Beth Nahrin Women’s Union issues statement on first anniversary of the martyrdom of fighter Alaria Ishtar

BETH NAHRIN (MESOPOTAMIA) — On the first anniversary of the martyrdom of fighter Alaria Ishtar, the Beth Nahrain Women’s Union (HNB) released a statement praising the Syriac woman’s role in the national cause, promising to continue the martyrs’ path in achieving the rights of the Syriac people, including and especially those of the Syriac woman.

Martyr Alaria Ishtar, together with her daughter, joined the policing branch of the Beth Nahrin Women’s Protection Forces (Syriac: Ḥaylawotho d’Sutoro d’Neshe d’Beth Nahrin, HSNB), the women’s Sutoro security forces. Alaria Ishtar lost her life a year ago after a heart attack. She is the first Syriac martyr of the women’s Surtoro.

The HNB statement reads as follows: 

“We greet and praise our comrades in the Beth Nahrin Women’s Protection Forces. During the long history of humanity, there were those who led the national struggle for freedom and rights. They gave their lives and became martyrs for their peoples. They died for the sake of civilization, for human, social, national and religious rights.

Throughout history, the Syriac (Aramean-Assyrian-Chaldean) people have given thousands of martyrs. But for whom was this sacrifice and martyrdom? And for which and whose cause? Throughout history, these Syriac martyrs sacrificed their lives for the sake of other peoples and homelands because they had no national purpose of their own to defend their people and nation. Syriacs fought in other peoples’ wars and for the countries where they lived.

This continued in this manner until the establishment of the Beth Nahrain National Council (Mawtbo Umthoyo D’Bethnahrin, MUB), which began a new phase in the life of our glorious people. The Beth Nahrain National Council created a perspective for the freedom of our people, and gave dozens of martyrs to gain the national rights and freedom of our people. During difficult phases and in dangerous times, the MUB played a major role in protecting our people.

Under the leadership of the MUB, equality for women was pursued and obtained, the HNB and HSNB were established to unite the women of our people and give them a role in protecting our historic homeland in the confrontation with the Islamic State. Syriac women took up arms to defend their freedom, and the HSNB was involved in organizing political and media tasks.

In order to achieve equality and democracy, we must be prepared to give military sacrifices. With the martyrdom of Alaria Ishtar, new lines were written in the history of the women’s struggle of our Syriac people. We stand ready for martyrdom for the rights and equality of our people. With the martyrdom of Alaria Ishtar, we will revive and her spirit will remain with us. We will keep fighting until we achieve the freedom of our people. Martyrs are immortal! They are the beacon in our national struggle.”