A delegation of the Internationalist Commune visited the 7th Conference of the Association of Şehîd Families of Dêrik on 14 November. The conference is held once a year to coordinate political work, joint assistance and support.
At the time of the current threats by the Turkish state to launch a new invasion against Rojava, the Şehîd families put emphasis on strengthening their organisation and, in particular, to gain strength for the upcoming phase with the memory of their fallen relatives.
Preserving the values of the martyrs, defending the revolution and the related achievements and changes they fought for is one of the main tasks of the organisation of Şehîd families. For this purpose, ideological and political education are being promoted, in addition to actions in society, public protests and involvement in civil society.
The welcoming speech for the conference was given by the mother of Şehîd Hevrin Khalaf. She pointed out that it was everyone’s responsibility to carry on the work of the fallen. She said, “In this sensitive historical process that the Kurdish people and the people of the region are going through, the responsibility that falls on everyone, especially the families of the martyrs, is to protect the achievements of the Kurdish people and the people of the region from the plans of the plotter forces.” In the Conference of Şehîd Families, the work of the past year was discussed and the principles for future work were set. It was decided that defending the achievements of the revolution and opposing the betrayal of the PDK must play a big role in the work of the organisation. The betrayal of the government of South Kurdistan and its collaboration with the Turkish fascism is being discussed in the actions of the organisation of the Sehid families at the Semalka border. There, the families of the fallen are demanding the bodies of the guerrilla fighters, killed by an ambush in Khelifan, back. The actions have been going on for more than a month and put a lot of pressure on the government of Southern Kurdistan. At the conference, this action was discussed and it was decided that the efforts have to be intensified in order to further publicise the betrayal of the PDK worldwide.
The struggle against the upcoming attacks and the imperialist forces that are trying to destroy the achievements of the revolution and with it the achievements of the martyrs should continue to have the highest priority in the activities of the families of the martyrs.
During the conference, we talked to many relatives of the martyrs and we were very impressed by their will and determination to lead the struggle of their martyred children to success. In the countries we come from, the death of the children would leave a melancholy and saddened memory. To see that the families see a commitment for themselves and their actions through the sacrifice of their children for the revolution has been very touching for us. This understanding of continuing the struggle is one of the foundations for the successful struggle of the Kurdish freedom movement. Without this understanding, it would not be possible to carry on the struggle for the freedom of Kurdistan and the liberation of humanity from capitalism for more than 40 years. The work of the martyrs and remembering them is an incentive and obligation in the further struggle for liberation, whether in Kurdistan or worldwide, the efforts of those who fought with us and gave their lives for the revolution should always accompany our paths and give us strength in our struggle.
In many leftist movements, liberalism has ensured that the memory of the fallen has taken a back seat. For us, it is clear that a successful struggle can only succeed if strength is drawn from the sacrifices of our comrades. If we remember their words, remember their actions and see ourselves committed by them to lead their struggle to success. Melancholic approaches must not prevent us from continuing the struggle for liberation, despite all the sadness. The attitude of the Şehîd families has shown us that a militant culture of remembrance gives us enormous strength. Filled with the resistant spirit of the conference, we said goodbye and wished the friends a successful outcome of the conference.