TJA Position Paper on 14 May Elections

The Republic of Turkey which is leaving its first century behind, has built its century-old system on the basis of a monistic and monopolistic mentality. Therefore, the year 2023 which marks the threshold of the second century of the Republic is one of great significance for the peoples of Turkey and Kurdistan.

In the course of this first century peoples, beliefs and women have been disregarded and their existence denied by the nation-state mindset. This century-old construct has been shaped by nationalism, sexism, bureaucracy and monopolization. These parameters are also the sine qua non of the nation-state perspective. Throughout history, sexism has been a weapon employed by governments and male-reason against democratic, ethical and political life. We need to point out that nation-state mentality is one that locks women up. We also must point out that the AKP-MHP fascist male rule in Turkey has unfortunately wrought profound destruction upon the peoples especially in the last 20 years. For 20 years, this system has insisted on locking women up in their homes and turning them into workers with no pay, the most docile slaves, objects of sexual desire, commodities, factories that continue the bloodline and amenable women.

The male-state reason which entrenches its policy of violence with tolls getting heavier by day, bears the main responsibility for the systematization of femicide. While women whose gains face extortion in all areas of life are confronted with violence, harassment, rape and murder; the men, protected by the judiciary, have occupied the entire living space of the female identity donned in an armor of impunity. The alliance formed by the reactionary and fascist parties united under the umbrella of the People’s Alliance has misogyny as its common denominator. We should know that if this bloc continues to rule, women’s right to life and security will be completely usurped, and the whole country, women in particular, will drift into a dark period.

This system of destruction established during the last 20 years has imposed a policy of political impasse on the society and its insistence on continuing this policy has brought along another destruction, the earthquake. The fact that we are witnessing a devastation and loss of an unprecedented scale in world history is not a destruction wrought by fate or nature, but the result of these fascist policies of the government. Let alone taking measures that prioritize life, hundreds of thousands of people were condemned to a situation without any way out and left to die in this disaster, and those who survived were treated in ways that violate human conscience. What caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people, the upheaval in lives of millions of people, and laid whole cities to waste was not just the earthquake, it was the rentier and profiteering system that has been in control for over 20 years. Policies prioritized by the government have been policies of self-interest, not policies prioritizing human life and ecology.

Insistence on policies of war has continued to bring about death, and social problems such as violence against women, economic crisis, ecological destruction and refugee crisis that deeply shook the whole society appeared. The insistence on continuing with the aggravated and absolute solitary confinement [of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan] has also hijacked the democratic grounds for the discussion of social problems and the Kurdish question. The effects of this situation is not confined to prisons; it has its impact on social values ​​and all dynamics of democratic and free life as well. The principal target of this policy is, of course, the female identity. It should be known that the damages created/to be created in a situation where a generation is divested of the entirety of its values and identities are estranged to the essence of their selfhoods – as a result of special warfare policies – will take the state of chaos to multi-dimensional levels. This anti-democratic structure and the impasse in social problems stands in the way of women’s freedom, the economy and a free, democratic and equal life. Therefore, this absolute solitary confinement in essence, is imposed on the society in its entirety and subverts the social possibilities of living together.

The society of Turkey and Kurdistan is approaching the 2023 elections under such conditions of crises of all sorts. A future of freedom for Turkey and Kurdistan will only be possible with an approach wherein democratic politics is built from the local to the center, identity rights and statuses are recognized and women’s freedom is given a central place.

As the Kurdish Women’s Movement, we know that the current problems can only be resolved by a paradigm where not monism but plurality, not male politics but women’s perspective prevails. We say that a political understanding dominated by a democratic, ecological, women’s liberationist paradigm can build a democratic, equal and livable country. For this reason, it is more important than ever that politics be organized locally rather than centrally. Especially in today’s conditions where all types of violence against women continue to increase, an approach dominated by women’s representation and women’s perspective will bring about a permanent solution.

As women, we believe that we should, as we always and everywhere do, stand up for our rights, life and freedom more, be together more, walk and work together more.

In this framework; we call on all women, feminist movements and women’s activists to unite around the declaration of the Green and Left Party’s Women’s Assembly, that puts forward a call to amplify women’s freedom struggle and the political steps this requires with a perspective for a genuine solution!

Amplifying the struggle of the Green and Left Party and its Women’s Council against fascism will be one of the most momentous axes of struggle in overthrowing the conditions of fascism.

We salute all the women who have set out with the slogan We Will Change All This All Together against the monistic male mentality and have manifested the will to organize women’s freedom at home, on the street, in the squares and in the parliament.

Long Live Our Women’s Struggle!

Jin Jiyan Azadî!

We Will Change All This All Together with Women!

Tevgera Jinên Azad (TJA)