There is a deep concern that any evaluation of such a rare and irreplaceable figure, well-known throughout Turkey, might fail to do him full justice. Sırrı Süreyya Önder was a multifaceted personality who gave life its due with his identity as an artist and politician, his intellectual depth, his mastery of language, his sharp wit, and many other qualities.

Above all, Önder was a man who came from a poor background, who, in his own words, was “raised with an orphan status,” a grassroots socialist who, at a young age, was imprisoned in this country for his ideas and subjected to torture. In the final years of his life, he went on to serve as Deputy Speaker of Parliament. A man of many professions and talents, he mastered whatever task he took on. He touched and left a mark on the lives of people from all walks of life.

Önder became one of the key figures involved in addressing one of Turkey’s most deeply rooted and complex issues: the Kurdish question. As the last representative of the Turkmen people, who descend from the tradition of resistance of Baba Ishak, he consistently stood by the Kurdish people, who continue to live under a colonial status. In every setting, he spoke the truth without hesitation, never feared the consequences, and shattered prejudices wherever he went, from the streets to parliament. With his brave and determined personality, he relentlessly pursued peace.

Although Önder struggled with serious health problems, he put himself aside and devoted his energy to the cause he had committed his life to, leaving behind irreplaceable contributions shaped by his tireless efforts to prioritize peace among peoples. He played a central and highly active role in the resolution processes of the Kurdish question. Working mostly behind the scenes, he became one of the essential pillars of peace, thanks to his deep knowledge of the issues, strong grasp of history and social consciousness, and rare ability to embody dialogue and negotiation at the highest level.

Sırrı Süreyya Önder’s misfortune was having lived in a country like Turkey. Those in power squandered great human value. They stole years of his life in prison. Yet, despite everything and everyone, he remained true to what he knew best: resistance, and continued walking the path of peace. Önder became the Moses of the peace struggle. He carried the heavy burden of the Kurdish peace process, one of the most difficult and fundamental issues in Turkey. To pay the price of peace, he did not just offer his hand, he placed his weary and ailing body under the weight of the struggle.

In the Torah, the story of Moses is told in great detail: his struggle against the Pharaoh, the challenges of organizing his people, his determination to liberate them from slavery, the exodus from Egypt, and the forty years of wandering in the desert. Yet in the end, he did not live to see the Promised Land. In many ways, the story of Sırrı Süreyya bears a striking resemblance. He took on a leading role in confronting a difficult issue that has cost countless lives and inflicted deep emotional and material suffering. Only someone like Önder could have stood against a ruthless clique of massacres, one that had already claimed figures like President Turgut Özal and several senior military commanders. Like Moses, he never gave up. He walked tirelessly toward the promised peace, but tragically, he left this world without seeing that peace fully realized.

Sırrı Süreyya earned his place as a self-sacrificing militant of peace, its first true martyr. Even on his deathbed, he managed to bring together people from all walks of life and across the political spectrum. He dedicated his heart and shoulders to peace. His greatest trait was his ability to connect deeply with people from all walks of life. He succeeded in creating a broad, inclusive, and lasting social network. Now is the time to honor his memory, by advancing the cause of peace further than ever before, by picking up the baton from where Sırrı Süreyya Önder left it, and by realizing the hopes he carried. That task now belongs to his comrades and all those who loved him.

The deep atmosphere of sorrow Sırrı Süreyya Önder left behind has settled over society like a heavy weight. As someone who earned a lasting place in the conscience of the people, his departure marks the loss of a true son of the peoples of Turkey. Yet he left with a clear conscience. In his own words, “I gave life its due,” and with that sense of peace, he reached his final destination.

Now is the time for the hopes of peace to finally reach their destination, and for a festering issue to come to an end. In honoring the memory of Sırrı Süreyya, every possible means must be dedicated to securing peace. Today, more than ever, it has become urgent to approach the path to peace, its language, its method, and its moral clarity, through the heartfelt tone and conscientious wisdom that Sırrı Süreyya embodied, and to crown it with victory. Though his absence leaves a profound void, achieving peace in the spiritual presence of Sırrı Süreyya has now become an undeniable necessity.

On this day of Sırrı Süreyya’s passing into eternity, words are hard to form in the heavy atmosphere of mourning. We are overwhelmed by deep sorrow and a tremendous sense of loss. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, his loved ones, his friends, and to all our peoples. May he rest in light, may his grave be blessed, and may his soul find paradise. “Because a Sırrı passed through this world,” you will forever live in our hearts.