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By Amy L. Beam, Ed.D:
Mersin University student Şiwan Bayar was given a martyr’s funeral in his hometown of Şirnak, Turkey, on November 23, 2014. Şiwan (also Şivan) was studying history education when he decided to leave university and join the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS or ISID) to defend the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane on the border of Turkey.
Şiwan Bayar, martyred in Kobane
Bayar was a member of Democratic Patriot Youth (DYG). He. joined YPG and took the nom de guerre of Adıl Rojhat. He died defending Kobane on November 18, 2014.
His public funeral in Şirnak was attended by a thousand people including DBP Party leaders, the mayors of Şirnak and Cizre, and Mr. Mesut Uysal.
Mr. Uysal, a Kurdish human rights lawyer and former Parliamentarian, returned to his hometown of Şirnak in August 2014 after 22 years in exile. He left Turkey after the Turkish government attacked the city of Şirnak, August 18, 1992. His home was targeted and hit by hundreds of machine gun bullets.
Mesut Uysal, third from right seated, returned after 22 yrs
Mesut Uysal’s house attacked by police in 1992
Şiwan Bayar’s mother spoke briefly at his martyr’s ceremony, stating “Biji Kurdistan” (long live Kurdistan).
Şiwan Bayar’s mother
Şıvan Bayar’s brother, Lokman Bayar, said, “My father was killed in the 1990s with no claim.”
He expressed that the killer behind his father and brother had the same mentality: “We struggled for our culture and identity for years and we lost so many people. We buried thousands of youngsters like my brother. But Adıl’s name will be replaced by a thousand others,” he said.
The battle for Kurdish rights has continued in Turkey for over 30 years with 30,000 Kurds losing their lives. In October 2014, Kurds across Turkey demonstrated in support of Kobane and against the Turkish government which refused to allow Kurds from Turkey to cross the border into Syria in order to defend Kobane. Thirty-eight Kurds were killed during these demonstrations against Turkey’s policy on Kobane.
Nov 23, 2014, funeral ceremony, Sirnak
Mayors of Cizre and Sirnak
Dr. Amy L. Beam promotes tourism in eastern Turkey at Mount Ararat Trek and writes in support of Kurdish human rights. She has also been following the Yezidis from Roboski border north. Follow her on Twitter @amybeam or email her at amybeam@yahoo.com.
More of Amy’s articles: http://kurdistantribune.com/?s=amy+l+beam
I am not gonna wage war. I believe in peace.
This is war against Islamists. I love peace.
I want an independent country. Millions killed. No home.
What about end of it.