14 years ago Viyan Soran (also known as Viyan Caf/Jaff, civil name: Leyla Wali Hussein) burned himself. The guerrilla fighter, who came from Silêmanî (Sulaymaniyah) and grew up in the midst of popular uprisings against the Baath regime of dictator Saddam Hussein, had joined the Kurdish liberation struggle at the age of 16 and, despite her young age, assumed responsibility in the highest leadership bodies. She was a member of the People's Defense Forces HPG (Hêzên Parastina Gel) and a member of the PAJK (Partiya Azadiya Jin a Kurdistan - Party of the Free Women in Kurdistan) party council. In protest against the isolation of the Kurdish People’s Leader and PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan, she ended her life in Heftanin in southern Kurdistan, northern Iraq on 1 February 2006.

On the anniversary of Viyan Soran's death, the PAJK party said: "Our friend Viyan Soran is one of the cornerstones of our resistance for the liberation of women. In letters she wrote about the international conspiracy against Abdullah Öcalan: 'It is a dangerous process. The conspiracy continues and goes beyond Imrali. It affects the whole of Kurdish society and intends to crush the efforts of Rêber Apo [Leader Öcalan] for peace and democracy. They demand his unconditional surrender in order to subjugate the people. They want us to get used to a life without Rêber Apo, free of ideology and willpower'.' The international conspiracy, as Viyan put it in her letters, is being implemented even more comprehensively and deeply today.

Viyan Soran wanted to break the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan with her action. To define isolation as a purely political or legal event means not recognizing the actual framework. The isolation of Rêber Apo amounts to a genocidal attack on the Kurdish people. This attack is directed against the ideology, politics, humanity, culture and the rights of the Kurdish people. It means the occupation of the Middle East and Kurdistan. The isolation of Öcalan is therefore categorically considered as a crime of genocide. For this reason, the fight against the Turkish state and its collaborators is a fight against genocide, who are guilty of crimes against humanity. We do not want a life without Abdullah Öcalan, because he represents the sum of our created values. A freedom at the expense of our values cannot be our freedom. It is with this in mind that we continue our resistance today.

The actors involved in the conspiracy want to prevent that in Kurdistan even a single leaf moves in the name of the Kurds and freedom. They are doing everything to bring the Kurds, the Kurdish women, on their side. With her determination, Viyan Soran set a signal. The wind is now blowing in a different direction. It's about developing actions that harm the enemy and make them take a step back.

In this spirit, we remember Viyan Soran and all the other February Martyrs of our movement with deep respect and gratitude. We reaffirm the promise that we will resolutely continue our struggle for the freedom of Rêber Apo, our people and the freedom of all women".