Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Assembly (PM) member Sêvê Demir, Free Women Congress (Congressya Jinên Azad-KJA) activist Fatma Uyar and Silopiya People's Assembly Co-Chair Pakize Nayır were killed on 4 January 2016 when snipers opened fire from an armoured vehicle. It has been 9 years since the deaths of 3 women who were murdered while trying to cross from Karşıyaka neighbourhood to Yeşilyurt neighbourhood to help the people under attack and blockade during the curfews declared between 2015-2016. 

 

The autopsy report revealed that Fatma Uyar was killed with 3 bullets, Pakize Nayır with 5 bullets and Sêvê Demir with 11 bullets. Sêvê Demir was shot directly in the head. So much so that her relatives were able to identify Sêvê Demir by her curly hair.

 

The Şırnak Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a decision of "lack of jurisdiction" for the allegedly investigated case and sent the file to the Silopi Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The court closed the case by stating that the murder of the 3 women politicians was based on "suspicion".

 

REPRESSION, MIGRATION AND IMPRISONMENT 

 

Sêvê Demir, who was 38 years old when he was murdered, became acquainted with the struggle against oppression and assimilation policies at an early age. Born in 1977 in Şûtê (Şenocak) village of Stewr district of Mêrdin province, Sêvê Demir migrated to Bismil district of Amed (Diyarbakır) with her family when she was only 5 years old due to the oppression they were subjected to. After living in Bismil for 5 years, the Demir family was forced to migrate to Salihli district of Manisa in 1995 due to increasing pressure. Sêvê Demir started to organize under the umbrella of the People's Democracy Party (HADEP), took part in the administration and worked in the HADEP Women's Branch for many years.

 

Becoming active in the struggle in the following years, Sêvê Demir continued her work in the Women's Commission of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) and settled in Amed. Sêvê Demir, who continued her work centred on the region, left no city in Kurdistan that she did not visit, no village that she did not set foot in, and wherever she went, she listened to women and explained the importance of the struggle against male domination. On 18 April 2009, Sêvê Demir was detained and arrested within the scope of the operations carried out under the name of "KCK" and was released from prison after 5 years. In 2011, Sêvê Demir took part in an indefinite hunger strike demanding an end to the isolation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, and after her release from prison, she joined the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Party Assembly and continued her work in Mêrdin and Şirnex.

 

'FOUGHT FOR FREEDOM'

 

Mother Sakine Demir said that she fulfilled her longing for her daughter with the rising women's struggle. Stating that dozens of women have taken over her daughter's struggle, "Sêvê had a big heart, was honest and hardworking. She was a successful and pioneering woman in her work. She was a woman who loved her language, culture and land. She fought for the freedom of four parts of Kurdistan. She was an employee of the people," she said and added: "As their mothers, we stand behind the struggle of our children. I am proud of my daughter, I will be behind her struggle until she breathes, because she fought for a just cause and that is why she was murdered."

 

Stating that pioneering and revolutionary women are always targeted, Sakine Demir said: "3 pioneering and revolutionary women were killed in the attacks on Rojava. Because Turkey is afraid of revolutionary women, that's why they are targeted. They know that the struggle led by women will be successful. However, women who struggle for their lands and freedoms will succeed."

 

HER DREAMS LIVE IN ROJAVA

 

Underlining that her daughter's struggle continues in four parts of Kurdistan, Sakine Demir said: "My daughter is not dead, her dreams and struggle are kept alive in the Rojava women's revolution. Sêvê is in the minds, consciousness, struggle and future of Kurdish women. Thousands of women inherited her struggle. Let the Kurdish people see this well, success will be ours. As long as we grow our unity and struggle. Erdoğan used all war tactics to destroy the Kurds. But he could not destroy them and the Kurdish people grew stronger. They will not finish the Kurds by slaughtering them. On the one hand Erdogan calls the Kurdish people 'my brother', on the other hand he massacres Kurds in Rojava. No matter what they do, the Kurds have become conscious and are fighting for their rights. My call is to the Kurdish people; we have lost dozens of our children in this struggle, now we need to ensure our unity. The struggle of our children has become stronger today and is recognised by the world."

 

Father Aziz Demir also expressed his longing for his daughter in a song.

 

MA / Semra Turan