Lêgerîn: A woman with a will of her own

When I was home I always thought that only men can use guns. The whole of society thought so. I was incredibly excited the first time I picked up a gun.

Her name is Lêgerîn, the seeker. In search of the truth, she took the path of freedom. She was trapped in the dirty wheel of the system and threatened to be smashed. She managed to get out of it, but until then she had a difficult time. When she got to know the PKK, hope grew in her. The better she got to know the movement, the more she felt connected to it. Now she is on her way to becoming a commander.

Guerrilla Lêgerîn comes from Jawaro in Hewraman. About the time before she joined the guerrilla and the further development, she recalls: “I was always on the search for the truth and constantly tried to get to know the organization, myself and life better. The movement made me what I am: a woman with a will of her own.

When I was home I always thought that only men can use guns. The whole of society thought so. I was incredibly excited the first time I picked up a gun. And when I fired the first shot, it felt like all my anger was coming out with that bullet. Within the system, my life was in the hands of others. I didn't have the right to say anything myself. I could be married to someone at any time and sent anywhere. Now I have a gun in my hand and I run through the mountains with great confidence. I feel brave and I have become one of those people the enemy fears."

When Lêgerîn was still at home, she had to fight the state anti-propaganda against the PJAK. Now she is a guerrilla fighter and experiences for herself that the PJAK works as a party with ethical principles within the population: “The state is doing anti-propaganda against the PJAK. People shouldn't believe these smearing stories. The PJAK works day and night on the basis of the philosophy of Abdullah Öcalan for the freedom of the oppressed peoples.”

Guerrilla Lêgerîn continued: “The enemy is doing this anti-propaganda because he cannot fight the PJAK. I got that when I joined myself. In the other parts of Kurdistan, such claims are not made because the population is now very conscious. Our movement is the best place for young women who rebel against the existing system. Especially the young women and men in Hewraman have to put a stop to the system and are not allowed to believe the lies."