European Parliament Committee for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality held a conference that handled the role of women especially in peace processes.

The conference was also attended by HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) İzmir MP Serpil Kemalbay, former MP Besime Konca, HDP Europe Representative Eyyüp Doru, Kurdish Women’s Movement in Belgium (TJK-B) member Cihan Yalçın and Roj Women’s Assembly member Türkan Özcan.

Speaking in the afternoon session of the conference, HDP MP Serpil Kemalbay told about the struggle they have been giving against the authoritarian regime in Turkey.

Kemalbay pointed to the leading role played by women in this struggle, citing DTK Co-chair and HDP MP Leyla Güven as an example in this regard. She continued; “It is crucial to remove the isolation on Mr. Abdullah Öcalan to achieve a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. For this reason, Leyla Güven has been on a hunger strike for 146 days.”

Recalling that over 5 prisoners have joined the hunger strike resistance on March 1st, Kemalbay put emphasis on the critical health conditions of the prisoners who put their lives at stake demanding the end of the isolation.

Kemalbay said; “Leyla Güven doesn’t want a loss of life especially in prisons and she wants the end of this unlawfulness in Turkey.”

A letter sent by Güven to the conference was read by Türkan Özcan of Roj Women’s Assembly.

The letter said the following;

“Dear women,

As you know I and thousands of others are on hunger strike. You may be finding it difficult to understand our course of action. “You could voice your demands in other ways, why did you choose to harm yourselves”, you may ask. You can be sure that we tried very hard to struggle against the isolation of Mr. Ocalan, but nobody heard us. In the country we live in there is no freedom of expression, let alone the freedom to protest. For this reason, there are thousands of Kurdish politicians, intellectuals, writers and journalists in prison. We are being tried for tragicomic reasons such as calling an end to solitary confinement, saying “Kurdistan”, supporting democratic autonomy. This is why many of us are behind bars and many of us are in exile.

In the midst of all of this, as a democratically elected official I could not find any other way but to starve myself. I believe that if in the 21st century parliamentarians, politicians, women and young people are starving themselves in order to get themselves heard, the international community should listen. My friends and I love life, but a free and equal one. I heard that you, as the Women’s Commission of the EU, will be meeting. I wanted to salute your meeting. I thank you for your invitation. I would have wanted to express my thoughts to you in person. But my deteriorating health has not allowed for that to happen. My morale is high, but I cannot go through my daily routine without the help of my daughter and friends.

When I started my hunger strike, I knew that the fascist AKP government was not going to shift easily. This is why I prepared myself for every outcome. I thought that just like Bobby Sands, elected as an MP by the Irish people when he was behind bars, I too could give my life for the demands of my people. As you know, it is the 146th day of my fast and you dear women have heard my voice. Women from all over the world have shown their solidarity. This solidarity has been very meaningful and has given me a lot of strength. However, in order to keep me and thousands of my friends alive, we need a stronger voice. As our legitimate and legal demands are not met, coffins are coming out of the prisons. Our comrades are sacrificing their lives to highlight the inhumanity of solitary confinement and in order to keep us alive. My health and that of my comrades have reached a critical point. I believe that as the AKP government completely disregards international agreements that it is a signatory of, it is most emboldened by the silence of the EU.

Dear women,

We can raise the struggle together against the injustices and evils created by the patriarchal global system. We can create a peaceful world in which human rights are implemented equally to everyone. We can carry forward the flag handed down to us by the Claras, Rosas and Sakines of the world. I believe in the tradition of women’s resistance. Yes, another world is possible and I believe it will be built by women. I salute you all with this belief and hope.”

FORENZA: WE OWE THE KURDISH WOMEN

Speaking after, member of Italian Parliament Eleonora Forenza said the following; “I feel in debt to the Kurdish women. They taught us that politics must be rethought. I believe we owe them and we should pay this debt by supporting Leyla Güven.”

BJÖRK: THIS STRUGGLE IS FOR PEACE, AGAINST FASCISM

MEP Malin Björk from Swedish Left Party stressed that this struggle was also for peace and against Erdoğan fascism. She said there was a need for Leyla Güven and her comrades for a democratic Turkey and sent warm greetings to the Kurdish politician.

WARD: UNITED WE CAN CHANGE THINGS

British parliamentarian Julie Ward said; “United we can change things.” She called for the Commission to act within the bounds of possibility.