Welcoming Women's Day in Bakýrköy prison
Welcoming Women's Day in Bakýrköy prison
Not only workplaces and streets, but prisons are also becoming the areas of resistance and struggle for women now. The International Working Women's Day is welcomed with this consciousness in Bakýrköy L-Type Prison, like in many other prisons.
Including theatre, chorus, modern dance, sketch, folk dance and feminist history reading performances, a series of activities have been arranged for 8 March in Bakýrköy L-Type Prison. While the organizations by ‘KCK’ detainee women have been arranged as equally good as those outside the prison, we talked to detained scientist and politician women about the importance of International Women’s Day…
Prof. Büþra Ersanlý, BDP Deputy Co-Chair and former MP Fatma Kurtalan, Peace Mothers Sakine Güven and Lütfiye Gürbüz, Translator Ayþe Berktay, sick prisoner Hediye Aksoy, BDP Arnavutköy City Council member Hatice Vural made evaluations to ANF about 8 March. Sending a message to their fellows outside the prison, woman politicians underlined that they will be in areas with all their hearts.
Büþra Ersanlý: The International Working Women's Day began with a struggle given for labour rights and improvement of working conditions but it in fact consists of everything related to the area of male-domination. I had the chance to meet this day in different countries so far and I am welcoming it in Bakýrköy L-Type Prison this year. The current situation of us makes me think that we are hostages of the male-dominant system, but on the other hand it is a respectable fact that women can manifest themselves with all their creativity against the male domination. We are also determined to manifest ourselves in all platforms unless women’s political representation and participation in local governances are equalized. The greatest injustice today is the fact that women who make up fifty-one percent of the society are represented deficiently in all areas. The Kurdish political movement and the BDP, which concretely attaches importance to equal representation, have made the freedom struggle of women from all circles visible in both Turkey and the world.
Fatma Kurtalan: Our imprisonment and captivity can’t change the fact that 8 March is a day of the meeting of consciousness and struggle for women. Our freedom screams will not only demolish these walls, but also lead us to a peaceful future. Happy International Women’s Day to all of us.
Ayþe Berktay: 8 March is the day of our rebellion and resistance against the male-dominant system, injustice, cruelty and our being ignored and deprived our language and words to say. This is a resistance that comes from a very old, far and deep history and has been assuredly displayed at different times, in different territories and environments against different structures. Despite the fact that prisons are a center of isolation and one of the institutions where the system reveals itself most nakedly, I welcome the 8 March with a deeper feeling of solidarity with women in all parts of this country and the world. I know that we will be very crowded in areas as we will be walking all together with those far away from us, those imprisoned and died in struggle as well as the sick and old who don’t have the opportunity to be there. I feel this power and richness of us in my heart and wish a happy 8 March to all of us.
Sakine Güven: To me, 8 March means the common emotion of the women, regardless of their race, religion and language. It means the unity of all women and a peace with the women, above all. While I have so far welcomed this day outside with a great effort and emotion, it has led to a sadness and resentment in me this year to meet the day in prison because of the deadlock policies of the government. However, regardless of the place I am held in, my heart will be beating with the women in areas.
Hatice Vural: As a woman who has welcomed the 8 March in areas for the last 18 years, my heart and mind will be with hundreds of thousands of women in areas this year as well, despite the fact that my body has been taken hostage by the male-dominant system. Neither walls nor bars have the power to discourage our enthusiasm and opinion. Just like our woman comrades on streets, we will also be joining the celebrations inside the prison, with the same enthusiasm and excitement.
Hediye Aksoy: To me, 8 March means the day of existing, resistance and struggle; it is the bridge that carries women to freedom. Women gave a struggle 155 years ago to obtain some rights and they paid the heaviest prices for this purpose. They created the 8 March by giving their lives for us, the women. However, the women’s struggle isn’t and shouldn’t be restricted with 8 March alone. Just like 155 years ago, the struggle of women continues with all its destructiveness today because they are being killed in all parts of the world; in wars, on streets, in factories and houses, namely in all places where life exists. Our country is also one of the territories where we most witness these bitter deaths; numerous women are brutally being killed every day by their so-called lovers. Women will this year also take to the streets and voice their freedom against the women’s slaughter, the rape culture and all kinds of policies of denial, destruction and assimilation. This year, I won’t be able to rank among hundreds of thousands of free and brave women in areas but my heart will be beating with them. Being held in jail is an imprisonment but I have never imprisoned and I’ll never imprison my heart behind these walls. I wish a happy International Women's Day to all women, with the warmness of the freedom fire lit by Sema who said that ‘I want to be a bridge of fire extending from 8 March to 21 March’. Freedom will find its true meaning with us, the women.
Lütfiye Gürbüz: I welcome 8 March in prison this year but the enthusiasm and morale of us have shown that the place doesn't matter at all to celebrate this day. Extending my loves to all working and laborer woman comrades outside, I want them to know that my heart will be with them in areas. As a Kurdish woman, I wish a happy International Women’s Day to all women.
