In a statement against occupation and genocide in North-East Syria, Kurdish artists in Amed said, “Art is a call for peace and freedom against war and slavery. It is one of the duties of artists to rebuild the values of humanity destroyed by war."
Kurdish artists in Amed (tr: Diyarbakır) made a press statement against the attacks of the occupying Turkish state and allied SNA (Syrian National Army) mercenaries against Northern and Eastern Syria. Ferhat Ertaş, one of the instructors at Ma Music Academy, read the statement on behalf of the artists at Dicle Culture and Art Association.
Pointing to the latest developments in Syria and the increasingly ongoing attacks against Rojava, Ertaş said, “The mercenaries supported by the Turkish State took the current situation as an opportunity for themselves and increased their brutal attacks against Rojava. In this way, they want to suppress and defeat the Rojava revolution.”
Referring to the defeat of ISIS in Rojava, Ertaş continued: “The Rojava Revolution is also the guarantee of Kurdish culture and art. The Rojava revolution led by women has become a universal symbol of the struggle for freedom. As artists, we reiterate that we stand by this revolution and defend its values with the language of free art. Art is one of the most powerful means of resistance against war. The struggle for the construction of freedom in Rojava is also a call for peace. It is one of the duties of artists to rebuild the values of humanity destroyed by war, to alleviate suffering and to strengthen the hopes for peace. Art is a call for peace and freedom against war and slavery. For this reason, as artists, we will shout Rojava's message of peace and freedom in all areas of life.
Along with women's, youths' and peoples’ struggle for freedom, the revolution in Rojava brings together the transformative power of art and reveals a new ethical and aesthetic understanding. We will stand by the Rojava revolution with our art, defending the aesthetics of freedom. Rojava, the light of peace in the darkness of war, is a struggle for human dignity. The voice of this struggle will rise in the language of free art. We will resist and produce with our art for peace and freedom.
In this context, we call on all our artists and people to support the freedom of Rojava. Rojava is our homeland, our soul and our life. Rojava is our stran (ballad) and poetry. Let us be the cry of freedom for Rojava. Let us make the voice of Rojava resistance stronger and embrace the values of this revolution. Long live free art. Long live the Rojava revolution.”
