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From The Times
October 23, 2007

The women rebels who are ready to fight and die for the Kurdish cause

Deborah Haynes in the Qandil Mountains

Read Deborah Haynes's Inside Iraq blog

The Kurdish fighter tied back her hair in a scarf and hoisted a rifle over one shoulder before darting farther up the rugged mountain to escape the threat of a possible airstrike.

“Get as far away from the camp as you can,” a second rebel told The Times, pointing to a steep slope and indicating the fastest way down.

A third added: “We are seen as a terrorist group, so what do you expect?”

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The alarm was raised during a weekend visit to a small camp for women rebels in the Qandil Mountains, which straddle the border between the Kurdish north of Iraq and southern Turkey.

The women are mostly former Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters who say that they now pursue more of an educational and co-ordinating role in support of Kurdish women’s rights. Airstrikes have become a regular hazard as tensions rise between their outlawed organisation and the Turkish Government.

Women play a crucial role in the PKK, which has been fighting for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for three decades in a campaign that has cost more than 30,000 lives.

In the latest bloodshed, an ambush on Sunday left at least 12 Turkish soldiers dead and 16 wounded, increasing tensions at the border where Turkish forces are massing.

Treated as equals by their male counterparts on the battlefield as well as in the political arena, women fighters are trained to use Kalashnikovs, grenades and other weapons before being dispatched in mixed and single-sex units.

The best women fighters are also able to climb up the ranks to positions of command, with the “self-defence” armed wing of the PKK operating an obligatory 40 per cent female quota.

“If a Turkish soldier comes and wants to kill me, then I shoot him back,” said a woman called Surbuz, who joined the PKK in 1993.

“That is the mechanism of war. It becomes a part of everyday life,” the 32-year-old said, dressed in baggy, dull-green trousers and a shirt with a woollen jumper over the top.

At first the Turkish Army did not take the women rebels, who have been part of the PKK’s armed struggle since it was begun in 1984, seriously.

“Then they realised that the women are as tough if not tougher than the men,” said Surbuz, an attractive woman with short, bobbed, brown hair.

“After this the soldiers stopped distinguishing between the male and the female fighters. I think they are now more afraid of the women because the women are more disciplined and they will never surrender.”

“We will either kill or be killed,” she added. “For me it is freedom, success or death. It is simple.”

Pictures of women who have been killed or taken their own lives dotted the walls of three rooms inside makeshift huts where members of the group live and operate.

As well as being willing to die for their cause, the women in the PKK avoid sexual relationships, feeling that having sex with a man, even a fellow fighter, undermines their goals. “If you could create a society of feminist men then that would be okay,” Zilar Sterk, a second Kurdish rebel, said.

Surbuz and Ms Sterk, along with about 20 other women at the Qandil mountain base, belong to an umbrella female organisation known as the High Commune of Women (KJB).

This group helps to co-ordinate the work of three wings: an ideological branch that offers education on the rights of women; a practical unit that addresses problems of inequality in society, and a section that oversees the female military role within the PKK.

“There is a lot of pressure in Middle Eastern society, in Kurdistan especially, on women from the father, the mother and the brothers,” said Surbuz, who is a member of the KJB co-ordinating committee. “Mothers and sisters, they are made to live in the man’s house. I do not want to be like that.”

Ms Sterk, 34, a member of the commune’s management committee and the only woman on the base without experience as a fighter, said that she was imprisoned for four years because the Turkish authorities wrongly suspected her of being a member of the PKK. She was never prosecuted.

“After my release I joined up,” she said, noting that she wanted to help women to maximise their potential, as well as fight for the rights for Kurds in general.

“A woman should be able to share her power and trust herself to have the strength to do whatever she wants,” said Ms Sterk, who used to work at a state-run orphanage in Turkey while studying at university.

Scattering up the mountain face after the airstrike warning — the threat later turned out to be of a possible shelling from Iran, which is also fighting Kurdish rebels — the women left all belongings behind apart from their weapons.

