Amed Dicle
Gulîstan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn stood for freedom in the depths of their homeland like two stars shining in the endless darkness of truth and hope. They wielded their pens and cameras like lights against the shadows of oppression and betrayal; they became torches symbolising resistance and courage that illuminated the darkness.
Every word from the pens of Gulîstan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn was a cry forged with the longing of these lands. Their struggles resound as an eternal song of freedom engraved in the heart of Kurdistan and will echo forever. Every step taken for freedom and truth in these lands will carry their traces, and the legacy they left behind will guide future generations.
THEIR VOICES WENT BEYOND THE ATTACK
These two courageous Kurdish women journalists were murdered in a brutal attack by the Turkish state on 23 August, yet their voices defending the truth went beyond this attack. They not only conveyed the suffering and hopes of a people to the world but also became living symbols of the struggle for a dignified future for these lands. With every step and every word, they worked tirelessly to bring the just struggle of the Kurdish people to the world. Their pens and cameras became the voice of a people and the history of resistance.
The Turkish state and its collaborators targeted Gulîstan and Hêro’s commitment to truth but failed to silence their voices. Gulîstan and Hêro’s stance in defence of truth grows stronger every day on these lands. Their struggle did not end; instead, it finds new life in every search for freedom, in every defender of truth. The legacy left by these two brave journalists continues to shed light not only on the struggle of a people but also on humanity’s struggle for honour, and they will continue to do so.
A TERRIBLE CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY IN THE FACE OF TRUTH
The winds of Kurdistan always carry the traces of suffering and resistance. These winds are filled with the memories left behind by resisters like Gulîstan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn. They took up their pens and cameras as weapons to be the voice of the Kurdish people. They were not just witnesses but also narrators of a people’s struggle for a dignified future in their quest for freedom. The darkness of oppression and betrayal sought to be obstruct this quest. The Turkish state and its collaborators, fearing the voices of these two women who shouted out the truth, targeted them. They were brutally murdered simply because they documented the truth. This savage attack is not just a massacre of journalists but also a profound crime against humanity, women, freedom and truth.
Today, the values immortalised by Gulîstan and Hêro shape the future of the Kurdish people. Their sacrifices shine like a sun over these lands, illuminating the darkness. The memories of Gulîstan, Hêro and all our martyrs will continue to live as the eternal light of this struggle for generations to come.
THE TRUE VICTORY LIES IN CARRYING THEIR LEGACY FORWARD
One day, the betrayal suffered by Gulîstan and Hêro will surely be accounted for. The true victory lies in the echoing of their courage and determination in future generations. The memories of these two brave women will continue to burn as torches in Kurdistan’s struggle for freedom. Their struggle is not just a part of a people’s struggle but also a part of humanity’s struggle for honour. No matter how much truth is suppressed, it will one day come to light. Gulîstan and Hêro knew that a people could not live without freedom and truth. For them, protecting these values was not just a duty but an existential necessity. Every step they took and every word they spoke was shaped by this awareness. The suffering of the Kurdish people only strengthened their resolve. Through their struggle for truth, they made the world aware of a people’s belief in and quest for freedom.
BETRAYAL CAN NO LONGER BE OVERLOOKED
Gulîstan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn were not just brave journalists in pursuit of truth; they were also witnesses documenting how betrayal poses a danger to the Kurdish people. They revealed, in all its starkness, how those who turned their backs on the people’s struggle for freedom could commit treachery for their own interests. The targeting of these two brave women by those collaborating with the Turkish state showed how destructive and deep a wound betrayal could inflict. With their pens and cameras, Gulîstan and Hêro unmasked this betrayal and recorded the crimes committed against their people. Their murder demonstrates that betrayal has reached a point where it can no longer be ignored. This massacre is also a call for the Kurdish people to stand and unite against betrayal.
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
The brave journalists of the free press never allowed truth to be lost in the darkness. Their pens and cameras were not just tools but courageous steps on the road to freedom. Their love for their country and commitment to their homeland will continue to light the way to the honourable future of the Kurdish people. Their memories will live on as a source of inspiration until these lands achieve freedom. The legacy they left behind will be remembered for generations as the strongest proof of how vital freedom and truth are for a people’s future.
Gulîstan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn will be remembered as a source of inspiration not only for their own time but also for future generations. Their struggle will be etched in memory as one of the strongest examples of the Kurdish people’s quest for freedom and determination in the pursuit of truth. No matter how much a people’s belief in truth and freedom is suppressed, it will always find a way and flourish again. The marks left by Gulîstan and Hêro as living witnesses of this reality will continue to shine as torches, also shedding light on the future.
OUR GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY
Their memories will continue to burn as a torch lighting the way in a people’s resistance and search for freedom. It is our greatest responsibility and duty now to keep their legacy alive and continue the struggle for justice. The mark made by Gulîstan and Hêro will be the light of hope, not only in the past but also in the future; the powerful legacy they left will always shine as a symbol of resistance and freedom.
The free press tradition represented by Gulîstan and Hêro has always been the greatest fear of tyrants. This tradition conveys the suffering, the resistance and the hopes of the Kurdish people to the world. This is why free press workers are targeted for silencing. Gulîstan and Hêro were targeted for this reason. Those who followed them did not and will not allow this pen to lie idle. The free press tradition will continue to defend the truth, inheriting the legacy they left. There will always be those who pursue the truth in these lands, in spite of those who want to extinguish the light of truth.
STATE FEAR OF THE FREE KURDISH PRESS
The Turkish state fears the free Kurdish press because it exposes its policies of oppression, persecution and betrayal in all their nakedness. The free Kurdish press, by defending the truth, ensures the enlightenment of the people and the strengthening of resistance against fascism. This is why every word, every piece news that refuses to let the truth be hidden in darkness is perceived as a threat to the oppressive regime established by the Turkish state. The free Kurdish press is not just about delivering news; it is also the voice of a people’s struggle for freedom, and this voice has become the greatest fear of the state. Our comrades Gulîstan and Hêro were targeted because they were the strongest representatives of this tradition.
OUR HONOUR AND DUTY
The martyrs handed us, the free press workers, not just a profession but a flag of resistance and hope. They used their pens and cameras as the strongest weapons against oppression and persecution. As we inherit their legacy, we go beyond mere reporting; we take on a responsibility that advances their courage and determination every day. This legacy entails overcoming all obstacles, uncovering the truth, and making the people’s voice heard. Our martyrs were symbols not only of the pursuit of the truth but also of standing up to all the challenges encountered on this journey. For us, this legacy represents the responsibility of writing and spreading the truth despite the pressures, threats and difficulties we face every day. The mark they left, as a symbol of the courage, resistance, and dedication of the free press, continues to give us courage and inspiration. Following their path, we accept the defence of freedom and truth not as a profession but as an honour and a duty.
Following in the footsteps of Gulîstan and Hêro we will continue to write, tell our stories and struggle for the truth, for freedom, and for the honourable future of Kurdistan.
Amed Dicle was born and raised in Diyarbakır, Turkey. He has worked for Kurdish-language media outlets in Europe, including Roj TV, Sterk TV and ANF. His career has taken him to Rojava, Syria, Iraq and many other countries across Europe. Follow him on Twitter.
