Journalist Ciwana Cuma: We answer with the pen of Nazim and Cihan

2025-01-17 10:53:27


	 

	Gülistan Gülmüş

	 

	AMED - Journalist Ciwana Cuma, who was targeted on digital media platforms, stated that such attacks did not discourage them and increased their determination and said, ‘In the spirit of Nazım and Cihan, we will continue to be the voice of our people until the end.’

	 

	Since 27 November 2024, the state of war in Northern and Eastern Syria has been heavily felt with its humanitarian and social effects in the region. The clashes have so far caused hundreds of casualties and mass migrations.

	 

	Among the groups most affected by the war are journalists, especially Free Press workers. In this context, Cihan Bilgin and Nazım Daştan from ANHA News Agency were killed on 19 December 2024 as a result of a Turkish drone attack, while journalist Ciwana Cuma, who reports on the movements in and around the Tişrin Dam, is targeted in digital media and faces serious threats.

	 

	Journalist Ciwana Cuma spoke to our agency about why they were targeted.

	 

	‘They want to silence the voice of truth’

	 

	Ciwana started her speech as follows: ‘I am currently at the site of the resistance at the Tişrin Dam. For a long time, the Turkish occupiers have been attacking the Free Press and journalists who are the voice of truth and reality. The ongoing attacks on journalists are not new, but it has been seen in the year of resistance that many times our journalist friends have been the target of ISIS gangs affiliated to Turkey and the planes of the occupying Turkish state.

	 

	Dozens of our journalist friends were martyred as a result of these attacks. They were aiming to bring out the facts and the truth to the end. Today, the whole Syria is affected by the situation in Eastern Syria. Taking advantage of this situation, the occupying Turkish state wants to shut down the voice of truth in order to continue its policies in Eastern Syria with all its pollution. First and foremost, it wants to silence the voices of journalists so that it can carry out a comfortable politics here. That is why last month, the Turkish invaders martyred both of our journalist friends on the road between Sırrin and Tişrin Dam with drones."

	 

	 ‘With Nazım and Cihan's pen, we respond to the special war’

	 

	Ciwana Cuma pointed out that Nazım Dashtan and Cihan Bilgin were also murdered in order to silence the voice of truth and said, "Why were these friends of ours targeted?  Nazım and Cihan were among those who exposed the special war being waged in this region. That is why they were directly targeted and martyred at the Tişrin Dam, in the resistance zone, in order to break the voice of truth and reality. Journalists, especially us women journalists working in the Eastern Syria region, take our place in the resistance zone led by women and become the voice of our people. Today, in the spirit of Nazim and Cihan, we share with the public the brutal occupation of the Turkish state in this dam.  Nazım and Cihan's pen with the occupying Turkey, we are responding to the special war waged on our people."

	 

	‘Our stability is increasing’

	 

	Pointing out that attacks against journalists are nothing new, Ciwana Cuma underlined that the massacre and targeting of journalists does not lower their morale, on the contrary, it stabilises it even more. Ciwana Cuma said, "I am one of the journalists working here despite those attacks.  Where are the organisations that claim to protect the rights of journalists, when do they protect the rights of journalists? Today, in front of the eyes of the whole world, journalists working in Northern and Eastern Syria are being targeted. Who protects journalists?

	 

	That is why we say to the organisations that claim to protect the rights of journalists, ‘If you were really protecting our rights, we would not be the target of the invaders’ aircrafts here today'.  As women journalists from Tişrin, the dam of resistance, we renew our promise to Cihan and Nazim. We will be the voice of our people in this dam until the end with their spirit. Once again we say to the occupying Turkey, do not think that we are weak and demoralised because you martyred our friends. As you attack us, our morale and stability are increasing."