MELETÎ - Speaking about Peace Group member Ali Şükran Aktaş, who died of cancer, his childhood friend Süleyman Yücekaya said: “Even if he had two hours in a day, he would always spend it working for this movement. Her 59 years of life was spent in struggle.”
Ali Şükran Aktaş, a member of the Second Peace Group who came to Turkey from Europe on October 29, 1999, died on August 12 in Izmir, where he was being treated for cancer. Aktaş's funeral took place on August 14 in the Taruca (Darıca) neighborhood of Meletî's Arxan (Akçadağ) district he was born and raised.
Aktaş was born on June 16, 1965 in Taruca, the 5th child of a working class family of 7 children. His father went to work in Germany and after attending primary school in the village, Aktaş completed his secondary and high school education in the Kürecik district of Meletî. Before graduating from high school, Aktaş's mother migrated to Germany with his other children and started working as a laborer there. After a successful education, Aktaş went to Antalya to study at the Mediterranean Faculty of Medicine.
Süleyman Yücekaya, a childhood friend of Ali Şükran Aktaş
A LIFE OF STRUGGLE
Both his family and Aktaş were subjected to state repression many times during their stay in Meletî. On April 10, 1971, his uncle Niyazi Tekin, a member of the Revolutionary Youth Federation of Turkey (DEV-GENÇ), who was staying at the Balıkesir Student Dormitory in Istanbul's Cağaloğlu district, was seriously wounded in an armed attack by members of the Grey Wolves and died 10 days later. Affected by the murder of his uncle, Aktaş became acquainted with the Kurdish freedom movement as a university student. In Antalya, where he was studying medicine, Aktaş was detained for his political views and expelled from school. Aktaş was forced to migrate to Germany due to the pressure he faced during these years. Aktaş continued his struggle in Germany and was subjected to pressure by the German government for taking part in activities.
TOOK PART IN THE PEACE GROUP
Aktaş was part of the Second Peace Group that came to Turkey on October 29, 1999 upon the call of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. Aktaş came from Europe together with Haydar Ergül, Aygül Bidav, İmam Canpolat, Yusuf Kıyak, Aysel Doğan, Hacı Çelik and Dilek Kurt. On October 1, 1999, after the first Peace Group members from Kandil were arrested, the members of the Second Peace Group were detained and arrested just like the members of the first Peace Group. The 8 Peace Group members were tried in Istanbul and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 7 to 15 years. In 2005, Aktaş was released from prison and sentenced to 20 months in prison on the grounds that he had “the potential to make propaganda for an illegal organization”.
After the Court of Cassation upheld the sentence on October 4, 2013, Aktaş went back to prison and spent 9 months and 10 days in prison. After his release from prison, Aktaş continued his struggle for peace and was elected as a member of the Supervisory Board of the Peace Foundation at its 2nd Ordinary General Assembly held on January 29, 2020.
Aktaş died on August 12 in Urla district of Izmir, where he was undergoing cancer treatment.
'HE USED TO SERVE HIS PEOPLE'
Aktaş, who lived a life of oppression and hardship, did not take a step back from the struggle against all this. Describing Aktaş, his childhood friend Süleyman Yücekaya, with whom he grew up, said that Aktaş's patriotic and benevolent characteristics stood out with his combative personality. “Wherever there was a person in need of help, he would rush to their aid. He would stand side by side with them” Yücekaya said and emphasized that Aktaş had a great love for his homeland.
Underlining that Aktaş's life was spent in struggle, Yücekaya said: “He was ill for the last 2 years. Before he got sick, he used to come to the village 2-3 times a year. Especially if his mother was here, he would definitely come here. He was attached to his hometown. His influence was great in the city. All of his 59 years of life was spent in struggle. He contributed a lot both in Turkey and in Europe. Whether it was two hours or six hours in a day, he would always spend it working for this movement. He would run to help the sick and those with headaches. He was always serving his people. He embraced both his Alevi identity and his Kurdish identity. The last time he came was during the earthquake. Houses were destroyed here. A disabled friend's house here was also destroyed in the earthquake. He gave his house in Izmir to that friend. He lived in the same house for a while. May his resting place not be hurt.”
MA / Ceylan Şahinli