Ahmet Baysoy, a 40-year witness and defendant of the Kurdish freedom struggle, died on December 31 in the hospital where he was being treated. Baysoy, who spent four years in Diyarbakır Military Prison No. 5 during the September 12 coup and was among the organizers of the Newroz celebrations in Cizîr in 1992, passed away at the age of 74. Baysoy worked for the People's Labor Party (HEP), Democracy Party (DEP), People's Democracy Party (HADEP), Democratic People's Party (DEHAP), Democratic Society Party (DTP), Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). 

 

MASS NEWROZ IN CIZIR

 

Baysoy, who died while he was the DEM Party Cizîr Organization Executive, was born in Cizîr as the second child of his family. He grew up with his family's stories about the revolts of Şêx Seid, Koçgiri and Agirî. Known by the nickname “Ehmedê Komando”, Baysoy gained political consciousness at an early age and joined the struggle. After the September 12, 1980 military coup, Baysoy was arrested and spent four years in Diyarbakır Military Prison No. 5, where 37 people were tortured to death. After his release, Baysoy continued his struggle and took part in activities with Binevş Agal (Berivan), who had won the hearts of the Botanese people with her struggle in Cizîr. Baysoy was among the organizers of the Newroz celebration in Cizîr in 1992, which was celebrated en masse and witnessed bloody attacks. During the celebrations, Baysoy, who was walking at the front of the crowd with a yellow, red and green banner, was detained and tortured for days. Baysoy was held in prisons in Şirnex (Şırnak), Mêrdîn (Mardin), Sêrt (Siirt) and Amed (Diyarbakır) during his one-year imprisonment.

 

'WE SAID WE WOULD LIGHT THAT FIRE AND IT WAS LIT'

 

 

In an interview with Mezopotamya Agency (MA) on March 14, 2024, Baysoy said, “We resisted until the evening to celebrate Newroz. Our only purpose that day was to celebrate Newroz and visit the graves of the martyrs of democracy. Tens of thousands of people came, there was a huge crowd. They had come from all the villages in the city to celebrate Newroz. They attacked us with guns and gas, but they could not prevent us from lighting the Newroz fire. Because we said we would light that fire no matter what, and that fire was lit.” 

 

THE PRICE OF STRUGGLE

 

Describing Ahmet Baysoy, who resumed his struggle after his release, his struggle friend Mele Kasım Yiğit said that Ahmet Baysoy was a great loss for the Kurdish freedom struggle. Expressing that it is difficult for him to describe Baysoy's life, Yiğit said, “From the age of 16 to 70, he sacrificed for this people, he worked for this people. He was a symbol, a sycamore for the Kurdish people and a great loss for us. He was hope, faith and love for people. He always gave morale and enthusiasm to the people around him. His life cannot be described in a few minutes. He went through very difficult times. He saw the Amed Dungeon during the September 12 coup. Wherever there was darkness, he became light with his resistance. He never left his friends alone during the difficult days." 

 

Stating that Baysoy's only wish was to see peace one day, Yiğit said that they would fight harder for this and added: “His will was peace. I don't know if the day will come when I will bring him the good news of peace. 3 days before he fell ill, he told me, 'Will I one day see peace and tranquility come to this country? Even if it is only one day, I am willing to die on that day. One day I want to go to his grave and herald peace, tranquility and solution." 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut