“Falcons of the Zagros” at Strasbourg vigil

The vigil started in front of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 1 December under the slogan “Freedom shall prevail, act for Abdullah Öcalan!” continues. Kurdish musician Sidar Içli is taking part in the action and has performed his song Bazên Zagrosê (Falcons of the Zagros). The song refers to the guerrilla offensive of the same name, which was launched after the beginning of the Turkish invasion in Southern Kurdistan (Northern Iraq).

Regarding the origin of the song, Içli stated that one morning when he woke up he was watching the news and there was a report about an appeal by the KCK co-chairman Cemil Bayik. Bayik was appealing in particular to Kurdish intellectuals and artists, asking, “What are you doing, why aren’t you being heard?”

“It was as if he looked me in the eye and spoke directly to me. I felt guilty,” said İçli and added that he composed the piece as a form of self-criticism.