From the Imrali prison island to the women of the world: Abdullah Öcalan’s message for the 8th of March

Before anything else I want to make clear that I don’t find it right to see only the 8th of March as the day of women. It is indispensable, that every day has to be lived with women, with free women. But the reality of the 8th of march shows openly that there are no women accepted in the current life. Seeing it as worthy to remember her only on this day, shows the deepness of slavery. This field is a working field for me, that I constantly get deeper thoughts about. I don’t see this field different from war. Just like in all revolutions and in the revolutions nowadays, the topic of women is the most important topic. In the revolution of Kurdistan the most important topic to reach success in, is the analysis of the life around women. This topic is the most important one, from advanced problems of war to building up peace and all the developments on the basis of freedom, it has an important role.

The 2000s will be the years of women’s freedom with the reawakening from the dark ages of civilization that left women in non-existence. I see this civilization as an dark era. However in the beginning of the 2000s the spring of women began. The freedom of women is being build up anew, like a snowdrop flower that ends the cold and darkness of winter and rises up against the hard ice of the oppressive male system, which is based on lies and violence throughout history. With this uprising, the spring and blossoming of women against snow and hard winter, brings the blossoming of the women’s freedom movement as well. I see this level as important. I build up a relationship with women with my heart and my brain. This is my identity, my method and how I see women.

It should never be forgotten, that a meaningful and honorable life with women requires knowledge and sublimity. The ones who want to love, have to remind themselves every second, that the realization of love comes with knowledge and sublimity. If there is the wish to live this, than first of all, together with women, a force of common knowledge has to be build up. This has to be realized with sharing and creating feelings of beauty and sublimity. It is necessary that we reach the truth of building up this reality. In this matter it is necessary, for the individual and the universe, in the form of men and women, to live in harmony with each other. Again it is necessary that they don’t see each other as possessions and stay away from being one another’s. Instead of the traditional honor, they should make beauty and attractiveness in precious personalities last. If a fully build up women’s revolution doesn’t bring change in the life and mentality of men, then it is impossible to free life itself. Because if the woman, who equals life herself, doesn’t become free, than life will always only be lived as an illusion. If merging of men with life and life with women doesn’t get build up, than also happiness will be like an empty dream.

Most probably you got married without your own consent. Afterwards you became mothers. You live through a lot of pain. But love cannot be realized with mothers and women that have conservative characteristics. This kind of love is killing life. A peoples who’s women are not free has no chance to be free itself.

It is necessary that you become free. Politics is done with love, with love for the people.

We are living the women’s freedom movement. Sakine is an example. You are examples. The freedom of women is the struggle of Sakine. I will ask about the massacre of Sakine, I will bring out the truth of it.

There are heroic women. The holiness of life is important. It is necessary that slavery gets ended. My message for the 8th of march is in this form. A society who’s women are not free, will not be free itself. The woman who became completely free reaches the level of being a goddess. I am remembering the heroic women who became martyrs.

Abdullah Öcalan, 8th of March 2013, Imrali Prison

Internationalist Youth Commune of Rojava,
07.03.2023

Scroll to Top