Speaking at the Kurdish Conference at the European Parliament, mother of Hevrin Khalaf called on women of the world to join hands against the Erdoğan regime.
The Kurdish conference at the European Parliament continues on its second day with speeches by representatives from North and East Syria. Suad Mustafa, mother of Kurdish politician Hevrin Khalaf* who was murdered by Turkey’s mercenaries on October 12, also spoke at today’s session of the conference.
Mustafa started with: “I have brought you greetings from the people of Rojava, the grounds of resistance”. Defining the Rojava revolution as a women’s revolution, Mustafa said this revolution was targeted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan whom she described as an “enemy”.
Mustafa continued; “The invasion began on October 9 and targeted Hevrin Khalaf and brutally murdered her on October 12. Mother Aqida headed to Serekaniye for peace on October 13 and they murdered her too. They hit humanity over women as the revolution of Rojava is a women’s revolution.”
The mother continued: “Hevrin’s voice became the voice of the world, the voice of humanity. She became a symbol and a value for women’s freedom.”
Mustafa stated: “This enemy does not recognize humanity. There are millions of Hevrin today. They rose up against this fascist (Erdoğan) and will continue to do so. My call to women of the world: Join hands and raise one voice against Erdoğan and his supporters and say: “We are Hevrin Khalaf, we will confront you, we are Arin Mirkan on Mishtenur hill”.
Syrian Democratic Council Co-chair Majdoleen Hassan pointed out women’s role at the center of the Rojava revolution and called on the European Union to give them political support and contribute to their political project.
Kongra Star representative Hatice Barakat from Germany noted that many invited guests from Rojava could not attend the conference as they were denied visa.
Telling about the establishment and works of Kongra Star, Barakat emphasised the role of women in the revolution and said women created everything in Rojava with their own hands. Denouncing the acts of Turkey’s Erdoğan who treats Rojava as an enemy, Barakat told about the invasion of Afrin, Serekaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Gire Spi (Tal Abyad).
The Kongra Star representative pointed out that women are the primary target of the occupation forces as they are abducted and murdered in line with Erdoğan’s intention to break the will of Kurdish women, which -she said- will never accomplish. Remarking that Erdoğan seeks to eradicate the Kurds, Barakat said the world should not remain silent on this.
*Havrin Khalaf – A life dedicated to women’s revolution
Hevrîn Khalaf has played an unforgettable role in the women’s revolution of Rojava and for the unity of peoples. She was executed in an ambush by a jihadist gang allied with Turkey.
Havrin Khalaf, or Hevrîn Xelef, was born in 1984 in Dêrik city of northern Syria. She grew up as a child in a socially and politically engaged family. Four of her brothers and Havrin’s sister Zozan joined the liberation struggle and fell in the ranks of the Kurdish freedom movement.
Her mother Sûad participated in many popular assemblies of Abdullah Öcalan. What she learned here also had a great influence on the education and personality development of Havrin. After completing her education in Dêrik, Havrin studied agronomy in Aleppo. After completing her studies, she returned to Dêrik. With the beginning of the revolution in Rojava Havrin participated in the struggle for freedom and in the work of the youth movement. A short time later, she began organizing civil society development activities and took on senior roles in the Qamishlo Economic Council. With the proclamation of the Democratic Autonomous Administration, she took over responsibility as deputy co-chairperson in the Energy Committee of the Democratic Self-Government in the Canton of Cizîre. In 2015, she played an important role in improving and strengthening the energy supply and economic work in the canton of Cizîre.
Her work paid particular attention to the economic needs of women and the development of women’s economics. In 2018, Havrin participated in the process of setting up and founding the Syrian Future Party with the aim of advocating for the interests of all Syrian population groups and a democratic renewal of Syria. At the founding of the Syrian Future Party on March 27, 2018 in Raqqa she was selflessly committed to the task of Secretary General. Speaking on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of the popular uprising in Syria, Havrin expressed her conviction that the political crisis in Syria cannot be resolved by war. She said, “Eight years have passed. The popular uprisings against the crisis and the struggle of the peoples of Syria have been widely sacrificed and turned into a war. The ongoing crisis in Syria, which is the reason for the displacement and murder of the population, cannot be settled without a political solution.”
In each of her speeches, Havrin emphasized the importance of dialogue among the various Syrian political forces and communities. She insisted that the peoples should determine their own future and shape their own political and social life together. Through her political struggle, Havrin called on all circles of society and political actors to participate in a democratic solution to the crisis in Syria.
With the beginning of the Turkish occupation war against the territories of the Democratic Autonomous Administration in northern and eastern Syria on October 9, 2019, Havrin resolutely continued her political struggle. In an ambush by members of a jihadist killer gang allied with Turkey, she was executed.
Havrin Khalaf has played an unforgettable role in the women’s revolution of Rojava and the community of peoples with her life and work. To commemorate her is to defend more resolutely than ever the women’s revolution in northern and eastern Syria and to continue her sparks in all the countries of the Middle East and the world.
