“The Kurdish issue does not exist any more … ” – Dersim Genocide !

My Mom’s name was Sherin.

My Pappa’s name was Sherko.

My four brothers and one baby sister were my best friends.

We had a lovely small house with pretty garden full of colorful flowers.

My Mom used to say that we are her sunshines. My Father taught us about honor and dignity. We were always together, never apart. We had happy life, full of love.

And then they came !

The Angels of Death !

Firstly, they beheaded my father on our eyes. They held my Mom so close to him, so she could smell the blood gushing from his neck. And I saw that in the same time her heart was beheaded also.

After that, they took my Mom and they raped her in front of us. Each one of them. One by one, using some horrible items. And we all were dying million times in huge tortures watching it. She died in extreme pain.
Then they took each of my brothers. First, they cut their fingers one by one to be sure that boys are going to die slowly. Next, they tore out their tongues, saying that nobody will ever again speak our language.

I prayed to die ! I prayed to get shot !

They shaved my brothers hair and stripped of their clothes. Just when they were sure that boys finally feel humiliated, they killed them.

And they took my baby sister. My sweet, lovely angel. They started to take of her clothes. She could not speak and she even did not cry but I saw the terror in her eyes and I am thankful that they took her out of the house and I didn’t have to see what they are doing to her.
I just heard her short but loud cry. It was terrifying.

I knew that my turn is coming, my way through hell …..

The Dersim Massacre

Dersim

This is one more tragedy that we should never forget and we should keep educate the world about it.

It all happened in Dersim. The region of Eastern Turkey. 1938.
During that time the Ottoman Empire was a feudal state. Each region was ruled by feudal lords or tribe leader. Slowly they started to lose their power for the Turkish benefit and Dersim tribes didn’t want to pay taxes to Turkish government because they didn’t agree to the loss of power. The main group living in this region were Kurds, and more precisely the Zaza people – Alevi, who consider themselves as ethnic Kurds.

Kurds caught by Turkish soldiers

In 1926, the Interior Ministry decided to “make the order” in Dersim.

The huge plan of resettlement started. People were relocated to different places in the whole Turkey. Families were separated. For years. Turkish military stations were built in Dersim.

In 1937, Kurds wrote the letter to Turkish government to stop this cruel politics of separating families. Government found the authors of this letter and executed them !

And then, the Kurds started to defend themselves, saving their families and friends.

The Turks did not start to defend themselves. They started a huge extermination ! 

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first President of Turkey, had given the order.

Seyid Rıza

The Turks were so cruel, that when the Kurdish leader Seyid Riza, came to them for peace talks, they arrested him and hanged together with his 6 closest collaborators !

Turkish planes bombed Dersim many times, but what is even more awful, they used poisonous gas to kill even more people.

This gas was also used in caves where a lot of Kurds tried to find a shelter. They were gassed. Just like mouses.

The Turks did not see the difference between men, women and children. All died during extreme tortures. “Women and children were locked into sheds which were then set on fire”.

More then 70 000 people were murdered !

I know it is argued if it was a genocide.

It WAS a Genocide !

All of the angels that were killed during this horrible mission, we remember about You. You still live in our hearts and we will never let the world to forget.
You are the bravest soldiers that did not doubt to fight for their lands and their beloved ones.

You gave us the lesson of honor and dignity !

Just like my Father did …

Biji Kurdistan !