“This is how we live,” Ms Sterk said as she apologetically ushered The Times away from the camp. “I must go to a safer place, but I am not scared.”

your are proud to but be a what? a turk!!
since turkey established in 1921, a "democratic country" which tries to become part of europe today, Kurds have been massacared, followed and been forbidden until today. Kurdistan, the word is the most dangerous word to say regarding to the new york times. People can't even give kurdish names to their children. there is a list of islamic names which kurds have to use when they want to name their child. the turkish goverment spends millions of dollars each year trying to eliminate the kurdish race.
ironically there is no turkish race, as turks come from the mongoli known as Seljuks. turks are a mix of Kurds, Greeks and Armenien as a race and culture. i.e. the Hagia Sofia was the byzantine cathedral and changed by turks into a mosque.
their food mainly comes from the greek culture.

If you are a turk or not, just spend some time and reseach for your self what turks are and where they come from and then tell me about other cultures.

Abass, bochum, Germany

pkk is a terrorist organization. the attempt to whitewash their actions by the western media just makes me sick. they do not represent kurds, nor they do anything good for the kurdish community. all they promise is chaos and mayhem for the SE turkey, on which they feed.

I wonder will we see an article like this on times about epic arabic freedom fighters in afghanistan. why don't you interview osama bin laden talking about how al queda massacred innocent british citizens in london terror attacks ? I want to see a heroic profile of an arab terrorist who is ready to blow himself up in london, ready to die for the rights of muslims all over the world ?

Arda Karaduman, Tokyo, Japan

We have no extinct racial differences as you have in England or USA. For instance, blacks are different and it is realized at first sight because of the color of their skin. Hispanics in the USA have different racial profiles. However, it is not true for our community in Turkey. EVERYBODY SEEMS THE SAME. So, it is not appropriate to adopt the law in western countries to Turkey. We are equal and we have the same rights. IF YOU WANT YOU CAN GET Ä°F NOT YOU CANNOT. We had Kurdish prsidents and prime ministers. Our prime minister now has georgian roots as he said in a meeting to the Georgian President. So how could you say that these terrorists are rebels or freedom fighters. Please, take your hands off of Turkiye. Would you like us to call Al qaida as islamic Guards against the capitalist western world or call the IRA as honorable freedom fighters.

yusuf bulut, besiktas/istanbul, turkey

nobody can defeat our Turkish Army.COME AND FIGHT US IF YOU WANT.

I dont believe that kurdish are our brothers.


I am proud to be a TURK.

GULTEN, AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND

and the oscar goesss too pkk .. they are great actors .. but unfortunatelly it occurs in reality..

altug, istanbul, turkey

This is the only way of compromising when the Kurds living comfortably in turkey say the truths without hesitation. why do they not want PKK what does turkish government to them inadequaly.
Kurds and Turks: we live in friendship,we live in respect.I work in a state bank, the director of the Bank is kurd.I had a kurd homemate who is a strong supporter of Ataturk ideas while in university.I lived ,while being child, with a lot of Kurdish friends.we still are friends. We protested against the same injustises
pkk tries to be seen like phalestinian organization worldwide and to be acceptable in political area.that is why they attacked us growingly, killed 12 soldiers and inciting the nationalist views.that disturb all good kurds.
we ,all kurds and turks as people live in peace, are to emphasize these common peacefull sense.we are brothers not enemies and we have not to be deceived.Except youngs who are exploited by Ocalans(PKKs injaled leader) all kurds believe the same opinion

Erkan, Antalya, Turkey

Turkish people love kurds but dont like terrrorists...
they are just terrorists and they are killing our brothers.

intikam, şırnak, Turkey

What is wrong with this article is that the title says for the Kurdish cause and calls the PKK a 'rebel group. First, the PKK is a TERRORIST group. Second, there is no such thing as the 'Kurdish cause'. This is the first time i've earned these terms linked together. There are Kurds in Turkey that are not part of the PKK and I don't believe they are fighting for a 'cause'. They are hard working citizens that have the same rights as Turks.

