one of our friends made a speech about how International Women’s Day is important for women. Then, we took the stage and performed our play. I acted my role as Ishtar. Since it was our first celebration, the participants were enthusiastically welcomed. We wore our traditional clothes and attended the celebration. There were only women in the village center.”

The regime forces attacked them

Leyla Gulo told us that the Baathist regime forces attacked them during the celebration. “The regime forces surrounded and attacked us. When they started arresting us, women united and said, ‘You should arrest all of us to arrest one of us.’ They warned us many times but women resisted and kept celebrating their day. The regime forces pointed their weapons at us but women’s anger was stronger than their weapons. We kept singing songs and dancing.”

“Nazliye Keçel was disappeared after being arrested”

Leyla Gulo told us that Nazliye Keçel was arrested by the regime forces in 2004 and no news has been received from her since then. “We heard that a woman named Nazliye Keçel was arrested by the regime forces during a celebration in the Derik city. No news has been received from her since her arrest. The more we celebrated, the more they attacked us. The more the regime attacked us, the more we got angry and kept attending the celebrations,” she said.

“When YPJ was formed, I cried with joy”

“We managed to build the women's revolution with a great struggle,” Leyla Gulo said, “After the revolution in Rojava; we have held our activities and events every year. We played our role in the women's revolution. Women, who didn’t dare to go out before the revolution, broke their chains and led to the revolution in Rojava. Today, women have taken part in many institutions and organizations by protecting their revolution. When the YPJ (Women's Defense Units) was formed, I cried with joy as a mother. Now, women know that when they are oppressed, they have a home and can find solutions for themselves.”

“I wish a happy 8^th March to all women”

“I wish a happy 8th March to all women in the world, particularly in the Middle East,” Leyla Gulo said, “We commemorate all the women who resisted and lost their lives in the women's freedom struggle. We become stronger and reach all women with the thoughts and ideas of leader Apo. Leader Apo liberated women from slavery, and today we, as women, must believe in our strength. This year, we will celebrate International Women’s Day again and we want to see leader Apo among us. Whatever is asked of us, we will do without hesitation. We will be human shields for all women.”

Tomorrow: Women will take to the streets with their traditional clothes