Yazidi and Arab women in Shengal organized a march to protest the isolation of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. The women said that they gained their freedom thanks to Öcalan and demanded his release.
Yazidi and Arab women marched from Xelef village to Barê village in Shengal (Sinjar) in a demonstration promoted by the Yazidi Women’s Freedom Movement (TAJÊ) to demand freedom for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan who has been held in aggravated isolation in Imrali Island Prison since his capture and forced departure to Turkey in February 1999.
The Yazidi and Arab women partaking in the protest highlighted the importance of Öcalan’s freedom for women.
A young woman named Hêvî Musa expressed her desire to see Öcalan, saying, “We want him to be released as soon as possible so that our people can go and see him. Öcalan’s comrades saved us from the war.”
Another young woman named Meyan Şengalî said, “We want Öcalan to be released from the prison. He embraced us during difficult times. I urge the Yazidi people not to forget the good and the evil done to us.”
Arab women were also present during the march. “Öcalan gave us freedom and everything. I want him to be released as soon as possible,” a young woman named Sultan Seleh told Rojnews.
Sultan Seleh urged the Iraqi government to prevent the attacks on Shengal: “We are calling on the Iraqi government to stop fighter jets that are dropping bombs on our children.”
