Jiyan’s path

If there is a way, it should be taken, pushing the boundaries of hesitancy all the way to the end. One cannot enter the route if one is unable to knock on the door of courage. If there is a road, one should walk, that is, one should not be afraid to cross it. The passenger should not stop if the moment has come. It is the true path that deepens the quests and connects the stories…

Many stories of liberation fighters on the road to truth meet. They may come from very different places and cultures, yet they share a common journey. They may have ancestors from the same family, yet they have never met. However, they became travellers on the same journey as the stories narrated.

The story of the guerrilla Jiyan is one of these.

Jiyan grew up in Nusaybin, Mardin, where she was born. Jiyan is exactly like where she was born, growing up in a resistance stronghold like Nusaybin. Isn’t it true that mankind resembles their own land? Jiyan’s characteristics are also influenced by the environment in which she grew up. A woman, on the other hand, is even more like her own country. Women have a stronger attachment to their country. Jiyan is the same way.

Jiyan from Nusaybin captivated everyone in the neighbourhood where she grew up with her personality qualities. She was well-known for her regard for society. She was a sensitive woman with a strong sense of responsibility. Jiyan was adored by everyone, from children to the elderly. The human qualities that drew people to her were visible in her. She was furious at the enemy’s attacks on Kurdistan at the time. As a result of her love and responsibility for her country and people, she embarked on quests. The Turkish state’s attacks resulted in lengthy quests within her. She opted for the only way she could achieve emancipation. Jiyan’s time had come, and she departed. Without any waiting, without any stress… Perhaps she recognized that fear would kill courage. Perhaps she was mindful about not keeping the road waiting. That is why, at the end of 1991, she decided to join the PKK and resistance. She walked across the roads of the noble mountains. She made an early success by engaging in guerrilla operations in places like Mardin and Botan.

1997 is the year…

Jiyan’s greatest wish right now was to meet Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) and breathe the same air he did. She always looked forward to the day when she would be able to attain her goal. She set out with innocent joy. However, she was killed in an ambush set up by the invading Turkish army.

Jiyan’s eyes were fixed on infinity as she grinned. She sent the universe her eternal smile. And it was from there that she was able to reach the Sun. Perhaps she saw the Sun she had imagined at that precise time. That’s why she had a happy expression on her face.

Yes, her dream left half-finished… However, her comrades were on the same route as her in order to accomplish her ambition. Many people fulfilled Jiyan’s dream. They were enlightened when they saw the sun.

Years went by… Her  brother, who had never seen guerrilla Jiyan, grew up over time, listening to her sister’s stories through her mother and neighborhood. Jiyan, her older sister, was now a fairy tale hero to him. I would not ask how it felt to live with someone without seeing them, to share the same emotions as they did. Because this is the most common feeling among Kurdish people. Thousands of freedom fighters followed Leader Apo’s route without ever seeing him… Perhaps it isn’t as common elsewhere.

Jiyan’s mother admires her daughter and sees her as the embodiment of the entire guerrilla in her heart. She tucked all Jiyan’s belongings into her own hoard. All the things she couldn’t bear looking at; her clothes, her buckle, anything she left behind… She amplified her yearning for thousands of fighters like her daughter.

In Kurdistan, a name is not given unless it belongs to a martyr. Because martyrdom is their most valued degree. It is believed that the magic will be broken if done otherwise. For a time, her mother remained oblivious of Jiyan’s martyrdom. Until then, she was opposed to naming the family’s newly born children. She must have felt differently once her first grandchild was called Jiyan in 1997. Everyone was astounded! Why did her mother now agree to give her granddaughter her daughter’s name? Because when they heard it, they would understand what their mother suffered and Jiyan’s martyrdom at the same time.

SAME PATH, ONE HEART

The year is 2006…

Martyr Jiyan’s sibling, whom she had never met, grew up and followed in the footsteps of her older sister. With the courage of being on the road, she took all the risks. But she was still unaware of her sister’s martyrdom. She shared the thrill of participating in the same fight with each of her comrades because she breathed the same air as them.

For the time being, her name remained Pelşin. She aspired to meet her sister one day on a walk or on the slope of a hill. “Look, I took the same path and came to be your comrade,” she’d say to her sister. She would hug her, admire her, and let her talk all she wanted to. Who’d know…

Pelşin was usually the last one left at the end of each farewell or meeting ceremony on the Freedom Mountains. It must have piqued her friends’ interest, for one day they asked, “Why are you always waiting until the end of the ceremony?”

Pelsin replied, “Just in case Heval (Comrade) Jiyan is among the friends who return one day. Just in case we meet when I’m there at the end of the ceremony and embrace her.” Her words came from her heart.  Both grief and joy were now united.

These words made a big impression on her friends. Her comrades agreed that she needed to be told that her sister had been martyred.

Pelşin would not be able to see her sister, a comrade she was really fascinated by, but she would be watching her every move. She’d walk across the paths she’d taken, trying to feel it. She’d smell the daisies blooming by the roadside and send greetings with flying butterflies. As she walked through the mountains, she would even greet stone and soil. Because the memories of Jiyan’s comrades were embedded in every part of the territory. Just like her other comrades, she wouldn’t cross these roads without doing these.

As time passed, her comrades in the struggle advised Pelşin that she should take her sister’s name, but Pelşin refused that. ” What if I’m not worthy of her?” she would worry.  Jiyan’s image appeared in her eyes as she flew into deep thoughts. Being Jiyan and keeping her alive in these mountains… Wouldn’t it be better to go on with her name on her mind? Pelşin immersed herself in the wonders of life, connecting to the mountain life a bit more each day. In that way, she better understood why her sister had made such a decision. She understood that fighting for freedom makes people feel the noblest. And she realized that the true meaning of life is to follow Leader Apo’s path. As a result, she took her sister’s name and set off again. She kept walking after Jiyan.

Choosing a path worthy of the meaning of life… Taking the road for the sake of recreating life… Or being on the road to the true life.

The number of individuals taking the path grows. Those who share Jiyan’s dream grow in strength. They take an oath! The burden of the road is eased by the possibility of seeing Leader Apo. The road must be taken. When the time comes, one should not stop. Otherwise, mediocrity is equivalent to death. If there is a path to take, one should take it, with courage and love…

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