The invasion efforts of the Turkish state in South Kurdistan are widening. The protest of the Kurdish population against the occupation attacks also continues. On June 8, the Kurdish Youth Movement and Young Women's Movement organized a "human shield" action to protest against the Turkish warfare with a demonstration in Qandil. Thousands of people left Qandil from various Kurdish towns to join the protest and visit the activists of the Human Shields action. Among the visitors are also many members of the South-Kurdistan veteran group Pêşmergeyên Dêrîn. One of them is Mehmed Emin. Emin is confident that the Turkish state intends to eradicate the achievements of the Kurdish people. "Our loyalty is to the honorable resistance of Qandil," the Peshmerga veteran tells ANF in an interview, stressing that he will continue the fight against the Turkish state.

"Qandil became the hell of Saddam, the same applies to Erdogan's gangs"

It is nothing but a dream for the Turkish state to occupy Southern Kurdistan. Attacks aimed at annexing Kurdistan are known from the past, according to the veteran. "Saddam Hussein also dared to occupy the mountains of Kurdistan. He failed. Qandil became the hell of Saddam, the same will be expected by Erdoğan's gangs," says Emin.

The Peshmerga veteran Mehmed Emin also participated in the Uprising (Raperîn) in southern Kurdistan in 1991. He criticizes that the achievements of the Kurdish people could not be maintained: "Some of the political parties in Bashûr [South Kurdistan] have engaged with the 'enemy' for their material interests. They virtually bowed to it and were unable to sustain the gains made during the Raperîn period and surrendered to the policies of the occupied states. Even now they are dependent. The main cause of the invasive attacks on Southern Kurdistan are the weaknesses of these political parties, which rely on external forces. They have tried to wipe out the popular spirit and patriotism of the population. At present, it is the PKK alone that preserves and defends the national spirit and patriotic consciousness,"says Emin, adding that the KDP’s behavior is unacceptable in the face of the Turkish invasion. Therefore both the population and the political representatives should refer South Kurdistan's attitude to the KDP.

"The freedom of Kurdistan can only be achieved together"

The presence of the Turkish state in Bashûr aims the occupation of southern Kurdistan, Emin emphasizes, calling on the Kurdish people to join the armed resistance to defend the country and mountains of Kurdistan. He himself is also ready to fight against the occupiers. The lands of Kurdistan could not be sacrificed to the interests of certain parties dependent on external forces. The independence referendum held at the urging of a single party [KDP] is again an example of the fact that the independence and freedom of Kurdistan can only be achieved together, the veteran points out.

"Thousands of people have lost their lives for the freedom of Kurdistan. Every family has a martyr. For that reason alone, the parties who are only interested in their own interests should be ashamed. The Turkish state is bombing the villages. Our forests are to be razed to the ground. How much longer do these parties want to be silent? "asks Emin.

"National unity is the guarantee of a free life"

Kurdistan's political scene should put aside any discrepancies and strengthen its commitment to national unity, says Emin and adds: "The enemy benefits from the weaknesses of Kurdish politics. For this reason, there should not be any weak points. We have to form a national unity. We may criticize each other, but our commitment to national unity needs to be stronger. If Iran, Syria, Turkey and Iraq can unite in the fight against us, why can not we do this? Our unity will be the guarantee of a free life. The enemy will always show the same enmity. What we need to do is resist with the consciousness of a national unity against our enemy."