"The mountains of Kurdistan are a place of self-discovery"

Dilpak Urmiye joined the guerrilla from Eastern Kurdistan five years ago. She says: "We were alienated from our culture and language in the system I grew up in."

Out of her hatred for the system, Dilpak Urmiye decided to join the guerrilla in 2015. At that time, the guerrilla fighter from the city of Urmia in Eastern Kurdistan was 18 years old. About her living conditions at that time she says: "In the system in which I grew up, we were alienated from our culture and language. Our own reality was alien to us. The Iranian regime influenced people through the education system. It went from house to house, from family to family, from village to village. Everything was done to alienate the youth and women from their mothers' culture. I rejected that system."

The young guerrilla fighter says that Abdullah Öcalan's philosophy is characterized by its wholeness and universality: "Everyone can find himself in it, regardless of his origin. People from all parts of Kurdistan have joined the guerrilla. The mountains are a great meeting place for so many different people. Everyone can find himself in this organization and live out his identity and personality."

Regarding her own motivation for joining the guerrilla, Dilpak says: "When I was still at home, everything I saw from the guerrillas impressed me: The way they talked and moved, their attitude, their weapons. The fighters had joined the training by Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] and their existence was recognized by the population. I was fascinated by their loyalty to each other, their sincere and cooperative treatment and their willingness to make sacrifices. For example, they threw themselves in front of each other in battle to protect the others from bullets. I wanted to become one of them and go to the mountains. And now I met my reality."

Dilpak Urmiye appeals to the youth of Iran: "The Iranian regime puts a lot of pressure, especially on the youth. A life is imposed on the young people that has nothing to do with humanity. No one should accept that. The young people from Rojhilat [Eastern Kurdistan] are exposed to all kinds of attacks. They should come to the free mountains. Here there is an atmosphere of humanity in which they can get to know themselves. Nobody should fall for the dirty machinations of the system. My appeal is mainly directed at the women."

 

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