Journalist Avrîn Masûm from the Kurdish TV Channel Ronahî TV spoke with YPJ Commander of the Euphrates Region, Kurdistan Washukani, about political developments in the region in 2019 and the aim of the Turkish invasion against North and East Syria as well as the plans of the Women's Defence Units YPJ in the Euphrates region for the year 2020.

The YPJ Commander said: "If you can liberate woman you can liberate society. When you build a society around women, you also build an ethic. This frightens the reactionary forces of the dominant male system the most. A lot of people look at those assemblies and councils with doubts, wondering if the people of the region will be able to lead, to protect and organize themselves. We, as the children and fighters of this land, believe in ourselves because we passed an 8 year exam. Our exam was a revolution. This made the transformation of our struggle into a social, cultural, and political revolution possible. This reality made women believe in themselves. Kurdish women and also Arab women gained morale and courage. This also allowed Turkmen, Syriac, Durzi and women from all the different peoples of the region to gather around this philosophy and wish to become part of this resistance. Hereby they gave an answer to their own people. This had also a big impact on men and on Arabic society. In Manbij, Kobanê, Tebqa and Girê Spî 50 % of the women in YPJ units are young Arab women. We know that in Kurdish and Arab society, women have for a long time been seen just as housewives who raise children, make food and meet the needs of men. But today women’s will and their dedication to the defence units has created a fear in the heart of the reactionary and statist man. This creates great courage in the hearts of all women who want to become the voice and the will of their own people in the councils. The pride in their participation brings out their natural will. So they become an example for all women in the region."

Asked what impact does the participation of women have on the different parts of society, Kurdistan Washukani replied: “Women have gained more influence. In the Middle Eastern point of view, a man who joins the army does not attract much interest, because it is seen as a men's work. All armies are made by men and men have the duty to go to the military. But the participation of women in the military defence forces, especially of Arabic women, is not an ordinary thing. This helps to create revolution in everyone's mind. Because women had eyes, but could not see. They had a tongue but could not speak. This situation has changed now. Women have now become pioneers of the revolution and the future of an ethical and political society.”

As to the aim of the Turkish state's attacks on North and East Syria, Kurdistan Washukani replied: “Behind the attacks of the Turkish state against Rojava there are those who gave Erdogan the permission to attack. They are the colonial powers that don't have a solution project for the Middle East and just want to deepen the crisis. There are two main forces in the area, the USA and Russia. They don't recognize the people. They do not acknowledge their regional, social cultural and military existence. With this revolution the society opened their eyes and came back to life. These powers reject the autonomy and self-reliance of the people. Therefore they put them into a crisis.

Since the Ottoman Empire broke down, Turkey is afraid of loosing more territory. The Kurds, the Alewites and Armenians still demand their rights. But Turkey denies their rights. Therefore Turkey seeks to eliminate the Kurdish people that have created stability and an autonomous system.

But the people don't accept the alliance among Erdogan, Putin and Trump. The attacks against Serekanye and Gire Spi made the world rise up to say that this attack is immoral. It is a political and an imperialistic attack. Also the American people and the US senate rose up against Trump. What opened the way for the Turkish invasion was the Russian and US-American imperialist politics that don't have any respect for the people and act without any morality, just according to their profit interests. Every day women and children are getting killed. They become refugees and live in tents. The attack was committed by the imperialist states against the stability, the resistance and the culture of the people of our region.”