Story of Reþat Aslan (Gever Faraþin)
Story of Reþat Aslan (Gever Faraþin)
HPG (People's Defence Forces) member Reþat Aslan (Gever Faraþin), one of the 36 guerrillas who died in Kazan Valley, joined the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) after the condolence ceremony held for his brother, guerrilla Fahrettin Aslan who lost his life in a clash in 2008. Reþat inherited his elder brother’s code name ‘Gever Faraþin’.
“Those who try to solve the Kurdish problem by killing youths should know that each guerrilla killed will be replaced by a new one.” wrote Reþat Aslan in the letter he left while leaving his house and joining the guerrilla after the death of his elder brother Fahrettin Aslan. While Fahrettin also lost his life in a clash on 24-25 July 2008 when the Turkish army allegedly used chemical weapons against guerrillas, the family couldn’t find his body despite all the searches they made in the clash area.
Fahrettin and Reþat's elder brother Bedirhan Aslan tells that authorities of the state don’t uncover the issue of chemical weapons which according to allegations killed his both brothers. Bedirhan says; “In fact, our destiny was also rewritten, just like the destiny of the Kurdish people. We migrated to Yüksekova and Van in 1989 after the burn down of our village Faraþin where we were born and grew up. After the migration, from time to time we were taken into custody and subjected to torture which lasted for days. Upon all the pains we lived, my brother Fahrettin joined the PKK in 1997 and he lost his life with his comrades Kurtay Feraþin and nine others in a clash in 2008. Despite our searches for days in the area of Besta Valley and Hezel Brook, we couldn’t find their bodies which were allegedly disappeared because of the chemical weapons used against them. After putting up a tent to accept condolences for Fahrettin’s death, Reþat left the house and joined the guerrilla. On his letter, he wrote; “The arm of my brother will not be laid down and the fire of freedom will never die down.”
Noting that his other brother was also killed by chemical weapons in a despicable fight on 22-24 October 2011, Bedirhan Aslan continued as follows; “We witnessed inhuman scenes and savagery both in Malatya and Kazan Valley. The Prime Minister tells that the clashes are launched within the frames of provisions of law but they aren’t. What they did wasn’t performed even in the periods of Hitler, Pharaoh and ignorance. The AKP is greedy for revenge. As a response to the Prime Minister’s statements, we demand that the bodies are exposed to the world opinion.”
Concerning their searches in Kazan Valley, Aslan said; “The state took 24 bodies to Malatya but the scattered pieces of the remaining 13 bodies in the operation area were collected by us. The AKP is killing and we are, by hardening our hearts, collecting the burnt and pieced bodies of our brothers. What has Islam got to do with all these?”
Aslan tells that they have already appealed to Hakkari Bar Association to demand an investigation into the allegations of chemical weapons and napalm bombs used in clashes and to file a criminal complaint against this savagery. Aslan ended his speech calling on the Prime Minister as follows; “You can’t solve the Kurdish problem by killing the children of this people and dropping tons of cannonballs on this territory. You should understand this reality because each one killed is replaced by another one. Stop killing youths at the ages of between 15 and 25 and resolve this matter before it is too late. We will not remain silent against the death of our children.”
“Those who try to solve the Kurdish problem by killing youths should know that each guerrilla killed will be replaced by a new one.” wrote Reþat Aslan in the letter he left while leaving his house and joining the guerrilla after the death of his elder brother Fahrettin Aslan. While Fahrettin also lost his life in a clash on 24-25 July 2008 when the Turkish army allegedly used chemical weapons against guerrillas, the family couldn’t find his body despite all the searches they made in the clash area.
Fahrettin and Reþat's elder brother Bedirhan Aslan tells that authorities of the state don’t uncover the issue of chemical weapons which according to allegations killed his both brothers. Bedirhan says; “In fact, our destiny was also rewritten, just like the destiny of the Kurdish people. We migrated to Yüksekova and Van in 1989 after the burn down of our village Faraþin where we were born and grew up. After the migration, from time to time we were taken into custody and subjected to torture which lasted for days. Upon all the pains we lived, my brother Fahrettin joined the PKK in 1997 and he lost his life with his comrades Kurtay Feraþin and nine others in a clash in 2008. Despite our searches for days in the area of Besta Valley and Hezel Brook, we couldn’t find their bodies which were allegedly disappeared because of the chemical weapons used against them. After putting up a tent to accept condolences for Fahrettin’s death, Reþat left the house and joined the guerrilla. On his letter, he wrote; “The arm of my brother will not be laid down and the fire of freedom will never die down.”
Noting that his other brother was also killed by chemical weapons in a despicable fight on 22-24 October 2011, Bedirhan Aslan continued as follows; “We witnessed inhuman scenes and savagery both in Malatya and Kazan Valley. The Prime Minister tells that the clashes are launched within the frames of provisions of law but they aren’t. What they did wasn’t performed even in the periods of Hitler, Pharaoh and ignorance. The AKP is greedy for revenge. As a response to the Prime Minister’s statements, we demand that the bodies are exposed to the world opinion.”
Concerning their searches in Kazan Valley, Aslan said; “The state took 24 bodies to Malatya but the scattered pieces of the remaining 13 bodies in the operation area were collected by us. The AKP is killing and we are, by hardening our hearts, collecting the burnt and pieced bodies of our brothers. What has Islam got to do with all these?”
Aslan tells that they have already appealed to Hakkari Bar Association to demand an investigation into the allegations of chemical weapons and napalm bombs used in clashes and to file a criminal complaint against this savagery. Aslan ended his speech calling on the Prime Minister as follows; “You can’t solve the Kurdish problem by killing the children of this people and dropping tons of cannonballs on this territory. You should understand this reality because each one killed is replaced by another one. Stop killing youths at the ages of between 15 and 25 and resolve this matter before it is too late. We will not remain silent against the death of our children.”
