It has been 11 years since the assassination of PKK co-founder Sakine Cansız (Sara), Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) Paris Representative Fidan Doğan (Rojbin) and Kurdish Youth Movement member Leyla Şaylemez (Ronahi) in Paris, the capital of France, on January 9, 2013. During the commemorations held at the graves of 3 murdered Kurd women, promises were made to expand the freedom struggle.

 

MEREŞ

 

Fidan Doğan, one of the women murdered in Paris, was commemorated at her grave in the Elbistan district of Mereş (Maraş). The commemoration held in the cemetery in the Xopon District was attended by members of the Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA), People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) deputies Ceylan Akça, Dilan Kunt Ayan, Mothers for Peace, Democratic Alevi Association (DAD) and DEM Party Women's Council members. Doğan's relatives and lots of people attended. Before the commemoration, the neighborhood and cemetery were blockaded by the police and gendarmerie.

 

'WE WILL NOT OBEY'

 

Speaking at the commemoration where photographs of 3 murdered women politicians and murdered women politicians were carried, DEM Party Amed Deputy Ceylan Akça said: "11 years ago, 3 of our friends were murdered in the middle of Europe with a terrible conspiracy. Our friend Nagehan Akarsel was murdered in 2021. And they thought that when they murder women, we will obey. But we will not obey. This is not the place for those who obey, but for those who turn life into a struggle. We exist and will exist. We will expand the struggle."

 

DEM Party Riha (Urfa) Deputy Dilan Kunt Ayan said: "11 years have passed, but the Kurdish freedom struggle is standing. We remember those we lost and promise to expand the struggle. The struggle continues from the Taybet mothers to today and will not end. 'Jin, jiyan, azadi' has spread around the world. The struggle of women will never end. We promise this to our friend Fidan at her grave."

 

The commemoration ended with the slogans "Jin, Jîyan, Azadî".

 

MERSIN

 

Leyla Şaylemez was also commemorated at her grave in Mersin. DEM Party Deputies Saliha Aydeniz, Perihan Koca and Ali Bozan, Socialist Reestablishment Party (SYKP) Co-Chair Canan Yüce, DEM Party Mersin and Adana provincial and district organizations, Mothers for Peace and many people attended the commemoration.

 

During the march to Şaylemez's grave, the crowd frequently chanted the slogan "Jin, Jîyan, Azadî" and observed a moment of silence at the graveside for the revolutionary women who lost their lives in the Paris Massacre and the Kurdish women's struggle.

 

'WE PROMISE WE WILL CONTINUE THE FIGHT'

 

DEM Party Deputy Saliha Aydeniz reacted to the fact that the perpetrators of 3 Kurd women were not revealed for 12 years and said: “France did not reveal the murderers and Evin Goyi and her friends were also murdered in France. We know that the murderers of women killed in Europe are the same. Those who wanted to divide the Kurds into four parts and leave their struggle breathless murdered Nagihan Akarsel in Basur. They murdered Hewrîn Xelef in Rojava. They murdered Seve in Bakur, Fatma and Pakize in Kurdistan. They also murdered Jîna Emînî in Rojhelat. With Jîna Emînî, the struggle for women's freedom spread all over the world. The philosophy of 'Jin, Jîyan, Azadî' and the Kurd women's struggle has spread all over the world today. We promise from here, at Leyla's grave: We will continue the struggle of our friends until freedom comes to Kurdistan. Kurd women never take a step back or give up their freedom.”

 

Then, roses were left on Şaylemez's grave.

 

DÊRSIM 

 

DEM Party Dêrsim (Tunceli) Provincial Organization organized a commemoration event at the Democratic Alevi Associations (DAD) building for Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan, Leyla Şaylemez and Sêvê Demîr, Fatma Uyar and Pakize Nayır, who were murdered during the curfew declared in Şirnex's Silopiya (Silopi) district between 2015-2016. TJA, DEM Party Women's Assembly Spokesperson Halide Türkoğlu, Dêrsim Deputy Ayten Kordu, Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) Co-Spokesperson Esengül Demir, DAD Co-chairs Kadriye Doğan and Zeynel Kete, Mothers for Peace and many people attended the commemoration.

 

The commemoration started with a moment of silence for those who lost their lives in the struggle for democracy and freedom. After a video prepared for the 6 murdered Kurd women politicians was shown.

 

'SAKINE HAD A STANCE AGAINST DESTRUCTION AND DENIAL'

 

DEM Party Dêrsim Deputy Ayten Kordu said: “Friend Sakine was someone who fought both against the male-dominated system and for the freedom of all peoples. We have a path that tries to understand her journey with the words 'My life was always a fight', to move forward through her memories and to be worthy of that legacy. She had a stance against denial and destruction. This policy of denial still continues. We remember her with respect and love in the lands of Dêrsim. We will fight until the isolation in İmralı ends. We will continue our march for freedom until the truth is confronted and those responsible for these massacres are revealed. We will fight for our own democratic rights and equal citizenship rights."

 

'THIS MEMORY HAS TO REMAIN ALIVE'

 

DEM Party Women's Assembly Spokesperson Halide Türkoğlu said that the murdered women are struggling for a new life. Stating that international forces are also at war against the Kurds' new struggle for life, Türkoğlu said: “If we want an equal and honorable life, we must live at all costs. The system wants to collapse by saying 'this is the price'. Our friends did not kneel, and neither will we. These women are our history. This history and memory must remain alive... We will never give up on the struggle of our comrades. By growing the organization, we will grow the fight. I commemorate all our martyrs with respect. It is necessary to protect this heritage and this path and to further expand this struggle. This is our promise."

 

After the commemoration, Sakine Cansız's grave was visited. The police allowed only 10 people to visit. The delegation consisting of Halide Türkoğlu, Ayten Kordu and Mothers for Peace held a commemoration at the cemetery. Prayers were read at the grave and flowers were left on the grave.

 

'WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS LEGACY'

 

Speaking at Cansız's grave, Türkoğlu reacted to the governor's decision. Türkoğlu said: “With her struggle, the Kurdish women's movement became a struggle known in the world. I would like to say this to comrade Sakine; Your struggle echoes all over the world today. Women all over the world in Kurdistan say 'Jin, Jîyan, Azadî'. Their ideas come to life everywhere and become immortalized everywhere. We will hold the murderers to account. We took this determined stance from Comrade Sakine and we will continue to protect this determined legacy."

 

In the protests held in Northern and Eastern Syria for the 3 women commemorated at their graves, the message was given: "We will continue the struggle of our friends who create life from nothing." Marches were held in Qamishlo, Kobane, Heseke, Tebqa, Efrîn and Shehba, Aleppo, Damascus, and Rojava University.

 

In Europe, a commemoration event was held for the 3 women murdered in Paris, the capital of France, and the message "The struggle for truth will continue" was given.