MÊRDÎN - Fettah Tekin, who lost 2 children in the clashes and has 1 child in captivity, is resisting the attacks on the border with Qamishlo. "I take my strength from the love of my homeland. Either we will die in this land or we will be liberated," says Tekin.
The vigil started at the Qamishlo border in Nisêbîn (Nusaybin) district of Mêrdîn against the attacks of Turkey and the Syrian National Army (SNA) against North and East Syria continues on its 14th day. Every day, many people from neighboring provinces and districts support the vigil. One of the most striking faces of the action is Fettah Tekin, 59, who has been participating in the action with his wife Gurbet Tekin since the first day.
Tekin, who has been participating in the protest every day between 12.00 pm and 04.00 pm from Artuklu district, adds sound and color with the slogans he chants. Tekin lost 2 of his children, who were member of PKK, in the clashes and 1 of his children is currently imprisoned. Tekin himself, his wife, daughter, 2 grandchildren and 1 child were also arrested and released on different dates.
Tekin has continued his resistance by taking a corner of the struggle at every opportunity and in every field he has been in. Today, he took part in a demonstration on the Nisêbîn-Qamishlo border in response to the attacks by Turkey and the SNA on areas under the sovereignty of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.
Fettah Tekin said: “We are in search of freedom. Our grandfathers and fathers had shortcomings, but we will not bequeath these shortcomings to our children. That is why we will fight for this cause as much as we can. We have been in prisons, we have lived in exile, but we are here again and we continue our struggle. 1 of my children is currently in prison. I have been arrested 3 times since 1992. In addition to my husband and son, my daughter was imprisoned for 2.5 years with her two children. As Kurdish people, we are struggling for freedom. We have never usurped anyone's rights, we only want our rights. Our struggle is for a free life in our own land like the peoples of the world. But whoever is hostile to the Kurdish people, Turkey sides with them and cooperates with them.”
'ATTACKS ARE DIRECTED AGAINST THE MODEL OF LIFE'
Stating that they are waging a struggle for the liberation of all Kurds in Rojava, Tekin said that he will continue this struggle until the end. The war being waged in Rojava is directed against the model of life built there said Tekin and added: “All peoples have created an exemplary model by building a life together there. This model does not suit the capitalist states. That is why they support Turkey today. The silence of international states in the face of the attacks and massacres against Rojava today is due to the model built. They are making calls, saying 'Syria belongs to the Syrians'. The Kurdish people also live in Syria. The name of the region where they live is Rojava and the peoples living there have their lands. The model in Rojava is a model created by Mr. Abdullah Öcalan and presented to the peoples. International states, writers and intellectuals are doing research on this model of life. This model is of utmost importance for all humanity.”
'TODAY IS THE DAY FOR UNITY'
Touching upon the importance of Kurdish unity, Tekin continued as follows: “We must ensure our unity. If Kurds are not united among themselves, the Kurdish problem will not be solved. If we want to have a status, we must first be united. The enemy of our ancestors cannot be our friend. Today is the day for unity. Let's put aside small calculations and win the freedom of our people. If our people leave Efrîn and Serêkaniyê, where will they go? We have nowhere else to go. We will either die in this land or we will be liberated. Everyone asks 'where does this power and this voice come from? I get this strength from the love of land and homeland, a love that only those who long for their homeland have.”
MA / Ömer Erdoğan