The London Committee of Martyrs’ Families paid tribute to May martyrs in the person of Haki Karer who was killed on 18 May 1977, İbrahim Kaypakkaya who was tortured to death on 18 May 1873, Ferhat Kurtay, Eşref Anyık, Mahmut Zengin and Necmi Öner all of whom fell as martyrs after setting their bodies on fire in Diyarbakır Prison and HPG Commander Sinan Dersim.

The commemoration event in Kurdish Community Center began with a moment of silence. Afterwards, a cinevision in commemoration of May martyrs was screened, accompanied by slogans by the participants such as as “Martyrs are immortal” (Şehîd namirin), “Long live the leader Öcalan” (Bijî serok Apo) and “Kurdistan will be a grave for fascism”.

‘MARTYRS ENLIGHTEN OUR PATH’

Speaking at the commemoration, Ali Poyraz, spokesman of the Committee of Martyrs’ Families, stated that martyrs of freedom and democracy struggle enlighten their path. He continued, “We respectfully pay tribute to all May martyrs in the name of our revolution martyrs İbrahim Kaypakkaya, Deniz Gezmiş and his comrades, Haki Karer and the Four’s. The struggle against fascism and colonialism, waged with their spirit and the willpower of millions, has been continuing.”

Defining their struggle as a movement of martyrs, Poyraz said, “Comrade Haki was a soldier and martyr of an internationalist struggle. One year after the martyrdom of Comrade Haki, Halil Çavgun was shot and martyred while putting up Haki’s poster. This signifies our loyalty to the martyrs. We reiterate our promise to actualize their ideals.”