Sozdar Avesta, member of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Presidential Council, addressed young women worldwide in particular in a video message.

Avesta spoke about the leading role of YJA Star (Free Women’s Troops) in the resistance against the Turkish invasion of the Medya Defense Zones in southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq), saying, "Attacks through the union of AKP/MHP fascism with the treachery of the KDP, continue throughout Kurdistan. The invasion, which started on 17 April, aims at destroying the guerrillas and thereby committing genocide against the Kurdish people. The hopes of women and their freedom are to be destroyed. But against this invasion, a non-stop resistance is taking place in Zap, Metîna, Avaşîn and everywhere where freedom fighters are. The young women fighters of the YJA Star are shaping this resistance.

Humanity has never seen a resistance comparable to what these young women are doing here today. Today, under the leadership of Komalên Jinên Ciwan (Community of Women from Kurdistan) and on the basis of Rêber Apo's [Abdullah Öcalan] ideas and philosophy, but also under the leadership of the PAJK (Party of Free Women in Kurdistan), the young women have become the hope of all women throughout Kurdistan and abroad. It is mainly the young women who are organising themselves on this line and joining the struggle. All over the world, especially in Kurdistan, a policy of annihilation and rape is being carried out against women. Women are wanted to be enslaved in all areas and excluded from the system. Young women in particular are to be prevented from knowing the truth about the enemy. They are to be drawn into the capitalist system and poisoned by the power thinking of capitalist modernity. We see today that capitalist modernity, which tries to sell its liberalism as freedom, is developing its plans and projects especially against women. Young women everywhere are being attacked by the system. The state attacks them, the family attacks them, wherever they go they are attacked. The only place they can breathe is the Medya Defense Zones and the guerrillas. To destroy them, cruel attacks take place.

As Rêber Apo said, the revolution of Kurdistan and the Middle East is the revolution for women's freedom. The women's liberation revolution is also developed by dignified, revolutionary and professional young women.

"To fight is the task of every young woman"

Avesta remembered the fighters who died in June and continued: "Dear friends, as you know, we are in the month of June. June is an important month for the history of free women. June is the month of our great martyrs, our goddesses of freedom Şehîd Zilan, Şehîd Sema and Şehîd Gulan. The life and struggle of each of these three fallen comrades is a manifesto of free living for us. I bow with respect, love and gratitude to Zilan, Sema and Gulan and those martyred in June. Through them, I would like to remember all the martyrs of the revolution. I repeat the promise that, on the resistance line of people like Sema and Zilan, we will achieve the physical freedom of Rêber Apo. The duty of young women is clear; young women should know that every minute they stay in the system, they move away from their being, they move away from their existence and the values of women, the values of freedom. It is the duty of every young woman to free herself from the system and to fight wherever she is.

No matter what field young women are in, the young women in Northern Kurdistan, Turkey, Eastern Kurdistan, Iran, Southern Kurdistan, Iraq, Northeastern Syria and Syria should take their leadership role and take their historical task just as they are leading the revolution in our movement under the leadership of PAJK, as they are waging the war against the fascism of the Turkish state on the battlefields, as they are defending all of Kurdistan and humanity.”

"Take part in the march to freedom"

Avesta addressed the young women directly, saying, "Dear friends, today there is an organisation of young women. Under the umbrella of Komalên Jinên Ciwan, they are organising themselves. They are forming their institutions and building organisations in all areas. Every young woman should join these structures, should organise herself. Some women may wonder how they can participate in the struggle, as the state, the family, the system and the patriarchy hinder them. You can say that, of course. But it should be clear to you that the only obstacle is that you are not the master of your will. If you make a sincere decision and want to participate with your mind and your heart, then the way is open for you. You can always participate.

