Sırrı Süreyya Önder, member of the DEM Party Imralı Delegation, passed away on 3 May. Memorials and tributes to the MP continue to be held in various places around the world. On Saturday, a memorial was held in Strasbourg.

The event, organized by the Strasbourg Democratic Kurdish Community Center (DKTM), the Federation of Democratic Workers' Associations (DIDF), and Alınteri, was held at the DKTM-Strasbourg.

The memorial began with a one-minute silence in memory of the martyrs of Kurdistan, Turkey, and the world revolution, followed by speeches.

Ibrahim Balcı, a representative of DIDF, described Önder as a wise man who, like the dervishes and sages of Anatolia and Mesopotamia, expressed the pains of life through meaningful words. "Sırrı Süreyya was one of the sages of this era, and this must be acknowledged," Balcı said, adding that Önder built his "socialist identity" not through slogans, but "by understanding his people and his land, with equality and humanism."

Balcı added that Önder said: "Kurds became Prime Ministers, Presidents, and Ministers; what more do you want, we are equal." Balcı said: "Kurds could be anything in this country, but they could never be Kurdish." Referring to Önder's simple life, Balcı said: "If we start from the Anatolian dervish tradition, Sırrı Süreyya Önder lived with a robe and a morsel of bread. Despite being known and producing in every field, from politics to art, he never had anything to do with wealth or property."

Aynur Eke, a journalist for Alınteri Newspaper, said that during Önder's hospitalization, people from all walks of life visited him, and his funeral saw participation from various groups. Eke emphasized Önder's unifying role, saying that "he was the common conscience that brought everyone together, the common voice of workers, laborers, and peoples thirsty for peace."

Önder's' struggle will succeed

Politician Cuma Tak underlined Önder's combative personality as well as his internationalist stance in the Kurdish Freedom Struggle. He said that the struggles of those who seek truth in the name of equality and freedom are an adventure. Tak remembered names like Sheikh Bedrettin, Pir Sultan Abdal, Mahir, Deniz, Ibrahim from Anatolia, and Shêx Saîd, Seyîd Rıza, Mazdek, and Babek from Mesopotamia, who carried the flag of equality and freedom. Tak said: "Our comrade Sırrı Süreyya, our martyr for peace and democracy, fought as a representative of the world of labor, the oppressed women, and the struggles of the people, synthesizing all these resistances."

Tak added that Önder's struggle will be successful, and that the PKK has taken a step for Önder's fight for peace and democracy, which will open a new chapter for the peoples and the world of labor. "This was the right of Sırrı Süreyya, but now he is no longer with us. He is the martyr of the world of labor and the peoples. He is the martyr of internationalism whose roots lie in the lands of Anatolia and Mesopotamia."

Tak added: "Hundreds of thousands attended the funeral, and this shows what our people, our nations expect. Our duty is to bring the march initiated by those who seek the truth to its conclusion, to victory."

The commemoration ended with the slogans, "Şehîd Namirin" (Martyrs Never Die) and "Revolutionary martyrs are immortal."