Filiz Zeyrek/JINHA

ADANA – Families displaced from Rojava’s Kobanê canton by Daesh attacks are struggling for life in Adana, Turkey in plastic tents. Rojava women, who have lost children to illness and hunger, say their only dream is to return to their liberated homeland.

When Daesh attacked the city of Kobanê, many families were forced to migrate to the city of Adana, Turkey, living in plastic tents. One-year-old baby Garam died in his mother’s arms of hunger. Kevser Selmano, a mother of two from Kobanê, killed herself in the face of the difficulties. As the families struggle to survive, women say they want the war to completely end so that they can live a humane life in their own land.

Hatice Selmano’s daughter Kevser Selmano was forced to migrate to the Yüreğir district of Adana when Daesh attacks began. Kevser ended her life under suspicious circumstances.

“We all became depressed. My daughter couldn’t stand the difficulties, and she committed suicide,” said Hatice. “War is always targeting us women; we always hurt the most. How much longer will these wars last; how much longer will these people die on the trail of migration?”

Hatice said that many of those staying in the tents have passed away due to neglect and lack of essential services in the area.

“We die either from the gas from the stoves, or from hunger,” said Hatice. “Someone needs to say ‘enough.’ We’re people too; we too have the right to live. We want to return to our lands.”

Kevser’s 15-year-old son has to work to survive, Hatice said.

“The weather’s so cold; if we don’t work, we’ll go hungry and freeze as well,” said Hatice. The family has been living in the area for nearly three years, said Hatice. During the summer, the family goes to pick tomatoes, leaving Hatice in the camp for the summer because of her sickness. In the winter, the family picks oranges for low wages. Hatice noted that the children living in the tents have health problems and lack access to healthcare.

Tent resident Nefide Hame said that along with all the difficulties of migration, the families also face prejudice.

“Even in the place where we work, they don’t eat their meals with us. They go sit somewhere else,” said Nafide. “For our brothers and sisters to treat us this way is really saddening. We didn’t come here of our own volition.”

Nafide noted that conditions were worse for women, who worked both in the fields and in the home. She said that they were unable to express themselves because they do not know the language.

“They attacked us because we resisted their taking our land away. Our youth are still resisting there; we migrated this far to protect our children,” said tent resident Medrike Nebu. “And this war is still going on. Hundreds of our youth have been martyred and still they continue their honorable struggle despite everything.”

Medrike noted that now, people in the Northern Kurdish cities of Cizre, Sur, Silopi and Nusaybin are resisting, just as the people of Kobanê did.

“Kurds living in Northern Kurdistan and Rojava have the same blood, the same language, the same culture. And right now, our fate is the same,” said Medrike. “I hope that Kurds will obtain their freedom as soon as possible and can live humanely in their own land.”

Medrike said that the family plans to return to Kobanê and rebuild their home.

“If we die, we’ll die on our own land,” said Medrike.

(ck/mg/cm)