2nd forum of PYD's Women's Council discusses internal killer, commune concepts

The second forum of the Women's Council of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) continued its work at the Samarkand Hall in Hasaka, under the slogan "A Free and Equal Life Is a Guarantee for Building a Democratic Communal Society." The forum was attended by 180 delegates, including representatives from the Autonomous Administration, the Syrian Democratic Council, political parties, women's organizations, human rights activists, intellectuals, independent figures, and internal Security Forces.

The forum is part of the sixth phase of the campaign against violence against women, launched by the council on October 8th.

Internal killer

The first topic addressed was the concept of the "internal killer," introduced by leader Abdullah Ocalan in his final defense. This concept was discussed by Nurshan Hussein, co-chair of the Diplomatic Relations Council in North and East Syria, considering it as a hidden force that practices oppression and destruction within society.

Hussein made clear that this concept doesn't appear in classical literature; however, it metaphorically represents a hidden authoritarian structure that permeates educational institutions, media, religion, social relations, and even revolutionary structures themselves. She considered that the "internal killer" is more dangerous than the traditional enemy because it is internal and invisible, and works to dismantle memory and resistance from within.

She also linked the concept to the dismantling of matriarchal societies, colonialism, and neoliberal violence, noting that the internal killer strips the individual of their essence and transforms them into a tool serving the system through mechanisms such as the attention economy (a system based on attracting and directing people's attention towards specific content such as advertisements, news, videos, and applications), screen culture, and algorithmic manipulation.

She cited quotes from leader Abdullah Ocalan, and the thought of Michel Foucault and Hannah Arendt, to illustrate how modern power transforms into a force that shapes minds and molds behavior, without individuals realizing that they are part of the system of oppression.

Political and Social Solutions for Achieving Equality and Justice

The second session focused on political and social solutions to achieve equality and justice. The co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), Perwin Youssef, presented on this topic, emphasizing the vision of leader Abdullah Ocalan, linking it to historical experiences, and offering practical solutions inspired by his philosophy for rebuilding a sustainable, just, and equitable society.

She stressed that these crises did not arise in a vacuum, but are an extension of long-standing historical accumulations, established, as leader Abdullah Ocalan describes them, by "murderous tyranny," in other words, systems based on oppression, monarchy, and male dominance over human societies.

She considered the concept of matriarchal commune to be the cornerstone of the leader's thought, as he views society as a unity founded on equality and justice, before the emergence of what he calls "murderous tyranny," which embodies monarchy, oppression, and male dominance.

She pointed out that ancient matriarchal communes were not merely a primitive social form, but rather advanced models of social organization where every member's rights were guaranteed, they participated in decision-making, and they broke the historical cycle of exploitation that linked power to money and influence.

She stressed the necessity of reviving this model by establishing equal women's and men's communes, working to create a just society, as envisioned by leader Abdullah Ocalan.

She affirmed that contemporary experiences such as the Jinwar (Women's Village) project in North and East Syria represent a practical application of this concept, where the joint management of resources, education, health, and production is integrated, with women participating at all levels of decision-making.

Pervin Youssef added that this project proves that equality is not merely a theoretical concept, but can be implemented in practice. It also creates a society based on cooperation and participation, breaking the legacy of male dominance.

She stated that, in the leader's view, the matriarchal commune is not simply a social unit, but a framework for democratic experimentation, reflecting popular participation, the equitable distribution of resources, and the inclusion of everyone in decision-making. This highlights the link between studying history and contemporary political practice, as understanding these ancient models allows for the development of practical methods for achieving justice in the modern era.

Youssef explained that women's liberation is a central pillar of the leader's philosophy for rebuilding society. He believes that women are not the property of anyone, and children are not the property of their fathers. She believes that women's liberation entails a radical re-evaluation of all traditional social relations, including marriage, divorce, children's rights, and property management.

She emphasized that this necessitates enacting laws and policies that prevent domestic violence, promote women's economic and social independence, and cultivate societal awareness of the value of the commune as a foundation for human relations.

She noted that implementing this concept requires educational and social institutions that provide training and empowerment for women, along with legal programs to guarantee their rights, thus contributing to transforming the traditional social structure into a just and inclusive one. In practical terms, this includes creating shared spaces for redistributing power within the family and society, thereby promoting equality and breaking down the dominance of traditional norms.

Perwin saw that confronting modern oppressive systems requires incorporating curricula that focus on the history of matriarchal communes, the impact of the murderous regime on social relations, and historic and contemporary models of resistance by women and oppressed communities.

She emphasized the necessity of strengthening critical education and philosophical culture to cultivate generations capable of analyzing social and political realities and systematically confronting oppression through critical and analytical education. This would enable individuals to recognize the role of centralized power, distinguish between various forms of covert domination, and acquire the tools to develop a society that guarantees justice and equality, avoiding the repetition of historical mistakes that led to the spread of tyranny and class exploitation.

She asserted that the centralized state is an extension of historical regime, where the concentration of power at the hands of a small elite leads to the destruction of genuine democracy and the perpetuation of social inequalities, as Abdullah Ocalan saw.

She stated that the proposed solution is to establish decentralized political structures based on local councils linked to a representative central council, with the participation of women and youth in decision-making, as exemplified by the Autonomous Administration model in North and East Syria, a cooperative economy, education and critical thinking as the foundation for empowerment, peace as the basis for achieving justice and equality, and the adoption of democratic modernity as a practical alternative, in addition to drawing inspiration from historical and cultural experiences, such as the Sumerian civilization, which offers valuable lessons in social organization, division of labor, and resource management.

Then, the way for discussion opened before the attendees, who emphasized the importance of activating the commune system and its practical application in daily life, while simultaneously stressing the value of an equitable society as the foundation for building a balanced and just community.

J.J

ANHA