As women across the world prepare for International Women’s Day with demands for resistance, equality and freedom, the social model built under the leadership of women in North and East Syria continues to inspire women as an experience of struggle that transcends borders.

 

Following the attacks that began on 6 January by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), ISIS and Turkish-backed groups, one of the groups that took to the streets was the internationalist youth who came together from various European countries as the “People’s Caravan.” 

 

The youth who set out to defend Rojava were deported at different border gates and airports after entering Turkey on the grounds of “public order and security.” Despite the agreement reached between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian Interim Government, the siege in Kobanê continues and the Caravan of Peoples maintains its struggle to protect the gains.

 

Laura Junka, who joined the first group of the Peoples Caravan from Germany, spoke to our agency about the significance of Rojava for them and the struggle of youth.

 

SOLIDARITY WITH ROJAVA

 

Laura Junka, a member of YUNA Democratic Youth and the Young Women’s Commune, socialist youth organizations in Germany, carries out media work across Germany. She recalled that she took part in the first group of 16 in order to break the silence of public opinion in Germany, in particular, and around the world. Noting that it was especially important for them to show solidarity because the revolution in Rojava is based on the women’s freedom struggle, Laura Junka said that women have risen up on the basis of self-defense. “For me, it was very moving to see the women in Rojava rise up and take arms and protect the life that they built up, and yes, it was something that moved me very deeply. There were a lot of pictures going around on the internet of women who were taking a ‘normal’ part in society taking up arms and defending their people and their lives because there still is a very real risk of the jihadists and also the fascist forces in the region taking this baseline of women's liberation away,” she said. 

 

THREE ELEMENTS TO OVERCOME PATRIARCHAL BEHAVIOR

 

Emphasizing that women’s freedom in Rojava is under attack and that therefore all women in the world must do what they can, Laura Junka said: “In my opinion, it is very clear that women are at the center of the attack but also at the center of the resistance. One of the points that showed this very clearly was the video featuring cut braids. We experienced this very clearly in our own bodies. While we were in a Turkish prison, the guards took our hair ties and forcibly undid our braids. This shows the very strong meaning symbolized by hair in women’s resistance.”

 

Stating that Rojava’s perspective of self-defense, organization and autonomy deeply affected her, Laura Junka said: “I think those are three key elements of overcoming patriarchal behavior within ourselves. This is something that is not always easy because it breaks with the way we are used to living. But for me, those three aspects showed me a part of my identity as a woman and a part of my identity that goes beyond surface-level things and that connects women worldwide.”

 

‘WE NEEED TO BE CONNECTED EVEN MORE CLOSELY'

 

Noting that the biggest obstacle they faced as a delegation was the pressure of Turkey, Laura Junka said they felt this pressure in the approach of the police toward them and in the constant surveillance. Stating that they knew Turkey feared the international solidarity of youth movements and that they therefore expected to be deported from the beginning, Laura Junka said: “Of course they know it is a force that can bring change, and this is why I also think that they chose this strategy of separating us. Because it is a way to uphold the silence that the states have created, not only Turkey but also Germany and the other European states that we were coming from. For me, this is a sign that the youth movements and the connections we created are a strength that we have, and it is the strength that we need to use to keep the pressure up on the states. As a youth movement it would be fatal if we gave in to the separation that the state is trying to create, and in times like this we need to be connected even more closely as a youth movement.”

 

THE PROBLEMS YOUTH FACE

 

Touching on the problems faced by youth around the world, Laura Junka stated: “The youth in the world have different problems depending on where they come from. But I think one of the biggest problems the youth right now are facing is individualism; being alone, having to rely on themselves for growing in life, making a career, making money, and this is all the youth have to do on their own, alone. In my environment, I see a lot of young people developing strong mental health problems due to this, and this is something that also makes coming together as a community and creating a life together way harder than it should be. Because I think as people this is actually a very normal thing, to have community, and this lack of community is also something that is being upheld because of a lack of spaces where people can come together and also overcome this individualism that is very common among the youth. Individualism is a very big thing we need to overcome. And another very big problem of the youth right now is also something that is defining our work in Germany right now: the militarization in Germany. There are debates about having military service again, and not only in Germany is this a problem, but globally. The crisis is rising; there are more wars developing, there are more areas in the world where conflict is rising, and almost every part of the world is involved in this fight for imperialistic influence. In my opinion, it is absolutely necessary that the youth stick together in this and do not let themselves be part of it.”

 

WOMEN’S ORGANIZATION

 

Stating that forms of organization differ between general and autonomous structures, Laura Junka said: “Especially how deeply the patriarchal way of living is ingrained in us. I think it is necessary to be organized autonomously. It is a slow process to convey this to other women, but in general I have a feeling that there are more and more women organizing themselves, becoming active, and also seeing the problems that are affecting their lives. For example the rising statistics of feminicides; they bring a lot of women to organize themselves in feminist groups. The first thing that I think about when it comes to obstacles is also the understanding of autonomy. Because women's organizations here in Germany have very different evaluations of how important it is to organize autonomously and also in which field of life. This is a great topic of conflict because not every women's organization sees it as necessary to organize autonomously in every part of politics or life. Some say it's not even necessary at all that there is a place only for women to discuss and to build a life together. Another obstacle I see is also the focus. There are some women's organizations in Germany and also in the rest of Europe that focus only on women-specific topics. For example equal pay or infrastructure for women, and they don't necessarily focus on organizing life in general together. This can be a point of conflict because it can lead to a much separated way of looking at things, of looking at life, and looking at how it is to live as a woman in this world. I would say that this is also a point where we can start to discuss because we can look at the specific topics and use them as a base, as a foundation for working together, and then, as we get to know ourselves better, discuss even more how it is possible to build up from that. Of course there are organizations with different topics that we look at, and it is absolutely necessary to learn from each other.”

 

STRUGGLE AGAINST MILITARIZATION

 

Saying that the youth struggle around the world, like the women’s struggle, differs everywhere but that the first step to be taken is to come together, Laura Junka added: “Coming together as youth is the baseline, and I have two examples for this. First, to again talk about the delegation that I was also a part of. This is a very good example of a solution. Of course, it is not a possibility for everyone in the world. But visiting a place where you don't usually live, somewhere else in the world, I think it is a very strong message that the youth across the world are connected and that we see each other, and this also gives us the possibility to struggle together. Delegations like this are a very good method of overcoming individualism, for example. And another example I have are the school strikes that are happening in Germany right now. I was also before talking about the mandatory military service that they are discussing right now in Germany. There are many students coming together, organizing against this, taking part in these school strikes. I think it is so strong because this is an example of people organizing where they live, in the life that is around them. The students going to other students and letting them be part of the struggle against this militarization.”

 

For International Women’s Day Laura Janku said: “The 8th of March is a reminder to every young woman that there is a lot to struggle for in this world. When I see so many young women on the streets on this day, I feel a lot of hope, but I also feel a lot of responsibility that we have as young women. I feel a very strong need to organize even more people and also reach the heart of every young woman to fight for herself and to also fight for her sisters.”

 

MA / Hivda Çelebi