Aylin, Toronto, Canada

when britain divided up the huge and beautiful country of kurdistan they created a wound that cannot heal. how can turkey expect anthing but resitance when kurds are denied their cultural rights, their dress, their language and songs? its easy to play victim turkey, but your genocidal border raids kill more than just men with guns. the nazis called it lebensraum(living space)the international community knows what you do and i hope for this that you never are allowed to join th eu. when farmers have their land taken then dying isnt so hard.would you be any different? i have turkish and kurdish friends both can see my point of view..only the terminally violent or nationalist idiots couldnt see this. kurds want autonomy, self rule and an apology from all of their neighbours and its long overdue. violence breeds violence.same the world over.shame peace doesnt make money like arms dealing eh?

jim, bristol, avon

they do not present kusdish people. they harm Kurd live in southeastern Turkey. They are terrorists.

hikmet, istanbul, Turkiye

Wherever PKK is there is USA and EU

Bayramali Nazır, Rize, TÜRKİYE

EU and USA must wangle sense another country terrorist good. If all people think this. No terrorist group exist in the world. Thats why terrorist is terrorist. Not important target of terror.

Kerem, konya, Turkey

In soon, Turkish military service will clean root of pkk and we will make a big party with everyone

Laz, UK,

I support the Turkish Army and their operations in north ırak. I am a son of retired soldier who fighted in eastern turkey against the PKK. I believed that all kurdish people live turkey in peace with "Turks". Who says "Kurdish people aren't happy in Turkey" they are a member of PKK. A want to say to our journalists; Why don't you reporting with IRA like this reportage???

Ali YANILMAZ, Aydın Söke, Turkey

PKK is a barbarous terrorist organization. it is simple.

Bayramali Nazır, Rize, TÜRKİYE

I'm really surprised when I read this article. It's not time to seperate countries, it's time to join them. But imperialist countries like USA and EU wants to divide countries into ethnic parts. This is done in Jugoslavia and Iraqi. The result is millions of people are killed. Poor PKK terorists is not fighting for freedom, they are fighting for USA and other imperialist countries. Let's live together peacefully, I'm ready to fight for everybody's human rights in Turkey. Let's stop that bloody plan. Let's choose "life" and stop supporting terrorism. Be sure, Kurds will suffer until lords of war says "enough!".

Murat K, Istanbul, Turkey

Wish UK will have a similar REBEL (!) problem in London streets.

Mustafa, ankara, Turkey

there can never be something called "kurdistan". that is your dream...forget about it...can you defeat the Turkish army you think? NOO WAYY man!!!

turk, Michigan, US

If USA want to stop the terorism in the world, they have to stop all not only terrorists that attack The USA, but also the terrorists attack the other countries. for example pkk. pkk attacks Turkey and killed over 30.000 innocent people of Turkey(they are kurds and also turks,muslim or unmuslim....). But, USA supports pkk, they give weopans, money. Everybody knows and says, also pkk supporters say that pkk has american weapons. usa and also europe must stop supporting any terrorism activity if they want to vanish terrorism in the world.

tuna, NY, USA

I say the US should not interfere
Look at it this way.
At the end of the day all Muslims are brothers and will unite to fight infidels and expand the Dar Al Islam.
The best way to keep peace is to let them fight each other Sunni vs Shia, Kurd vs Iran & Turks, Arab vs non Arab and so on.
The barbarians will be kept busy and the civilized world can carry on.

