Dear Ilknur,
We write on behalf of the 8000 members and supporters of the Sangtin Kisaan Mazdoor Sangathan or SKMS, an organization of laborers and small farmers in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh that fights for the rights to livelihood, dignity, and justice and that organizes against oppressive patriarchal, casteist, communalist and capitalist structures which threaten and compromise our humanity in countless ways.
We at SKMS are horrified to hear of your unjust imprisonment in Turkey. We want you to know that we are all standing with you in these dark political times that seem to have enveloped so much of our world. We merge our voices with those of your friends and sisters across Turkey and throughout Europe to demand justice for you. We demand your fair and respectful treatment by the Turkish authorities as well as your immediate release from prison.
We will remain forever grateful for the extraordinary contributions you made through your dedicated efforts as a feminist intellectual and political activist, and for the many ways in which you have adavnced the fight for marginalized women’s rights in Turkey and internationally.
We are indebted to you for the interest that you took in the work and political vision of Sangtin Writers, and the energy and commitment that you devoted to making our book ‘Sangtin Yatra’ / ‘Playing with Fire’ available in Turkish as Ateşle Oynamak: Hindistan’da Yedi Yaşam Üzerinden Feminist Düşünce ve Eylem. Your support and dedication to engaging questions of difference while working for democracy for women at the local and translocal levels has been an inspiration to many. For us at SKMS, your labor has allowed us to feel connected with the struggles of women throughout Turkey in ways that we could have never imagined without your courageous and imaginative leadership, especially through the work of the feminist press, Ayizi Kitap.
We are thinking of you and sending you our love and support at this difficult time. We look forward to celebrating your release and to continue gaining inspiration from your tireless work for equality, freedom, and justice.
In solidarity,
Richa Nagar and Richa Singh, on behalf of members of Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan,
Sitapur District, Uttar Pradesh, India
