On March 8th, women's vigil in Hasaka calls for captives held by government release

Hundreds of women in the city of Hasaka participated on Sunday in a gathering on the International Women's Day, which turned into a protest against the Syrian Interim Government's detention of captives from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The demonstration took place in the city's municipal stadium and was attended by members of political parties, women's organizations, and relatives of the captives.

During the protest, demonstrators carried pictures of the captives and banners with, "On International Women's Day, from women's freedom squares, we call for the freedom of our captives," and "I want my father, I want my uncle" written on, condemning the Interim Government's failure to abide by the agreement signed on January 29th with the SDF.

The protest began with holding a minute of silence, followed by the reading of a message from leader Abdullah Ocalan on the occasion of International Women's Day. In his message, Ocalan emphasized the fundamental role of women in building a democratic society, noting that women's struggle at this stage is essential and indispensable. He also saluted the struggles of women around the world.

A member of the Kongra Star Coordination in Rojava, Alif Hamo, stated that reaching this stage was thanks to leader Abdullah Ocalan. She added that the women's movement has made many sacrifices and noted that the Middle East and the people of Kurdistan are going through a difficult period and are subjected to brutal attacks. She believes that the only solution for the peoples of the region is to implement leader Abdullah Ocalan's project, embodied in his democratic philosophy.

She added that despite the 29th Agreement, the Syrian Interim Government has not released the captives as stipulated in the agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). She emphasized that "if there had been a genuine intention to reach an agreement and integrate, they would have released our captives by now." She stressed that the struggle will continue to make their voices heard globally, preserve women's gains in the constitution, and demand the release of captives and the handover of the martyrs' bodies.

As Sofia Yousef; the member of the administrative board of the Syriac Women's Union in Hasaka, stated, "We stand in awe of the long history of women's struggle for freedom, dignity, and justice. We remember the sacrifices of the women who gave so much so that women could attain their rightful place in society and be true partners in shaping life and building the future." She emphasized that women throughout history have been, and continue to be, examples of resilience and dedication.

For her part, Shukriya Abdel Ghani Maish; the daughter of the SDF fighter Abdel Ghani Maish, who was captured by the Syrian Interim Government, said: "My father is ill and needs his medication to live. Why isn't he being released? Why don't we hear anything about our captives? We demand that the government release our captives and those missing."

The protest concluded with chants demanding the release of the captives and their return to their families, and others emphasizing the need to guarantee women's rights in the constitution.

ANHA