Rewşen Mêrdîn, a member of the KJK (Community of Kurdistan Women) coordination, spoke to Stêrk TV about current issues, including the Turkish invasion of the Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq) and the role of the ruling Barzani clan.

Regarding the military operation launched on April 14 with area-wide bombardment of the guerrilla areas in southern Kurdistan, which was expanded on April 17 with airdropped troops on the ground, Rewşen Mêrdîn stated, "The operation was supposed to succeed within a short period of time, but this plan, forged by the fascist Turkish government together with the collaborators of the Barzani family, failed due to the resistance of the guerrillas. Led by the Barzani clan gangs, the Turkish state launched a dastardly attack using modern weapons technology. However, it had not included the guerrillas' professionalism, preparations and firm conviction in its calculations.

The resistance of the guerrillas has left the attackers in a state of shock, and the soldiers of the Turkish army are psychologically down. Dozens of commanders have fled the war zone. The enemy has relied on its technology and suffered great losses. It is in a difficult situation and therefore uses forbidden chemical weapons. It sends its soldiers to their death. It is a large number of soldiers that it has simply abandoned. How many of them die is apparently of no interest to him."

"They came on horseback and left on foot"

Rewşen Mêrdîn called for punishment for the war crimes committed by the Turkish army in Kurdistan and pointed to NATO's support for Turkey, saying, "If NATO countries did not stand behind the Turkish state, it could not dare to commit these crimes. However, the Turkish state will still suffer defeat in Zap, as it did in 2008. At that time, we said: Siwar hatin peya çûn (They came on horseback and went on foot). This time, they will not even come out of the Zap on foot.

"Gangs of the Barzani family"

We should not call the Barzani family, which collaborates with the Turkish state, the KDP, because the peshmerga of the KDP fought very bravely at the time and put up great resistance. The troops that support and directly participate in the Turkish war today can be called 'Barzani family gangs'. They not only provide support, but also play an active role against us with intelligence and arms logistics. Without that, the Turkish state could not make a move. The Barzani clan participates in the war with its own forces and allows the occupation of Kurdistan so that the Kurdish people are destroyed together with the guerrillas.

"The people are no longer behind the Barzanis"

At this point, the attitude of the people of South Kurdistan is important. In particular, women should be aware of the reality of the Barzani family. The people of Behdinan have never bowed to enslavement and fascism. Many tribes in the region led great uprisings at the time. The same attitude is needed today. Today, people no longer stand behind the Barzanis; in the family environment there is only a small circle with vested interests.

Women in the Barzani clan

Women play no role in the Barzani clan. We have not seen a woman from this family for many years, we heard nothing about them. Only men are ever in the foreground. We don't know the women. There is such a reactionary and patriarchal mentality that women simply don't exist. Women exist only in connection with the concept of honor, and they are treated accordingly. The women from the Barzani family should not put up with this. They must have rights and a say.

"Kurdistan has been sold"

The attitude of the Barzani clan will mean its own end. We have been fighting against Turkish fascism for fifty years. Governments have come and gone, but our struggle continues. Those who wanted to destroy the guerrillas have themselves been destroyed. If the PKK is crushed, the KDP in Southern Kurdistan will be next. The Turkish state is already occupying Mosul and Kirkuk, stationing soldiers and organizing there. This shows that Kurdistan has been sold. Instead of resisting it, the KDP is playing a role in the occupation."