Commander Şerda Mazlum Gabar of the central headquarters of the Free Women's Troops (YJA Star) called on Kurdish society to resolutely continue the fight for the clarification of the Paris killings and a complete prosecution of all those involved. "The Kurdish people must signal to everyone, friend or foe, that they will not rest until the massacres have been fully investigated and the perpetrators punished," Gabar said in a video message to the demonstration in memory of Sakine Cansız (Sara), Fidan Doğan (Rojbîn) and Leyla Şaylemez (Ronahî), revolutionaries murdered by a Turkish assassin on 9 January 2013 in Paris on Saturday. Gabar demanded that France stop blocking the investigation into the case and lift the state secret.

Thousands of people from different European countries participated in the memorial march, which also commemorated Emine Kara (Evîn Goyî), Mehmet Şirin Aydın (Mîr Perwer) and Abdurrahman Kızıl, who were murdered shortly before Christmas in the attack on the Ahmet Kaya Cultural Centre in Paris. Şerda Mazlum Gabar's message, which was played at the closing rally in Republic Square, earned a lot of applause and attention. Below we publish the statement in its wording:

WE WILL TAKE REVENGE

"First of all, on behalf of the Kurdish Women's Movement, the Central Command of the YJA Star, on behalf of our women fighters resisting in the war tunnels of Metîna, Zap and Avaşîn, and those fighting from Botan to Amed and from Serhed to Dersim, I convey my sincere greetings from the mountains of Kurdistan. On the occasion of today, I reverently remember our friends Rojbîn and Ronahî, the goddess of freedom, Comrade Sara; our precious patriot Abdurrahman Kızıl, Comrade Evîn, who fell in the continuation of the first massacre of Paris, the worthy artist Mîr Perwer; I reverently remember our eleven comrades, who recently fell as a result of a chemical weapons attack by the enemy, and bow to their memory. I reaffirm our pledge that come what may, we will take revenge.

SARA WAS THE MAIN TARGET OF THE FIRST PARIS MASSACRE

Dear people, you know that in the assassination plot that took place in Paris ten years ago, on 9 January 2013, the primary target was our friend Sara. She was targeted primarily because she was involved in the founding of our party and, as a woman, was one of its first members. Comrade Sara insisted on the Apoist line; she did not bow to the enemy or to patriarchy. Her life was always a struggle, a fight. She always rebelled against the patriarchal system of domination. Thus, Sara's participation [in the PKK] was the answer to the genocide in Dersim. The enemy understood this truth that was shown in Comrade Sara. He saw her resistance in prison and her crucial role in the Kurdish women's movement and in the movement as a whole and targeted her. Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] also called the first Paris massacre the second Dersim genocide for this reason. Why did he call it that? Because the enemy has been pursuing a policy of genocide against the Kurdish people and Kurdish women for more than 100 years. This genocidally motivated policy is intended to destroy and exterminate the Kurds and especially the Kurdish women who live according to their own will and act according to their identity.

SARA WAS THE IDENTITY OF THE FREE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT

Comrade Sara was the identity of the Kurdish women's liberation movement. She was not an ordinary woman. Her revolutionary style was a way of life. We learned from Sara how a free woman lives, how she fights, how she participates in the struggle for freedom. From the example of Comrade Sara, we learned how a woman in the PKK can become beautiful, how a revolutionary woman can stand upright and live meaningfully. Being a PKK member suited Sara. 

"REVOLUTIONARY PEOPLE'S WAR MUST BE EXTENDED"

Because Sara's loyalty to Leader Apo was extremely strong and she was very attached to the freedom movement and the values of the people, the enemy had her particularly in their sights. In 2013, the then ruling AKP and the MIT jointly perpetrated a massacre in the French capital Paris. This was to send a message to our movement, to our people. They wanted to break the will of the Kurdish people, the will of the free Kurdish women, they wanted to crush our movement so that we would integrate into the system. But the historic resistance of our leader in Imrali, the relentless struggle of the Kurdish freedom guerrillas in the mountains of Kurdistan and the historical rebellion of our patriotic people against AKP/MHP fascism have thwarted the genocidal policy of the Turkish state.

However, we must not forget that the international conspiracy is not over and will continue. We have to smash the conspiracy, we have to defeat it. That is why we need to organise ourselves more than ever. What is our strategy at this time against the genocidal mentality of the enemy? It is the revolutionary people's war. Our people and our guerrillas must extend their struggle in Kurdistan and abroad on the basis of the revolutionary people's war. Of course, it is not enough to fight or wage war only in the country. Because wherever there are Kurds who stand up for their will, wherever there are women who are determined to resist, the enemy will attack. Be it in France, in the United States or in Sulaymaniyah. Our friend Nagihan is an example of this. So are Comrade Evîn, Abdurrahman Kızıl and Mîr Perwer. If the conspiracy surrounding the first Paris killings had been solved and all those involved had been identified, the second massacre would not have happened. For this reason, the attitude of our people, which they have demonstrated since 23 December, fills us with great pride and deep respect. We consider the attitude of our people towards the French government and the actions since then as significant.

THE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT BEHIND THEM STANDS THE GUERRILLA ARMY

The ruling powers, these fascists who do not know their borders and stretch out their hands to our people, should know that we are the defence forces of the people. We are the defence forces of Kurdistan, we are the defence forces of the Kurdish people and all women. We will break the hands that reach out to our people and we will liberate women. Our people should know that they are not alone. They should know that the YJA Star army is behind them, that the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla is behind them. We will not rest until we have avenged our comrades. Life is not only breathing in and breathing out. Life has meaning when it is given a meaning. Life has meaning when it is valuable, when it is based on identity. Only then can it be called life.

We know it and we have also seen it in the actions of our people. Our people are rebelling against genocide. They do not want to live without meaning, they do not want to be a people without will. Our people must continue their resistance from now on. They must not rest until both the first and the second Paris massacres have been clarified. They must demonstrate this demand to everyone, friend or foe.

FRANCE SHOULD NOT MAKE ITSELF AN ACCOMPLICE

At the same time, I would also like to address France: The French government should not make itself an accomplice in this crime. The AKP/MHP regime and the MIT have committed a heinous, vile massacre in the heart of Paris. The political leadership must neither cover up this massacre nor obstruct its detection. France is obliged to clarify who the criminals are and who is involved in the murder plot."

THE SPIRIT OF ZAP, METÎNA AND AVAŞÎN MUST BE LIVED IN FRANCE

Addressing the Kurdish diaspora, Şerda Mazlum Gabar ended her message with the words: "Dear people, as long as the assassination plot has not been solved, you must continue your freedom march and fight on. The spirit of Zap, Metîna and Avaşîn must be lived in France and Paris. We are convinced that our people are deeply attached to the martyrs and Leader Apo. You know that we are not in an ordinary phase. The enemy wants to destroy our movement. Why does he want this? Because the PKK is the only obstacle to the implementation of his genocide. The enemy believes that if the PKK disappears, it will be easier for him to wipe out the Kurdish people. He believes that he can subject this people to genocide. Therefore, our society will stand up for Leader Apo more than ever. At the same time, it will defend its values of freedom. Today, in the mountains of Kurdistan, the most beautiful children of this people, the fighters of the Kurdish freedom guerrilla, are being killed by chemical weapons. Eleven of our comrades have died recently. No matter what the enemy does, we will not give way one step. Everyone should know this. We will continue our struggle to the end."