'Not streets or nights, but men kill'
ISTANBUL (DİHA) – Istanbul's 13th Feminist Night March brought thousands of women into the street for a boisterous night march throughout the evening of International Women's Day, called by the Istanbul Feminist Collective.
Accompanied by whistles, trumpets, traditional erbane drums and echoing ululations, the women marched through Istanbul's central Taksim district.A purple banner declaring, "we're taking control of our lives," led the noisy march. Signs called attention to the AKP's role in protecting women's murders. "Shake off, shake off, shake off men" chanted the women. "We won't give up the night, we won't give up the streets, we won't give up the square," they said as they marched from the French Consulate to Tünel, in Istanbul's central Taksim district.
Feride Eralp spoke in Kurdish and Begüm Acar in Turkish to announce that this year, women were once again in the streets and would continue to be in the streets. They said that the AKP's proposed "family law" as a supposed solution in the wake of the murder and rape of university student Özgecan Aslan was just another manifestation of the state's hatred of women.
"We're not fooled by these lies. We're struggling to have the life we want," they said. In spite of the backlash against efforts to have sexual identity recognized in the constitution, they said, LGBTQ and trans women were continuing to struggle to exist and to fight back against murders of trans people. The AKP, they said, was terrified of women's becoming organized. The women of the YPJ, fighting not just against Daesh but against patriarchy across the Middle East, were an inspiration for women in resistance. "Let them come and attack feminism and try to stop the fight against patriarchy. We're only strengthening our feminist struggle."
Women in Soma celebrate Working Women's Day, demand justice in mine disaster
The women of Soma, led by those who lost their husbands in the mine explosion that killed 301 people, marched for International Working Women's Day. Around 300 women wore mining helmets and chanted "long live women's solidarity" in the small town in Manisa province where criminal neglect and poor working conditions killed 301 on May 13, 2014. Wives of the miners demanded that a case be opened against those responsible for the disaster. Women also called for compensation for miners who were laid off.
"It's been 10 months since my husband left this life," said Türkan Kavas, the wife of Ali Kavas, one of the 301 miners killed by the explosion. "Our children who were unborn at the time never saw their father's face. I will take that which is my children's right from the state, as sure as I put my husband underground. There needs to be a case immediately." "It's not just the ones working at the company who are guilty," said Nursel Kocabaş, who lost her husband, Mustafa Kocabaş. "We want the inspectors and supervisors tried."
Nursel announced that this May 13, they would hold a march for Day of Commemoration of the Miners.
(cm/nt)
