Kongra Star reaffirms support for Afghan women’s struggle against Taliban oppression

Today, Saturday, Kongra Star issued a public statement in the city of Qamishlo marking the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover of power in Afghanistan. The statement was read by Mona Ibrahim, a member of the coordination committee, with the participation of Kongra Star members and women from Qamishlo.

The text of the statement reads as follows: 

Today marks five full years since the Taliban movement seized power in Afghanistan—five years that have been nothing but a dark period of forced regression and persistent deprivation. During this time, the reality facing women and girls there has devolved into one of the most severe humanitarian and human rights crises of our modern era.

From the very first day the Taliban came to power, women in Afghanistan have been reduced to citizens without rights, constantly exposed to dangers threatening their safety and very existence. Afghan women have been stripped of the most basic fundamental rights guaranteed by international laws and conventions—ranging from the denial of education (with schools and universities closed to girls, extinguishing the dreams of entire generations for knowledge and advancement) and the loss of the right to work, to their exclusion from economic and public life and the curtailing of their ability to support themselves and their families.

Furthermore, strict restrictions have been imposed on personal freedoms, alongside repeated violations, rising instances of abuse, curbs on freedom of movement and expression, and attempts to completely erase women's identity from society. What is occurring in Afghanistan is not merely a matter of domestic policy; it is a clear crime against humanity and human dignity. In this regard, we at Kongra Star—acting upon our humanitarian and feminist responsibilities—declare our solidarity and steadfast support for the struggle of Afghan women.

We join our voices with those of the free women of Afghanistan in their legitimate demands to reclaim their usurped rights—specifically the right to education, employment, and a life of dignity and safety—and we condemn in the strongest terms all forms of oppression and daily assaults directed against Afghan women and girls. We also call upon international institutions and human rights organizations to move beyond silence and symbolic statements, and to take concrete, decisive steps to pressure the Taliban authorities to halt these violations immediately.

At the conclusion of the statement, the participants chanted the slogan: "Woman, Life, Freedom."

Sh-S

ANHA