MÊRDÎN - "We have a leader, the Kurds have achieved victory," says Hacı Şükrü Aslan, 94, who comes to the Qamishlo border from Kerboran district of Mêrdîn every day to participate in the vigil. 

 

The vigil at the Qamishlo border in the Nîsebîn (Nusaybin) district of Mêrdîn against the ongoing attacks of Turkey and the Syrian National Army (SNA) on North and East Syria has entered its 27th day. 

 

One of the participants of the vigil is Hacı Şükrü Aslan, who comes to the border from Kerboran (Dargeçit) district every day despite the cold weather and his advancing age. Aslan, 94, is a well-known figure in Kerboran district. He started his political life as a follower of Mela Mistafa Barzani when he was in his 20s, and in the following years he followed the line of the Kurdish freedom struggle. After the rural Dîlan neighborhood of the district was burned down and evacuated in the 1990s, Aslan, who had to migrate from the village to the district center, voluntarily founded the district organization of the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) and became one of the official founders of the Kurdish political tradition in Kerboran. Despite his advancing age, Aslan continued to participate in the vigil on the border with Qamishlo, on the border with Pirsûs (Suruç) during the ISIS attacks on Kobanê, in the marches to Botan during the curfews declared in Kurdistan cities and in protests against all kinds of attacks against Kurds.

 

Stating that he did not back down despite the increasing pressure and threats in 2000 when he founded the HADEP District Organization in Kerboran, where he had faced difficulties for years, Aslan said, “There was no party in Kerboran in those years. Then the party came there, I was illiterate, but I said, 'If you accept me, I will do it. Let our party open in Kerboran, if there is no one, I am ready.' In short, at first they looked for someone who could read and write, but then they made me the district chair.” Stating that detention processes started afterwards, Aslan said that despite his advancing age, he was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison as well as fines.

 

'TODAY WE HAVE A LEADER'

 

Stating that he never for a moment thought of backing down from the struggle, Aslan said, “I have the same idea today. Today we have a leader. We are all behind him. Even though we have never wronged anyone, great injustices continue to be done to us. We are fighting for humanity, peace and unity.” 

 

'KURDS HAVE ACHIEVED VICTORY'

 

“We defend our just cause like everyone else,” Aslan said and added, “The lands in Syria are Kurdish lands. They divided our lands into 4 parts, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey. Iranians execute Kurds every day. Are Kurds not human beings? Whoever stands up against this oppression is the most honorable. Everyone will benefit from the peace our leader will make. Kurds are an ancient nation. A leader emerged against the oppression against them and came to this day. Kurds have achieved victory. My good news to everyone is that Kurdistan will be liberated. This is a historical event. It is a beautiful and honorable demand to say that we are brothers and sisters and people should not be killed. We also see this as positive. If they want peace, first of all the war must stop. So many young people are dying. It would be better if they were negotiating, but they are not.” 

 

MA / Ahmet Kanbal - Ömer Güngör