Felemez Zawi is guerrilla Rûken Zelal’s father. His daughter carried out a self-sacrificing action with another guerrilla, Sara Tolhildan Goyi, in Mersin on the night of 26 September 2022.

Felemez Zawi spoke to the ANF on the occasion of the anniversary of the two guerrillas’ deaths. Zawi said that as a family, they had been involved in the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle from the beginning and that their doors were always open to PKK members. "I think it was 1992. One day, my friends asked me, ‘Do you want to see Leader Öcalan?’ Of course, I said. I wanted to see him. We, a group of 30 people, went to Aleppo to see him. We had never seen the Leader before. Once you see him, it is impossible for you to abandon his path and line. The Leader started this struggle for the oppressed people whose rights and freedoms have been usurped. No people who cannot defend their rights, country, language and culture have a chance to survive. The Freedom Movement, developed by Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] is a movement that defends the dignity of humanity, democracy, equality and freedom. Since the day I saw him, I promised that I would never walk away from the Leader's line. All my children and their children will carry this idea of ​​the Leader as long as they exist. Whether we live or die, we will never give up this struggle. For years, we and our children have lived on this belief and philosophy and will continue to live."

Rûken grew up with party education

Zawi added: "Rûken grew up with this party education. When friends came home, their respect, approach to people and love for children were very different. For this reason, children always loved them very much. This had a serious effect on the development of children's characters. Rûken also grew up this way. It affected her entire life. She was a successful student at school and was loved by her friends. She was loved in her family, among her siblings and in the neighborhood. She completed 9th grade with the highest grades. She graduated from her class with honors without any external support. She wanted to continue studying, but Syria went into turmoil in 2011 and the first stages of the revolution had already begun. We were losing martyrs every day. There were public demonstrations and marches. Rûken was attending all the ceremonies and marches for the martyrs. One day she came home and told me, ‘Dad, I will pick up my gun.’ I really liked that, but I told her that it was a heavy burden, not a comfortable thing, and that it would be difficult to handle. She said to me, ‘Dad, keep your head up, I am aware of everything and I know all the difficulties. Rest assured, I will overcome this and succeed.’ She told my friends: ‘Why are you going to go and tell my father? Our house has always been open to the fighters of this revolution since before I was born. This is our duty, and we will do it.’ As I said, she came and told me and all I had to do was say, ‘May your path be clear.’"

We know the meaning of martyrdom very well

Zawi added: "I didn't see her for a long time after that. When her mother called me and told me that Rûken and a friend named Sara had come home, we were very happy. Sara had become our child too. We never made a difference between the two. They stayed for a long time and then left. We didn't hear from her anymore until one day we received news of her death. We are a patriotic family, and we know the meaning of martyrdom very well. Rûken was like all her friends to us. Thousands of young people sacrificed their lives like her. Those who decide to fight for their own country should, of course, also take the risk of becoming a martyr. The enemy does not give anything to a person easily. If you want to achieve your goal, then you have to take the risk of everything. Our leader has been in captivity for 25-26 years. They don't even let their lawyers see him. When every patriot demands his rights, of course there are prices to pay for this."

We never thought of running away

Zawi said: "No country has ever been won easily. Of course, anyone who defends their country can fall as a martyr. They were coming after us a lot in Rojava. There were attacks every day. We had to resist, too. If we had not resisted, none of the places we have liberated would be in our hands today. Each of us would have scattered somewhere. The Turkish state was sending gangs across the border to Rojava. As they came after us, we were defending ourselves. They were not coming in small groups. They were coming after us in thousands, tens of thousands. They were coming with the latest technological weapons in their hands. We had nothing but a Russian weapon. Sometimes they would advance without distinguishing between villages and cities. We never thought of running away. A patriot cannot run away anyway. He cannot leave his own land, his own country. He dies in his own home, but he never runs away. Running away is not for us. Where are we going to go anyway? We are surrounded by enemies on all sides. Are we going to Turkey? It is the greatest enemy. For this reason, we took up our weapons and defended ourselves."

Zawi continued: "We are defending our own land, language, and culture. We have not attacked anyone. We defend our own country, and of course this cannot be achieved without sacrificing martyrs. No country has gained its independence without bloodshed. No one can give you your independence as if it were a gift. You have to resist. As long as you do not resist, you cannot find life. Nothing can come by itself without paying the price, and it is not possible. Everyone who wants their own freedom and country has to risk paying the price.

It is an honour to have a martyr in our home

Heval Rûken was also one of those who risked any price for her own people, country, and the freedom of her country. Like all her friends and comrades, she sacrificed herself for her people. We always hold our heads high in the face of their struggle. The friends who came to tell us about her martyrdom were a little shy. When they told me that Rûken had fallen a martyr, it was the greatest honor for me. Martyrdom has a very different meaning for patriotic and good people. Martyrdom is sacred for us. Of course, it is a great honor for a martyr to appear in our house. Today, not only our family, but also all relatives have their photos hung in the most important corner in their houses. Our whole family stands tall in the face of their struggle and martyrdom. Martyrdom is not something that everyone gets. Rûken and Sara sacrificed themselves on this sacred path, and we have nothing to say but bow before their struggle."

We loved Sara as we loved Rûken

Zawi said: "We loved Sara as we loved Rûken. In all our relatives' homes, Sara and Rûken's photos stand side by side. They started this struggle together, resisted together, sacrificed themselves for the same idea and philosophy, and were killed together. We are struggling for a life in line with Leader Apo's philosophy. We are fighting a war of existence and non-existence.

Either we will live a life in line with Leader Apo's philosophy, or we will not have a life. If you do not have a language, freedom, country, and culture, there is no point in living physically. We will follow Leader Apo's line until the end. We will either be free or die. This is the dignity of humanity."