Legendary guerrilla fighter Zeynep Kınacı (Zilan) became immortal following an action of self-sacrifice against Turkish occupation troops in Dersim in 1996. June 30 is the anniversary of her action.
Zeynep Kınacı was 24 years old when she blew herself up near Turkish soldiers who were singing the Turkish national anthem, killing around ten soldiers while wounding over thirty, on 30 June 1996 in the center of Dersim. With her action, the trained nurse, whose nom de guerre was "Zîlan", set a beacon for the Kurdish freedom movement, especially the women's movement. Kurds all around the world pay tribute to Zîlan on the 27th anniversary of her martyrdom.
Elefteriya Gabar Cizîr, a guerrilla fighter in the ranks of KJAR (Community of Free Women of East Kurdistan) spoke to ANF on the 27th anniversary of the martyrdom of Zîlan, one of the leading cadres of the PKK.
Cizîr paid tribute to Zîlan and all the martyrs who fell in the month of June, vowing to follow in the footsteps of the martyrs with their struggle and resistance.
“Based on the ideas and philosophy of the Leader (Abdullah Öcalan), comrade Zîlan proved the power of women and her capability to do anything with her love of life. She showed everyone that no power can crush the will of women. Thousands have followed in her footsteps up to today. We will follow her path to the very end and be worthy of all the martyrs,” said Cizîr.
The KJAR guerrilla continued: “With her devotion to life and powerful personality, she always set an example to us, although she had fought in the guerrilla ranks for just one year. Hundreds of young women followed in her footsteps, took over the legacy of her struggle and reached martyrdom, such as Zîlan Pepûle and Zîlan Makû, who also fell in June. What falls on us is to undertake more responsibility in the struggle and to be worthy of the labour of Kurdistan martyrs. We should raise the fire of revolution. Young women should get to know the leader’s ideas and philosophy more closely and follow the path of freedom undertaken by Zîlan and her likes. It is the will of women that will ensure the survival and enlargement of the struggle. We women should embrace the leader and the struggle and avenge our martyrs. I once again remember the martyrs of June with respect and state that we will fight to the end to be worthy of them.”
