Ceylan Bağrıyanık, Congress of Free Women (KJA, previously DÖKH) member of the İmralı delegation, has read a message from Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan marking 8 March International Women's Day.

Reading the message addressing to the women who already gathered in the village of Mehser at Kobanê border, Bağrıyanık conveyed the following message of the Kurdish leader; "Women have opened their eyes to a new life and civilization in the body of Kobanê with the spirit of resistance of Arin Mirkans. With this feeling, I greet you, the brave women, with respect and celebrate your International Women's Day."

'A social and communal love'

Öcalan stressed that they wanted to enhance the freedom of women, continuing as follows; "Now, the whole world has started to witness the resistance of women and picture this beauty on magazines. This is where the passion for freedom arose from. To understand this truth requires to know the land of Kurdistan and the sociology of love in the Kurdish reality. I do not deny love, affection and family. Loyalty to these is a noble loyalty but these mean nothing without a free life. What I speak of is a social and communal love."

'The most beautiful woman is the one leading a free life'

In his message, the Kurdish leader said the freedom of women was the most important thing to him, stressing that the most beautiful woman is the one leading a free life. He continued; "No ugliness could be as dishonorable and disgusting as uniting and integrating with slave women and dominant men. Again, no unity and integrity could be as beautiful and right as a living with free women and manhood freed of domination. For 30 years now, my most important supporters have all been women. My dialogue and agreement with the women is of importance. You will improve the social contract of women which must fight against all kinds of practices from femicide to female circumcision and rape. You should treat it deeply. Do not trust men, and do destroy the male dogma. Trust your womanhood. Equality and freedom can only be attained on the basis of the women issue. This is why our revolution is a women's revolution."

'No life can exist without women'

Pointing out that no life can exist without women, and no ethics and aesthetics without freedom, the Kurdish leader said; "What I call women's ethics is the women's power to decide. Accepting or allowing a woman is unacceptable. Women should claim to be belonging to themselves, but not anyone else including their husbands, fathers, brothers or sisters. Women have to be themselves and the formula to accomplish this is to work with passion, to concentrate and to enlighten the darkness."

'I can't be a member of a country where women are killed'

Remarking that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is saying the exact opposite of his remarks, Öcalan said; "He is talking about three children and early marriage. He is saying this deliberately, as am I. Both perspectives contravene each other. We will see who will win, either him or us. The freedom of women is the first article in the Democratic Resolution headings I highlighted. They do not understand it, asking 'what does this have to do with a democratic resolution?'. I am speaking clearly; freedom of women has a clear relationship with a democratic resolution. As I stated before, I can't be a member of a country where so many women are being killed. Achievement of a resolution depends on the state of freedom. The state of women and freedom is fundamental to me."

'I am your comrade for resolution'

The message by Öcalan continued; "I know that women take strength from me and I identify myself as your comrade for resolution. The five thousand-year-old male-dominant culture is a rapist culture. As free women we are trying to revive the nine thousand-year-old collapsed reality of women. This is the reason why the work of women constitutes the essence of all our efforts of negotiation because the woman issue is a political, economic and sociological matter. My dialogue with the state is based on merging the democratic society project in favour of women's freedom with the state."

'I am free, you will be free too'

The Kurdish leader ended his message with the following remarks; "The slogan chanted by women 'We will not be free unless Öcalan is freed' is a beautiful one because I am free and you will be free too. In this regard, I trust you, the resisting women, very much. I should state that the first-time participation of women in a delegation of negotiations within this historic process is of historic importance. I believe 21st century will witness the liberation of women. On this basis, I greet you all with love and respect, and wish you success in your fight for freedom."