With a vigil at the Sêmalka border crossing near Dêrik, people have been protesting for days against the way the KDP, which governs Hewlêr (Erbil), deals with the martyrs of the Kurdish liberation movement. The political leadership in southern Kurdistan (Bashur) still refuses to hand over the bodies of Tolhildan Raman and Serdem Cûdî. The guerrilla commander and the fighter were from Rojava and belonged to a seven-member HPG/YJA-Star unit that was ambushed by the KDP in Xelîfan near Hewlêr on the night of August 28-29. Five of the group were killed, and one HPG member was taken prisoner with injuries. Only HPG guerrilla Hakî Zîlan survived.

The vigil at the border crossing between western and southern Kurdistan, which was initiated by the Council of Martyrs’ Families from the Cizîrê region, has been running since October 5. The protest tent erected especially for the action is visited daily by quite a few people from various groups and organizations. 

Hemdin Nebi, who came from Qamishlo to support the action, said, “We, as Kurdish, Arab and Syriac peoples, voice the same demand under this tent today. We want to get the bodies of our guerrillas martyred by the KDP and the Turkish intelligence.”

‘KDP will pay a heavy price for its hostile policies’

Stating that the KDP has no attachment to any single value of the Kurdish people, Nebi said, “We will continue our action until we take the bodies of our martyrs. If the KDP continues to betray the Kurdish people despite all these reactions, it will pay the price for this.”

Hedin Nebi pointed to the people’s determination in claiming the martyrs, and continued, “We want to bid farewell to our martyrs in an honourable way they deserve. This is a most natural right. The KDP-Iraq and KDP-Syria collaboration aims to eliminate all the achievements of the Kurdish people. There are over 37 Turkish military bases in Southern Kurdistan, which is a result of this collaboration.”

According to Nebi, everyone in Kurdistan is quite familiar with the policies of the KDP, which -he said- serves the interests of the Turkish state.

‘Kurdish people should raise their voice against the KDP policies’

Xalid Şexo, a local resident from Dirbêsiyê partaking in the action at Semalka, said, “This is a tent of honour, which was set up to claim the bodies of guerrillas who fought for their people’s honour. The identity of all martyrs is one. They all fought for the people. They are the martyrs of the people, not of a single party or circle.”

“Those who we take for siblings are doing what the enemy can’t. They lay a despicable ambush and kill our children. They don’t even dare to give us the bodies of our martyrs,” he said.

The KDP does not respect any morals or values, said Xalid Şexo, adding “An enemy cannot be a friend. The only thing that separates Bashur and Rojava is the Tigris River. The KDP should know this.”

Calling for enhanced struggle against the betrayal of the KDP, Şexo added, “A family is playing with the destiny of a people. The Kurdish people, especially those in Bashur, should stand against this.”