The Co-Presidency of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council released a statement paying tribute to KCK General Presidential Council Member Diyar Xerib who fell a martyr along with two guerrillas, Murat Gündüz (Devran) and Abdulkadir Aslan (Şahin Dicle), in a Turkish airstrike in Qandil on July 5, 2019.

The KCK statement includes the following:

“We commemorate our comrade Helmet (Diyar Xerib), the courageous son of the people of southern Kurdistan, a great revolutionary and member of the KCK Executive Council, on the fifth anniversary of his assassination by the murderous and imperialist Turkish regime. As a result, we commemorate all revolutionaries and martyrs of democracy with respect and gratitude, bow in front of their treasured memories, and renew our resolve to keep the martyrs’ memory alive through our struggle.

Comrade Helmet is a valuable comrade who played an important role in the freedom movement and made great efforts. He was not only a great revolutionary, but also an educated person with a deep love for his country, a high awareness of history, and a continuous deepening of thought. He had a deep sense of patriotism and was passionately attached to Kurdistan and the Kurdish struggle for freedom. He had experienced a great awakening and deepening in Rêber Apo’s [Leader Abdullah Öcalan's] paradigm by combining the idea of patriotism with the system of the Democratic Nation. He opened the horizons of many people with his depth and knowledge and made a significant contribution to overcoming the obstacles faced by the movement. Comrade Helmet had a concentration on solving the problems he encountered. With these characteristics, he did not only have a positive effect on the revolutionary environment by motivating comrades, but also had a very strong affection for the people. He valued and cared for every comrade without distinction.

Because of all these characteristics and attitudes, he is very much loved and respected by his comrades. Throughout his life, he particularly focused on the people of southern Kurdistan, working and striving for them, who had suffered great pain and paid great prices, to attain the democratic and free life they deserved. As a matter of fact, on the day he was martyred, he was meeting with intellectuals and politicians from southern Kurdistan. While doing this, he faced an attack. The martyrdom of such a person is undoubtedly a great loss to our movement and our people. However, for us, martyrs are an opportunity to grow and gain strength. Because martyrs are our greatest source of strength. Keeping their memories alive, pursuing their goals, and struggling to realize their ideals is what makes us grow and succeed. The Kurdish freedom struggle has such an understanding. In revolutionism, martyrs do not die. They are immortal; they live in the hearts and consciousness of the people. Comrade Helmet will always live in the hearts and consciousness of the people of Kurdistan.

Comrade Helmet’s life, his participation in the freedom movement and his struggle should be well emphasized and understood. Comrade Helmet saw the danger by sensing early on that the values created by the people of southern Kurdistan at great cost were being betrayed by the collaborating and treacherous forces, and as a result of his discomfort, he started to search. He saw the fulfillment of this search for freedom represented by Rêber Apo and the PKK, and with great excitement he joined the struggle for freedom and embraced the struggle. Considering the dangerous situation that the collaborationist and treacherous line has brought the people of Kurdistan face to face today, it becomes clear how valuable and meaningful Helmet’s attitude is. In this respect, the people of Kurdistan, especially the people of southern Kurdistan, should understand Helmet’s stance and attitude well. Kurdish politicians, intellectuals, writers and artists should emphasize and bring it to the agenda of the people.”