van 8 M

Dorte Huneke , Cafebabel Istanbul

International Women’s Day in Van, in the most eastern East of Turkey, was not held in Chinese (see earlier text on Diyarbakir). However, those who had come to hear and talk about women’s issues ended up speechless. The March 8 meetings were less about women than about current political conflicts – which until today men have a greater say in. The DTP (Democratic Society Party) had organised a meeting in the centre of the city. Women and girls, colourfully dressed in their traditional costumes, gathered in front of a stage holding up signs that said “Enough!” in Turkish (“Artik yeter“) and “Women, Life, Freedom” in Kurdish (“Jin Jiyan Azadi“). Enough of what though? Women in the eastern parts of Turkey have loads of reasons to take to the streets and demonstrate for their rights, their freedom and the sake of their life. Honour killings occur frequently (about five a year), women enter marriages unasked, they are given away in exchange for money or another family member. A high number of husbands lock their wives into the house, they beat and abuse women and girls and keep them away from schools. Unfortunately, however, these issues were hardly touched upon on March 8 during the public gatherings. The local women’s organisation VAKAD (Van Kadin Dernegi, which has been doing remarkable work since 2004 in Van by offering protection and support to women, cancelled their events and concentrated on their actual work: over the course of the next 14 days a VAKAD bus will go to various neighbourhoods and villages. A group of volunteers will hand out information leaflets and talk to local women about their problems, hopes and fears. It does not matter where on earth a women lives; what matters is that women are exposed to violence: sadly enough, this mental weakness (violence) occurs all over the world. The only difference is that different cultures have found different ways of explaining or even legitimising this ugly and cowardly habit. This is what the International Women’s Day is about: Women’s rights, women’s safety and freedom. Political conflicts are a different topic.