ŞENGAL – Yazidi youth are angry at Rêber APO’s isolation, making it clear that they want to break morals and spirituality in society by further exacerbating the isolation. They explained: “We have the greatest responsibility to increase the fight against isolation. Until we receive a message from Rêber APO, we will press ahead with actions in every way.”
No word has been heard from Rêber APO since March 2021 and the isolation continues to deepen with penalties they call “disciplinary sanctions”. Against the worsening of the isolation and with the demand to visit Rêber APO, demonstrations, actions, seminars and many other actions have been carried out in Shengal and continue.
Shengal Young Women’s Union (Yekitiya Jinên Ciwan a Şengalê) leadership member Sara Botan and Êzidxan Youth Movement (Tevgera Ciwanên Êzidxanê) leadership member Salim Zerdeşt have spoken to RojNews about the anger they feel at the isolation in Imrali that whatever happens, as long as they do not receive a message from Rêber APO, they will continue their actions.
Sara Botan made it clear that they did not want Rêber Öcalan’s news to be heard and justified this with the following words:
“For as an Ezidi society, hearing news from the Chairman is a great strength and morale. Just as the conspiracy against the Chairman took place with the support of international forces, so today they are attacking the Chairman’s witnesses with chemical weapons. They want to break our strength, morals and spirituality, so they don’t allow visits.”
Sara Botan went on to say that it is very difficult for her to bear that the isolation will continue to increase and that as Yazidi youth they will continue to fight and will not reduce their struggle. She explained: “We will go even further with the Thoughts of the Chairman. As long as we do not receive information from the chairman, we will implement any form of action. Today it is not only the Kurdish society and the Ezidi society that marches with the leader’s mind, everyone who says “I am a human” organizes with the leader’s mind. We will not remain silent in the face of isolation and we will step up our fight.”
In conclusion, Botan assessed the importance of Rêber Öcalan for the Yezidi women and said: “We as young Yezidi women know who built the will of the Yezidi women, who shares the pain of the Yezidi women, it is the leader. Because of this fact, we have the greatest responsibility to increase the fight against isolation.”
Salim Zerdeşt also addressed the situation of Rêber Abdullah Öcalan, who has been resisting alone in Imrali for 24 years, saying: “The Turkish state and international states are closing any way to visit the chairman. Rêber APO has been marching for freedom for 50 years and we are his supporters. They don’t want Rêber APO’s thinking to spread. Because when this thinking spreads, democracy will develop. These states are against it. They keep making declarations, making appeals, but the states that talk about human rights don’t implement them. Again attacks against the guerrillas, Rojava, Maxmur and Shengal take place, but nobody says anything. They have a plan and they want to destroy this movement.”
Salim Zerdeşt explained that the attitude of the Yezdi youth can be described with the sentence “We will say what happens, we will not give up this thinking” and made the following appeal: “What makes us aware, what shows us who our enemy is, is this thinking. That’s why we call on each and every one to support this way of thinking. Rêber APO has been fighting for all oppressed societies for 24 years. We call on all young people to stand up for thought and identity.”