On Newroz this year, the Freedom March of our movement and of Rêber Apo celebrated its 50th year. Today, Rêber Apo is under the most severe isolation. Turkish fascism always attacks Imrali first. They want to prevent even a word of Rêber Apo from reaching the society and women. The campaign for the physical freedom of Rêber Apo is very important. This campaign will continue until his physical liberation. Join the freedom march now and let us win the freedom of Rêber Apo together."

"Zilan is our freedom manifesto"

Sozdar Avesta also addressed the struggle of the internationalist young women in her speech and called for further organising. She continued: "We know that in every field, especially in the ranks of the guerrillas, people have been fighting with the greatest courage for months. The Turkish state is using banned weapons, chemical weapons and all technology to suffocate the guerrillas. We should give breath to the guerrillas everywhere, be the voice of the guerrillas, join and create a ring of resistance."

"Love comes through liberation"

Avesta emphasised that "love" is only possible through liberation, liberation only through struggle. She said: "In the name of 'love' women are deceived. This is how society is to be subjected to ruthlessness and unconscionability. You must know that this is all a lie. We see today that the Turkish state is waging a special war in Kurdistan, especially against young women, bringing its contras and fascist policemen to Kurdistan and letting them have relations with Kurdish women. Drugs are also brought into Kurdistan and brothels are set up. This is also part of the special war. You can say now that you know this, but you don't realise what can be done about it. For 50 years, the free women's movement has been organising itself on the Apoist line, it has yielded thousands of martyrs for this cause. Today, it is waging a great struggle in Kurdistan and all the continents.

There is a great awakening for the freedom of Rêber Apo. Especially in England, but all over the world, trade unions and civil society organisations and in the social sphere, women in the freedom movements, young women and internationalist women are playing an important role in this.

I salute in particular the internationalist women who have joined this movement and are fighting for their freedom. They are aware that their freedom is guaranteed by Apoism and in the women's freedom struggle in Kurdistan. We must turn to the guerrilla, we must turn to the struggle in Zap, Metîna, Avaşîn, Botan, Dersim, Amed, Garzan and all the areas of struggle. Everyone should know this very well; if the Zap resistance is victorious, all women will get one step closer to their freedom and will be able to play their role in society even more effectively.

On the one hand, women must join and strengthen the struggle, on the other hand, not a single young woman must remain unorganised in society. Where there is fascism, occupation and the enslavement of women, women must take action, organise themselves and build their legitimate self-defence. The legitimate self-defence started under the leadership of women. The women's struggle is being developed on the line of Comrade Bêrîtan, Gülnaz Karataş, who threw herself off a cliff 30 years ago to avoid falling into the hands of the traitors. Our line is Bêrîtan's line. Our freedom manifesto is shown by Zilan, our responsibility towards Rêber Apo is shown by Sema, our command line is shown by Gulan and in the line of the YJA Star fighters who put forward a militant stance in Zap, Metîna and Avaşîn today. We need to look at this carefully and join the struggle in the areas we are in on this basis."

"Extend the resistance"

Avesta called for participation in the 'Werin Cenga Azadiyê' [Come to the Freedom Offensive] campaign and underlined that the attacks on the Medya Defense Zones continue with the participation of the KDP. She referred to the attacks on the Shengal region and concluded by saying: "The AKP/MHP regime wants to crush the hopes of women in Kurdistan. In order to prevent this and make the enemy's plans fail, to guarantee a free Kurdistan and a free life with the freedom of Rêber Apo, we have to push the 'Come to the Freedom Offensive' campaign started by Komalên Jinên Ciwan and Komalên Ciwan everywhere. All the youth of Kurdistan should stand up for this women-led struggle everywhere. Therefore, I say: I invite you to participate in this resistance under the leadership of the YJA Star and I greet all members, collaborators, all those who work for this cause from the mountains of Kurdistan full of love, respect and longing. Come to the freedom offensive, come to the freedom dance to guarantee the physical freedom of Rêber Apo and to live in freedom. Let us continue to grow the resistance in the spirit of Zap and Imrali!"