Bakýrköy L-Type Prison
Including theatre, chorus, modern dance, sketch, folk dance and feminist history reading performances, a series of activities have been arranged for 8 March in Bakýrköy L-Type Prison. While the organizations by ‘KCK’ detainee women have been arranged as equally good as those outside the prison, we talked to detained scientist and politician women about the importance of International Women’s Day…
Prof. Büþra Ersanlý, BDP Deputy Co-Chair and former MP Fatma Kurtalan, Peace Mothers Sakine Güven and Lütfiye Gürbüz, Translator Ayþe Berktay, sick prisoner Hediye Aksoy, BDP Arnavutköy City Council member Hatice Vural made evaluations to ANF about 8 March. Sending a message to their fellows outside the prison, woman politicians underlined that they will be in areas with all their hearts.
Büþra Ersanlý: The International Working Women's Day began with a struggle given for labour rights and improvement of working conditions but it in fact consists of everything related to the area of male-domination. I had the chance to meet this day in different countries so far and I am welcoming it in Bakýrköy L-Type Prison this year. The current situation of us makes me think that we are hostages of the male-dominant system, but on the other hand it is a respectable fact that women can manifest themselves with all their creativity against the male domination. We are also determined to manifest ourselves in all platforms unless women’s political representation and participation in local governances are equalized. The greatest injustice today is the fact that women who make up fifty-one percent of the society are represented deficiently in all areas. The Kurdish political movement and the BDP, which concretely attaches importance to equal representation, have made the freedom struggle of women from all circles visible in both Turkey and the world.
Fatma Kurtalan: Our imprisonment and captivity can’t change the fact that 8 March is a day of the meeting of consciousness and struggle for women. Our freedom screams will not only demolish these walls, but also lead us to a peaceful future. Happy International Women’s Day to all of us.
Ayþe Berktay: 8 March is the day of our rebellion and resistance against the male-dominant system, injustice, cruelty and our being ignored and deprived our language and words to say. This is a resistance that comes from a very old, far and deep history and has been assuredly displayed at different times, in different territories and environments against different structures. Despite the fact that prisons are a center of isolation and one of the institutions where the system reveals itself most nakedly, I welcome the 8 March with a deeper feeling of solidarity with women in all parts of this country and the world. I know that we will be very crowded in areas as we will be walking all together with those far away from us, those imprisoned and died in struggle as well as the sick and old who don’t have the opportunity to be there. I feel this power and richness of us in my heart and wish a happy 8 March to all of us.
Sakine Güven: To me, 8 March means the common emotion of the women, regardless of their race, religion and language. It means the unity of all women and a peace with the women, above all. While I have so far welcomed this day outside with a great effort and emotion, it has led to a sadness and resentment in me this year to meet the day in prison because of the deadlock policies of the government. However, regardless of the place I am held in, my heart will be beating with the women in areas.
Hatice Vural: As a woman who has welcomed the 8 March in areas for the last 18 years, my heart and mind will be with hundreds of thousands of women in areas this year as well, despite the fact that my body has been taken hostage by the male-dominant system. Neither walls nor bars have the power to discourage our enthusiasm and opinion. Just like our woman comrades on streets, we will also be joining the celebrations inside the prison, with the same enthusiasm and excitement.
Hediye Aksoy: To me, 8 March means the day of existing, resistance and struggle; it is the bridge that carries women to freedom. Women gave a struggle 155 years ago to obtain some rights and they paid the heaviest prices for this purpose. They created the 8 March by giving their lives for us, the women. However, the women’s struggle isn’t and shouldn’t be restricted with 8 March alone. Just like 155 years ago, the struggle of women continues with all its destructiveness today because they are being killed in all parts of the world; in wars, on streets, in factories and houses, namely in all places where life exists. Our country is also one of the territories where we most witness these bitter deaths; numerous women are brutally being killed every day by their so-called lovers. Women will this year also take to the streets and voice their freedom against the women’s slaughter, the rape culture and all kinds of policies of denial, destruction and assimilation. This year, I won’t be able to rank among hundreds of thousands of free and brave women in areas but my heart will be beating with them. Being held in jail is an imprisonment but I have never imprisoned and I’ll never imprison my heart behind these walls. I wish a happy International Women's Day to all women, with the warmness of the freedom fire lit by Sema who said that ‘I want to be a bridge of fire extending from 8 March to 21 March’. Freedom will find its true meaning with us, the women.
Lütfiye Gürbüz: I welcome 8 March in prison this year but the enthusiasm and morale of us have shown that the place doesn't matter at all to celebrate this day. Extending my loves to all working and laborer woman comrades outside, I want them to know that my heart will be with them in areas. As a Kurdish woman, I wish a happy International Women’s Day to all women.
Bakýrköy L-Type Prison