Brian, London, England

There are no many Kurdish wants to separate from Turkey excepts terrorists. Turkey is belong to also Kurdish and Turkish. They have been brothers during centuries. We are relatives. who can separate people that you are Kurd and you are Turk. There are millions of Kurdish people live in Turkey, and 70 million people live in Turkey. On the other hand only 4% of people support DEHAP which is a politic party and so-supporter Kurdish rights. Besides this, less than 1% of supporter of DEHAP want to found a new country which so-called Kurdistan. You, terrorists, want to create enmity and animosity between the brothers. Of course there are some social problem at the east and southeast part of the Turkey. These problems can not be solved with weapon, violent and terrorists attacks. Dialog and politics rights are the vital way to solve the problems. Killing innocent people can not be way to establish democracy. Kurdish people do not believe you. Please stop the play and leave the terrorism.

Erol, Atlanta, GA,USA

Azad,
I think you didint have good sleep or shall I say you are still sleeping, Kirkuk has been a Turkoman city for more than 1000 years even before Kurds came to that area from Northern Iran.
PKK terorists are working for Barzani and Talabani . They want to get Turkey in trouble so Barzani and Talabani can invade petrol rich Kirkuk.

T Mendez, toronto, Canada

All the people they claim that they are Kurdish and defending turkish rights are turks. They try to use Kurdish identity to cover up reality of Kurdish problems. We are not a brother and we never lived in peace with turkish people. Kurds help to build the new republic, Kurds help to ottomans empires in malazgirt, Kurds helped in korea war. What we got instead killing, torturing and denial. Is this brotherhood? Of course we need cultural, economic, social rights for all Kurds who live in four parts of KURDISTAN (iran,turkey,irak and suriye.)We are not going to accept to be step son of turks. Until we are totally equal turks will suffer this straggle with us. Viva free world and KURDISTAN.......THANKS DEBRA FOR YOUR UNBIAS COMMENTS FOR THE SUBJECT.

KENDAL, Nashville, usa

Ozan from Izmir Turkey, You are acting as a kurd and making your comment but you are Turkish.!!! Just be who you are.. None of the Kurds will accept Ataturk as there own leader. Our Lider is Mr Ocalan Free Kurdistan and Free Kurds. Rhank you mrs Deborah Haynes for all your afford and hard work to show people about our freedom fighters... Once again Thank you,,

Memet, Chicago, IL USA

there isn't a state, called kurdistan,in the world!!!

we're all soldiers!!, ANTALYA, TURKEY

when did a terorist become a rebel?
Call whatever it is; do not try yo sugarcoat...

Mehmet, Orange, CA/USA

hello!

ı am a kurdish man and ı live in izmir.ı have studied in Turkey.Also, ı will earn in that country. Moreover, ıhave a lot of turkish friends.. also, we have our ourselves freedom in Turkey. Why do america or other European countrİes want to divide us? . we dont have any problem among us. we have lived together for A.D 1000.

Turkey is my country. ı can give my life for turkey and our leader is not apdullah öcalan .our leader MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK.Furthermore, we (kurdish people) dont like Pkk because they are terrorists. European people should learn more information about us, before speaking!
Turkey is a democratic country and we have our rights.

ozan, izmir, Turkey

Is PKK a terrorist or resistance organisation? Look no further than what USA says and the truth will be exactly the opposite of what US says. Many Turks conveniently approve views of USA and EU on calling PKK terrorist. Both US and EU are the greatest terrorists of the human history. Since when USA is the beacon of truth and justice? Isn't US who is occupying neighbouring Iraq? Isn't US who killed more than 1 million Iraqi citizens? EU is hoodwinked by the US and with "little bush" Sarkozy and Angela Merkel, EU is now in full cooperation with US in Iraq, Afganistan and Iran. If you Turks are against terrorism why do you give military bases to the greatest terrorist state US?
Demonstrations against PKK is organized with the complicity of Turkish "deep state" to prepare the population for agression against Kurds. PKK talks to them in only language they understand that is force. While Turks are roaring against poor PKK , they keep waving tail to USA.. Turks are a nation of hypocricy.

