HPG guerrillas Mazlum Çiyager and Kurtay Dêrazor recalled Abdullah Öcalan’s words, “Society cannot be free unless women are liberated,” and emphasized that the struggle for women's freedom is a struggle for the entire society.
HPG guerrillas talked about the women’s struggle for freedom on the verge of 8 March, International Working Women’s Day.
Guerrilla Mazlum Çiyager drew attention to the fact that women have been pushed to a "second-class position" in social life throughout history, and added that the basis of revolutionary ideology is women’s liberation. He said: "The system constantly oppresses women. However, if we want to build a free society, we must first ensure women’s liberation. Because unless women are liberated, society cannot be truly liberated."
This struggle is our shared responsibility
Guerrilla Çiyager said that young guerrillas are also involved in the women’s struggle for freedom and added: "It is the duty of young guerrillas to stand in solidarity with women’s struggle. This cause is too important to be left to women alone. Women’s struggle for rights is actually a struggle for freedom for all of us (…) Freedom is not possible without a transformation in mentality. Both women and men must constantly educate and rebuild themselves in order to overcome oppressive and discriminatory ideas. Women being pioneers in the struggle scene is one of the most important stages leading to a free society."
Guerrilla Çiyager stated that the women’s freedom struggle is also against social hierarchies and all kinds of dominant relations, and added: "We live in comradeship. We are against the concepts of superiority and submission. Freedom, equality and solidarity constitute the essence of our struggle. Women should not be confined only to home or a narrow circle; they should be the strongest carriers of both freedom and resistance."
March is the symbol of women’s freedom
Guerrilla Kurtay Derazor touched on the historical importance of 8 March, and said that this day is the result of women’s search for freedom symbolized by resistance. He said: "8 March represents the women’s struggle that has been going on for years. Women were tried to be made invisible within the boundaries of home and society. However, despite these boundaries and oppression, they resisted and created their own areas of freedom. Therefore, 8 March is not only the voice of women, but also of social freedom."
