Rabîa Êto/JINHA

SIRÎN – Sirîn Town located in the south of Kobanê was liberated from ISIS last year. Now, women are rebuilding the new life in the town. The women underline that they have power to fight against ISIS and call for participation in the YPJ.

The YPG (People’s Defense Units) and YPJ (Women’s Defense Units) fighters liberated Sirîn Town located in the south of Kobanê from ISIS on August 28, 2015. The people in the town are rebuilding the town now. We asked the women, who walk in the streets freely, the atrocity they faced during the occupation of ISIS and their new life. One of women Fata Xelef said, “When ISIS occupied our town, everone, particularly women, lived like they were in prisons. The gangs made our (women) life hard.”

‘They punished women, who walked without abaya’

Fata noted that ISIS members punished women, who walked around without abaya, “They tortured women. They inflicted cruelty to the people. Our life was in dark. We escaped from the inhuman applications with support of the Kurdish people. We are happy for that. Meanwhile, women in Manbij faced the atrocity of gangs; however, the situation of women was changed following the liberation of the city. There isn’t any difference between the Kurds and Arab for us. We have only purpose that annihilates all ISIS gangs in Syria. I call on all Kurdish and Arab young women: They should join the YPJ.”

An Arab Helime İbrahim, who opened a clothes shop after escaped from occupation of ISIS, expressed that women had been locked in homes during the period of ISIS. Helime said, “I couldn’t sell clothes in this shop. We were locked in homes and we were forced to wear black abaya covering the entire body. When a man went out by wearing long dress and smoking, it was problem for them. We couldn’t contact the Kurdish people. They separated us from our Kurdish neighbors. Fortunately, our town was liberated. We live like before now. First I tore off my black abaya. Then, I began to work. Now I have a shop and earn my living.

“We want to live beautiful life. I don’t want anyone to interfere to our life. Particularly, anyone mustn’t impose principles and criteria upon women. Women should take their part in social works with their will. Women in our town can fight against gangs now. Women have their rights now. They can say what they want. In the past, we couldn’t tell anything to men, ask our rights; however, this situation has been changing. We protect our rights.”

Nûre Xetîb said, “The gangs threatened us to kill and behead us. We feel relieved after our town was liberated. We get rid of the atrocity of gangs. Before, we had to wear black abaya and we couldn’t go out. First, all women tore off their black abaya.”

(mg/gd)