Bushra Ali: Tunisian women influenced by Kurdish women

 In the context of strengthening relations and enabling joint action among women's organizations, the Head of the Jane Women's Association in Lebanon, Bushra Ali, accompanied by the member of the Foreign Relations Office of Kongra Star, Zainab Mohamed, two weeks ago, visited the Tunisian capital.

Many women's organizations and figures have met in Tunisia. Meetings have focused on acquaintance, communication, ways of enabling joint action, sharing experiences and knowledge in the women's struggle, raising awareness of the issue of Kurdish women in general and the prominent women's revolution in northeastern Syria.

In a dialogue held by Hawar news agency (ANHA), the Head of the Women's Association of Jane in Lebanon, Bushra Ali, assessed the outcome of the visit and spoke about its objectives and main focus.

The dialogue reads as follows:

* You recently conducted a visit to Tunisia as a women's delegate from the Kongra Star and the Jane Women's Association. And how were your meetings?
 

Yes, we have been as Kurdish female members of the Jane Women's Association, Ms. Bushra Ali of Lebanon, and the Middle East Table Officer of the Star Foreign Relations Office, Ms. Zainab Mohammed of Rojava /North and East Syria; We recently visited Tunisia, at the official invitation of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women, to attend the Thirteenth Conference of the Assembly and to address the Conference. That's in addition to our own agenda

At the outset, owing to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Third Conference of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women was postponed until further notice. We have expressed to the Administrative Body of the Assembly our deep regret at this and our wishes that they will be able to hold their conferences at the earliest opportunity.

Accordingly, we have begun to implement our own agenda, which aims to strengthen existing relations and to open new relationships with many women's organizations and figures in Tunisia. In order to publicize the truth and details of the women's revolution in northern and eastern Syria and the extent to which Kurdish women are leading it to highlight the entrenched democratic system of the nation there, how to build on that experience, and to learn more about the experience of the leading Tunisian women in the region, particularly at the legal, legal and social levels. In addition, the Women's Regional "Force by Unity" initiative, its objectives and framework, and the other recently established Women's Regional Initiative against Occupation and Extermination of Women for Security and Peace, have been made known and how these initiatives can be consolidated on the basis of joint action and cross-cutting objectives.

* What associations and personalities have you reached out to?

As a matter of fact, we have had the privilege of meeting with many important and influential associations and figures, including the following: the Administrative Body of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women, the members of the Executive Office of the National Federation of Tunisian Women, the Head of the Tunisian Women's Association for Research on Development, the Women's Committee of the Tunisia Forward Movement, the Tunisian Association for the Defense of Human Rights, and the Head of the Association for Supporting Initiatives in the Peasant Sector. This is in addition to the meeting with influential female figures in Tunisia, such as: Dr. Amal Qarami, feminist rights activist and university professor of gender, D. Najeh Al-Warimi, Islamic Science Specialist and Professor at the Higher Institute of Humanities of Tunisia

The meetings we had as the Jane Association with the women's delegation from Bakur included: The Popular Mainstream Party, the Tunis Forward Movement, and the Socialist Al-Waat Party. This is in addition to the visit to her home by the distinguished feminist Radia Al - Nusraoui, wife of Mr. Hamma Hamami, Secretary General of the Tunisian Workers' Party.

These meetings focused on the visibility of the struggle of Kurdish women in Turkey, highlighting Turkey's policy of denial and extermination against the Kurd in particular and against all people, nationalities, identities and opposing forces within Turkey in general. The seriousness of the Turkish Government, particularly the person of the Turkish head of State, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his fascist policies, which openly interfere in the internal affairs of Tunisia and many countries in the Middle East and North Africa, and his policy of occupation in the Kurdish areas of Turkey and Syria alike, were mutually emphasized. The Tunisian parties stressed their support and support for the Kurdish people and their just cause in their struggle against Turkish occupation and fascist politics.

* In your opinion, how to do Tunisian women view the struggle of Kurdish women in Rojava in organizational, military, political and diplomatic terms?

In fact, Tunisian women are strongly influenced by Kurdish women, especially as they have become a regional and global icon in their struggle against ISIS/ Deash terrorism. Most Tunisian women's associations and personalities were also shocked to learn about the details of the system that Kurdish women experience in building their lives, whether in organizational, political, social or technical terms. They all stressed the need to learn about this unique experience and noted the remarkable progress made by Kurdish women in their struggle, particularly at the legal level with regard to the laws enacted by the Women's Body of Autonomous Administration, as well as the economic level, and the adoption of the principle of "self-sufficiency."

They were also astonished by the system of participatory presidency and the application of the principle of equality in all spheres of life and at all levels, and stressed that Kurdish women were the first to do so, and that there was a major injustice to them as a result of the obscurity of the reality and the details of their struggle.

* What are the themes of the meetings and discussions between you?

you refer above to talk about the women's revolution in Rojava, NE, Syria. however, the meetings are not just about that. As I indicated at the outset, Tunisian women's associations and personalities have found the subject of the two regional development initiatives, in which Kurdish women play a leading role in their establishment and consolidation, very important, especially in the absence of an inclusive women's ceiling in the Middle East and North Africa region. They stressed the need to explore appropriate ways, mechanisms and tools to enable joint action in this context, and stressed their support for the initiatives and their willingness to participate in them in accordance with the frameworks and objectives set forth therein.

* What have you reached in your meetings, and are you aiming to strengthen relations between Tunisian organizations and women's groups in northeastern Syria or Lebanon?

Among the most important things that we have achieved at this meeting are the empowerment of joint action among women's organizations, the need to devote inclusive initiatives in the Middle East and North Africa, the importance of the leading role of Kurdish women in the area of women's struggle and how to benefit from their experience, as well as the exchange of experiences and experiences of women's struggles based on women's self-sustaining and regional inclusive heritage.

From here, I can very easily say, this round has been very productive, and we have long been more determined to continue the struggle. We have also been assured once again of the importance, necessity and validity of the formation of cross-border women's initiatives aimed at dispersing women's ranks.
Thus, in the near future, we will have further tours in other countries to explore ways, mechanisms and tools for women's joint and inclusive work.

T/S

ANHA