Preparations of women ongoing for March 8
NEWS CENTER (DİHA) - Women's organizations, led by the Congress of Free Women (KJA), have announced a range of action plans for March 8, International Working Women's Day in Kızıltepe, Edremit, Siirt, Batman and Çınar.
In Edremit, in the province of Van, March 8 activities have been ongoing since February 25 with a series of film screenings led by the KJA. At the most recent film screening, the film "Turtles Can Fly" was shown. Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Edremit Municipal Council member MehtapDinçer spoke on the history of March 8. Edremit municipal employee Ruken Acar read the poem "Ez jinim" (I am a woman) by Kurdish poet Şêrko Bêkes.
The Nuda Women's Information building in Kızıltepe hosted the unveiling of the KJA's March 8 plans for the area. Co-mayor Leyla Salman, DBP co-chair Nadya Kaya and a range of other activists and civic organization members attended. Activities will begin in Kızıltepe on March 3 and 4, with noon musical performances, and continue on March 5, with an 11 a.m. march and rally from the bus garage to Özgürlük Square.
In Siirt, the municipal Berfin Women's Information Center announced the plans with the attendance of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), DBP, Peace Mothers Congress, NGO and municipal workers and the women's organizations of unions. The plan of events for the area will start on March 1, with a range of events—from film screenings to panels to street theatre to visits to the camps of Shengal refugees—continuing every day. Events will end with a rally from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cumhuriyet Square in the city center.
'Our eyes have dried up from crying, but we are still proud'
In Batman, women will hold a massive rally on March 2. Women gathered recently at the post office to send March 8 cards to women prisoners. The group also visited the family of Ahmet Tekin (code name Baran Argeş), who died fighting Daesh gang members in Shengal. Meyaser Akdağ, a member of the Peace Mothers Congress, gave her condolences on behalf of all mothers, saying, "Our eyes have dried up from crying, but we are still proud. Our heads are high."
In Çınar district of Diyarbakır, the KJA met in the municipal Jinwar Women's Center Park with the attendance of local co-mayor Rukiye Eryılmaz. Sociologist Ümran Nar spoke on the history of March 8 and the importance of the formation of the YPJ in Rojava as women's self-defense against Daesh gangs. Women will have a "Women's Celebration" at 11 a.m. on March 5 at the DBP regional building. They will send representatives to Nusaybin for the World March of Women March 6-7 and then travel to the March 8 rally in Diyarbakır.
Mersin women plan March 1 rally for Özgecan and Kobanê
The Mersin Women's Platformhas called all women to the streets in Mersin, where 20-year-old Özgecan Aslan was raped and burned to death, on March 1 to "bring the enthusiasm of Kobanê to the rebellion on behalf of murdered woman." Prominent Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) women politicians will also attend. The rally is planned for the Çukurova region of Mersin province in the course of the week of action leading up to March 8, International Working Women's Day. Women will gather at 11 a.m. at Mersin Forum Havuzbaşı for a march to Teyfik Sırrı Gür stadium, followed by a massive 1 p.m. rally with the attendance of HDP Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdağ, HDP Group Deputy Chair Pervin Buldan and HDP MP Nursel Aydoğan.
There will be musical performances in Kurdish by Meral Tekçe and in Arabic by Grup Nidal. Özlem Şen of the Mersin Women's Platform explained that on behalf of all murdered women, the group wanted to bring the spirit of the Rojava women's revolution into the streets. "The revolution there brings us closer to our freedom," she said. The group has invited women from across the Mersin region to the rally and expects attendance in the thousands.
(cm/nt)
