Speaking to ANF, family members recounted the siblings' faithfulness and their struggle for the freedom of the Kurdish people and Kurdistan.

Çekdar Cudî (Halit Özen), the second of six children, was born on the 15th of August 1982 into a political family in the village Dengiza (Serenli) in Savur (Stewrê) district of Mardin. Çekdar grew up in a family where the Kurdish struggle and politics was a main agenda.

Witnessing with his own eyes those dark times when the Turkish state emptied thousands of villages in Northern Kurdistan violently and forced the villagers to become "village guards" to fight against their own people, Çekdar Cudi could never tolerate the state's oppression. To acquiesce in the state's violence against the villagers, against his own family, especially the arrest and torture of his father was never an option for him. The state's abuse of the Kurdish people grew worse and worse every day and Çekdar Cudi pledged to fight against it.

MIGRATING FROM DENGİZA TO İZMİR

As the result of the state's policy of systematical evacuation of villages and repression of the people, his family was left with no other option than to emigrate to the western İzmir metropolis. During those difficult times full of hardship far away from home, the family stuck together even more, supporting each other as much as they could and saved themselves from external dependency.

ÇEKDAR DESIRED TO FIGHT IN BOTAN

Çekdar Cudi was a valiant young man, whose acts and decisions were always based on justice and equity. He used to treat his friends and surroundings decently, was very skilful and possessed a wonderful character. Çekdar, who had an open mind, was constantly longing for the mountains of Kurdistan and striving for leading a struggle on his free soil. Sometimes he would utter his wish. To go beyond merely words and to make his dream become true, Çekdar joined the ranks of the PKK in 2000. Within shortest time he grew among his comrades to a much beloved and highly appreciated freedom fighter. He always wished to fight in Botan. He became also known for his dedication and love for nature. Çekdar used to nurture a baby gazelle like his own child, which became inseparable from him.

Çekdar fell a martyr in a battle against the army of the Turkish state on the proud and impenetrable Mount Cudi on the 10th of October.It was his last will to be buried next to the tomb of Lawikê Xerîb (Cûdiya Miradan on Mount Cudi. It is yet unclear where exactly he was buried. His family received visits of condolence for three days in Mardin.

NUPELDA FOLLOWED HER BROTHER ÇEKDAR

Four years after Çekdar's martyrdom, who became the pride of the family Özen, his sister Nupelda Mêrdîn (Şükran Özen), born on the 1st January 1986 in the village Dengiza and living in exile in İzmir, headed for the free mountains, pledging to pick up her brother's arm. Just like her dear brother also she was brave, just and skilful. Nupelda never attended school and never aspired to subject herself to the system's education.

All the people around her considered her an exemplary person and with her beauty she was praised by everyone. Also in the mountains, the free land, she became an example for her comrades. Nupelda remained for a long time in Heftanin, from where she went to Western Kurdistan to join the struggle in Rojava. There she fought six months in the Derika Hemko area on the shore edge to Botan against ISIS gangs. On the 10th of May 2017 Nupelda fell a martyr putting up a fearless fight just like her brother. She was laid to rest in a massive funeral ceremony at the Xebat Derik Cemetry of Martyrs in Derika Hemko.

AND MAHSUM...

Mahsum Özer, who was born on the 15th August 1992 in the village Dengiza, joined his siblings' resistance against the Turkish state. After attending primary school for the first five years in his village, he moved to his family in İzmir, where he continued his study for three more years. Even though he was very young, he also provided for his family after coming home from school. But his heart was always with his elder brother Çekdar and his elder sister Nupelda.

With all he could he supported their righteous cause and the struggle of his siblings and their comrades never left his mind. Eventually he joined the political activities and became a leading figure among the youths. His friends and the people around him grew heavily fond of him. Because he was participating in political activities and demonstrations, the Turkish state put him in prison for about two years. After his release from prison, he decided to continue his struggle in the free mountains. But due to complications constantly arising, he faced many difficulties which kept him off from realising his dream. He was immensely devoted to the Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan and he carried the Kurdish struggle all the time in his heart. On the 28th of December 2014 Mahsum Ozer, with a heavy heart filled with patriotic emotion, immolated himself, shouting the words: "Bijî Serok Apo, Bijî Kurd û Kurdistan" (Long live leader Apo, Long live the Kurds and Kurdistan). Mahsum Ozer fell a martyr there.

FAMİLY ÖZEN PROUD OF THEIR CHILDREN

For having paid such a high price for this honourable struggle the family of Çekdar, Nupelda and Mahsum, who have become shining symbols of a great resistance, are holding their heads high and remark that every drop of blood shed for Kurdistan's freedom is holy and until the very end they will stand by and support their cause.