The Women Defend Rojava Campaign called for the creation of local platforms in protest at Turkish invasion of northern Syria which has witnessed grave war crimes and crimes against humanity since its launch on October 9th.

The statement by the Europe-wide Women Defend Rojava Campaign includes the following:

“Since October 9th, 2019, the Turkish state and its jihadist militias have been attacking the population of the self-governed region of Northern and Eastern Syria (Rojava). This illegitimate war of aggression of the second largest NATO army aims to destroy the democratic confederal project in Northern and Eastern Syria. The attacks of this occupation attempt particularly target the progressive and emancipatory projects that have been built up over the past seven years in the women’s revolution. While the Erdogan government openly announced this war and the plans to occupy the region, we have seen in the recent weeks that the international community – including UN bodies – have merely paid lip service against this war. The international community, too, seems to profit from this war. The EU refugee deal helps co-finance Erdogan’s war of occupation.

Rojava is an expression of how societal values, women’s liberation, self-determination and an ecological, liberated society could look like. It is a clear alternative to the state, patriarchy and capitalism. The region that is currently under assault has built up a societal model in which all peoples and faith communities can co-exist and in which women and men enjoy equality in a system that implements the principle of co-chairs alongside autonomous women’s organization. With a new education system, in which especially Jinelojî (the science of women and life) plays an important role, a new consciousness is being created to communicate knowledge independent of patriarchal histories of colonization and power. A women’s village named Jinwar was created, in which women and children from different backgrounds live together in an ecologically sustainable economy in which they build their own means of education and health. The women’s revolution is as multi-layered and multi-dimensional as the people that develop it.

The projects created by women in Rojava have given us the hope and strength to organize ourselves more powerfully here in Europe. Once more, we have seen just how much our struggles are interconnected. We understand the ongoing annihilation war as a targeted assault against the women’s revolution and against all of us. Through diverse and creative actions, we have taken a clear stance against this brutal war. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets. The war however continues to rage. Our activities have not yet sufficed to put an end to this atrocious war. This is why we want to be even clearer in our fight against this coalition of patriarchs – Trump, Erdogan, ISIS, Putin, Assad, Rouhani, Merkel, Macron and Seehofer. We want to stand against them through clearly feminist, ecological and antifascist organization!

By creating a Europe-wide Women Defend Rojava Platform, we want to defend the values created by the women’s revolution and also express them here in Europe. We demand Turkey's immediate withdrawal from the occupied territories and the establishment of a no-fly zone! We know that we will have to face many more images of massacre and wars against humanity if we do not raise our voice in the here and now. We know that we have the power to stop this war and to change the world through our fight for dignity. Let us together believe in our power and the idea of worldwide democratic confederalism. Let us together do all in our power to defend and stand with the women’s revolution in Rojava. Let us spread the hope that our friends in Rojava have given us all over the world. Let us defend our friends, who fight for all women in the world and who have heroically protected us from the ISIS massacres, through out organized power everywhere in the world! Organize autonomous women’s and LGBTI+ meetings, create your local WOMEN DEFEND ROJAVA committee and participate in the Europe-wide WOMEN DEFEND ROJAVA PLATFORM that is calling for WOMEN DEFEND ROJAVA actions every Wednesday.

Women, who fight, are women, who live!

Jin Jiyan Azadî!”

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