Cemal Guven Asti, Johannesburg, South Africa

A very good report from you. THANKS!
The Kurds have always been targeted by the Turkish authorities and call for them as "terrorist", in fact terrorist is the state of Turkey and their kemalist ideology and military threat, that 80 years always denied the right of Kurdish people, even their existence. And the kurds constitutes %20 of the whole population of the Turkey. So what mentality will keep these %20 away from demanding their right of existence? military power? since 1900 it appears to be a flop.

Well done Mr.Deborah Haynes !

Serxwebun, Stockholm, Sweden

It is a shame of you to present a terrorist group as 'fighters' and 'heroes'.
Would you be so 'cold' if these women killed your people and soldiers! Do you imagine how many Turkish women are there all around the world ?

pinar ozkanal, paris, france

to azad,

% 10 of Turkey population is Kurds but it doesnt mean they are seperatist.Turkey is mozaik that we have been leaving many etnic group so far. pkk is an terrorists organization they are killing babies and innocent people

is it the right way?

bozkurt öztürk, diyarbakır, turkey

Pkk is not rebel organization they are terror organization...

Sertan, London, UK

Nominated media giants as Times and other are indeed allowed interviewing who ever they want, under the freedom of democracy umbrella. However, there will be a time where ethics will play a role about the way of reporting; Controversial and non reliable statements given by PKK hypocrites should be filtered prior publishing. May we remind that the PKK is recognized by EU and USA as terrorist groups and regardless these official recognizations, any group who victimize civilians are in the category of TERRORISTS?

MozAli, Arnhem, The Netherlands

Necip, I believe I can answer the question you pose.

No question about it Deborah Haynes's article above is truely a great story, within the confines of her dicipline she has mastered.

The sad part of the story is, that just this past morning, the PKK planted 3 bombs, all weighing 14 kilos only 200 meters from a elementary school. When I read this story, in the Turkish news, I was flabergasted.

So therefore, when I read Deborah's story I was a bit emotional about glorifying a PKK terrorist Woman Rambo.

It sells print ... which is okay, we live in a capitalistic world. However, morality comes into play - where only one side of the story is told over and over again, of course Turks and people who are friends of the Turks, know the real truth behind the real story.

Little children would have been blown up and murdered had the Turkish soldiers did not do their daily duties in looking for bombs planted around the school. God help us all. Thank you!

Erol Palantekin, Columbus, USA/OH

And the International community has the nerve to call these freedom fighters terrorists. It's about time people stood up to Turkey's bullying and called a spade a spade. Turkey is the terror state causing people to fight back and become guerillas. There is little other choice unless you want to be made into a Turk with the barrel of a gun. Only now are we beginning to see political representation for the 15 million Kurds in Turkey and even their political representatives have to walk on eggshells in case they are picked on and end up prosecuted fkor some sham offence or worse still, killed by 'anonymous' persons. This is the demcoratic Turkey, an oxymoron if ever I heard one.

Azad, Kirkuk, Kurdistan

why you say rebel are they rebel or terrorist, if we say rabels to IRA(Irish Republican Army who bomb the cafes in LONDON in the past what could you think about us,

koko23, Antalya, TURKEY

The Times is a respectfull media organisation. However I can not understand that why it makes an interwiev with a terrorist organisation. In addition it doesn't call them as terrorist, but seperatist. Turkish people have been calling them as terrorists for almost 30 years before the term of terrorism became famous as a result of 9/11 attacs on America. PKK killed 30.000 innocent people in Turkey. I'll never understand your attitudes, which considers terrorists as seperatists or rebels, towards PKK and terrorism.

Necip Asri, Bornova, Turkey

A female terrorist is a terrorist whatsoever. I do not care who tries to kill me and my family, a male or a female. They are terrorists and they know that. There cannot be an excuse being a terrorist and killing deliberately innocent people.

Sheila, Florence,

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