Karker Masiro joined the guerrillas during the self-administration resistance of 2015 and fell as a martyr in Mardin (Mêrdîn) in 2019. In a statement commemorating Karker Masiro, the People’s Defense Forces (HPG) said: “Comrade Karker, whose sincerity and love for freedom were reflected in his smile, became a true revolutionary militant. He devoted himself to self-education at all times and successfully fulfilled all the duties entrusted to him.” Gurbet Taş, sister of martyr Karker Masiro (Halil Erdem), spoke to ANF about her brother’s struggle and legacy.
My brother did not accept the oppression in our homeland
Gurbet Taş said that they are from the village of Selah (Selhê) in the Midyat district of Mardin. She explained: “Comrade Karker was a brave person. He was very hardworking. During the self-administration resistance, he did not accept the oppression over our homeland. He went and joined the self-administration resistance. Until his last day, he remained there with them. After that, he joined the guerrillas. He was 30 years old when he joined. In 2019, he fell as a martyr in the village of Yayvantepe (Stevrê) in the Midyat district of Mardin. We were in Istanbul at the time. They told us he had fallen. By the time we arrived, they had already brought and buried his body.”
Our people have paid a heavy price
Gurbet Taş emphasized that they support the new process initiated by Abdullah Öcalan and that they want peace. She said: “Our people have paid a heavy price and so have we. We want peace; we want to speak our language and attain the rights that they have. At first, they say peace, peace, but after two days they act as if they do not want peace. All of us want peace. We have been here for 20 years; if something had changed, we would have returned. In the Commission, we do not accept the intolerance toward Kurdish. Of course, we want peace, but we will not abandon our language. Whatever we have done, we have done for our language. No matter what, we will not abandon our language.”