In a statement on Turkey's attacks against the autonomous region of North and East Syria, the Kurdistan Women's Community (KJK) emphasised the responsibility of the international community. The brutal campaign of destruction against the organised Kurdish civilian population is made possible by the silence of the major powers and international institutions, said the KJK and called for solidarity with the Kurdistan Freedom Movement.

The KJK statement calling for enhanced support and international action for Rojava includes the following:

"Today, in the world, in the Middle East and in our country, Kurdistan, we are witnessing the intensification of war in every aspect. Today, when the barbaric capitalist system and nation-state regimes are at the peak of genocide, peoples, women and nature are being subjected to a great genocide. On this occasion, we condemn with hatred the genocidal attacks of the fascist AKP-MHP gang state, which is the spokesperson of the colonialist-powerful system, against our peoples in Rojava. We commemorate our martyrs who lost their lives in the attacks with respect, and we wish a speedy recovery to the wounded. Again, we respectfully commemorate our comrades who fell as martyrs in the actions carried out on 22 and 23 December by the Kurdish Freedom Guerrilla, who showed an example of superhuman will in the Medya Defence Zones, and we reiterate our promise to be worthy of the values they bequeathed to us. We congratulate the HPG and YJA Star fighters who took part in this historic resistance that strengthened the hopes of our people for liberation.

Violence has reached its peak

Violence, which is the most effective weapon used by sovereign and ruling fascist forces against women, peoples and the oppressed in general, has reached its peak with the wars that have developed in today's world. In this war, which we call World War 3, genocide, social slaughter, femicide, child genocide, ecological genocide are being experienced at levels and in forms that conscience and reason cannot comprehend.

Since the day it came to power, the fascist AKP-MHP regime, which has turned life in Turkey into a dungeon with daily and momentary wars, migrations, poverty, theft, corruption, plunder, rape, massacre and a great many crises, tries to hide the insolvency created by these situations for which it is responsible and guilty, by escalating fascism. The result of the politics of war is death and multifaceted economic, social and political crises. The Turkish army, which has been continuously receiving heavy blows at the hands of the Kurdish Freedom Guerrillas in the Medya Defence Zones for the last few years, suffered a heavy defeat on 22 December. The fascist Turkish state, which turned the direction of attacks to Rojava in order to cover up the defeat it has suffered, commits war crimes in front of the eyes of the whole world. The reality of this war, which does not benefit the peoples of Turkey, only favours the fascist forces. With this war, which is the work of fascism, it attacks the fact that our peoples live together on the basis of peace and freedom.

This wave of attacks, which aims at genocide and demographic change, aims to destroy the gains made by the Kurdish people at great cost. With this escalated war, the fascist Turkish state is trying to dry up society and life, the common culture of the peoples, the values of democracy, and to weaken their will. In an environment where religionism, sexism and nationalism are being brought to the fore, all social segments are forced to be absolute partners in the genocide policies being carried out. In today's Turkey, where everyone who criticises the war policies of the government, which has made the country uninhabitable, is lynched, thrown into dungeons, killed and exiled, all democratic circles and leftist forces must say ‘stop fascism’ with a louder voice than ever before in order to get rid of the crime of being a partner of this fascist regime. The day has come to put a stop to this government that legitimises its fascist regime and wars with nationalist discourses. We invite all those who call themselves intellectuals, democrats and leftists to take a stance against the war policies of the government, which is not based on the interests of freedom, peace and democracy of the peoples and women. They must wage a stronger struggle against the fascist Turkish state’s nationalist fascism and genocide attacks against all differences, especially against the Kurdish people. It should not be forgotten that today this wave of nationalism, which is peaked against the Kurds, is increasing poverty, unemployment and deaths in Turkey.

Let's expand the struggle to protect the gains of Rojava

In addition, in the person of Rêber Apo (Leader Abdullah Öcalan), who has been subjected to an unprecedented isolation for 25 years, it is aimed to prevent Kurds and women from becoming a democratic and free power. Through the isolation imposed on Rêber Apo, the Kurdistan Freedom Movement and the Kurdish women's struggle for freedom are wanted to be isolated. For this reason, the system of isolation, torture and genocide has been applied in the most severe forms for 25 years against Rêber Apo, the leader of the freedom movement in Kurdistan. Today, along with the aggravated isolation attacks against Rêber Apo in İmralı, the isolation and liquidation attacks against women in four parts of Kurdistan and against women are going on in parallel in this sense. The dangers created by this process, which proceeds on the basis of isolation, torture, occupation and genocide policies, are gradually growing.

The fact that these genocidal attacks which are intensified in İmralı are increasing in prevalence in the whole society and parts of Kurdistan requires enhancing the total resistance. As KJK, we salute the hunger strike action started in the dungeons against the isolation and torture system intensified in the person of Leader Apo. Undoubtedly, overcoming the Imrali system, breaking the isolation, stopping the ongoing colonial genocidal war also depends on the strong development of women's struggle. Therefore, we state that we, as the women's movement, are and will be in constant active struggle against both the inhumane practices in İmralı, which do not fit into any ethical measure, and the genocidal attacks that intensified in Rojava and other parts of Kurdistan. We call on the people of Kurdistan to show their legitimate reactions everywhere to stop the attacks these days when we are living in apocalyptic moments. Democratic actions must be continued urgently until the back of fascism is broken. The day is the day to increase the resistance and common struggle around Rojava and those resisting in prisons. We call on our people and women everywhere to increase the organised struggle to protect the gains of Rojava.

Those who remain silent today will be ashamed tomorrow

Today, these attacks are witnessed by the whole world. This recklessness of the fascist Turkish state, which does not observe any international law, convention or norm, is due to the silence of these powers. The silence of international organisations and powers encourages the attacks of this fascist AKP-MHP government. Therefore, we call on all relevant international powers to take a stance to prevent these attacks that wound the conscience of humanity. Those who remain silent about what is being done today will be ashamed tomorrow. There are attacks on all sides. Kurds are being attacked on all sides. Our people are being massacred, our sources of life are being destroyed. The Turkish fascist regime wants to complete in all parts of Kurdistan what ISIS left unfinished.

The silence of the so-called conscience of the people is the power that keeps the government standing. Not raising a voice against fascist practices, not holding them to account, causes fascism to attack so recklessly. It should not be forgotten that those who support, watch and wear the armour of silence are feeding this fascist power. The current government is committing war crimes. The day of reckoning will come.

Again, we call on all anti-capitalist forces and friends who support, embrace and contribute to the freedom struggle of the Kurdish people and women in all processes to embrace the Rojava Revolution, which is a beacon of hope for humanity.

We call on Kurdish mothers, young women, women's organisations and personalities to show their attitude against the intensified occupation and genocide operations, femicides, fascism and male hegemony in our country in the strongest way. We call on women's organisations in the Middle East and around the world to increase their joint organisation, consciousness and action power alongside the legitimate resistance of the Kurdish people.”