Hüseyin Çewlîk, a comrade of struggle of Rıza Altun, one of the pioneering cadres of the PKK, paid tribute to his friend. Altun fell as a martyr on 25 September 2019. Çewlîk said: “Friends like Heval (Comrade) Rıza wrote history, they opened a page in Kurdistan’s history that everyone can be proud of.”
Çewlîk added: “As is known, Heval Rıza was one of the first to join the party. Even before that, as a child, though not yet fully professional, his revolutionary feelings against power and fascism were strong. He was always someone who organized those around him. We witnessed this ourselves.
When I first met Heval Rıza, he had just returned from Europe. I was already curious about him. When I went to him, he treated me as if we had known each other for years. This warmth affected me deeply. That’s how our closeness began. Heval Rıza was a very versatile comrade. He was sharp, could analyze people very quickly—you could say he was a judge of character. He had very strong analyses. Sometimes he analyzed me, and his observations were always spot on. He made strong analyses about many comrades. Whoever he interacted with, he left an impact on them. Heval Rıza was truly a revolutionary who took initiative. Wherever necessary, he acted without hesitation.”
Çewlîk continued: “There is the Maxmur camp, where our Botan people, forced to flee their lands due to Turkish state persecution, settled. At that time, we had problems with the KDP. Whenever conflict broke out, they would direct it toward the camp. Our people there paid a price for this. The Turkish state, through diplomacy with Saddam, put heavy pressure to disperse the camp. At that time, the Iraqi government promised Heval Rıza that people could establish a camp by the Tigris River, but later they prevented them from going there. Seeing this trickery, Heval Rıza immediately intervened. He took a very important stand. He debated with the general, and at one point even threw a bottle in his face because he was so affected by the people’s suffering. The enemy wanted to dismantle the camp. Against all difficulties and impossibilities, Heval Rıza fought fiercely so the enemy would not achieve this aim, and he prevented the camp from being broken up. He convinced the people too. The camp became a fortress of resistance against attacks, and the people defended themselves. Here, Heval Rıza’s stance was decisive.”
Çewlîk underlined that “Heval Rıza was someone who could communicate with everyone, from a 7-year-old child to a 70-year-old elder. His stance against injustice was clear. He could also easily criticize shortcomings. That’s why I felt very comfortable around him. He was a comrade who listened and tried to understand.
He was very knowledgeable about the Middle East. He both made accurate assessments and explained the situation and history of the region very well, convincing those he spoke to.
He served his comrades with great passion. For example, when a comrade or a villager came to him, he tried with love to meet their essential needs. He was therefore very collective-minded, an exemplary socialist.”
Çewlîk also said that “He had great respect for hardworking comrades. He also helped new recruits a lot. To make sure they didn’t struggle and could understand the Movement well, sometimes he used his sense of humor, sometimes his organizational skills. He made guerrilla and revolutionary life something to embrace. That’s why, no matter how much we talk about Heval Rıza, it won’t be enough.
Great efforts have been made, and great prices paid for this country. One of those great sacrifices is Heval Rıza. He was one of the Leader’s first comrades. We draw strength from comrades like him. When we evaluate the history of our Movement, we are influenced by how those comrades, despite hardships, raised the banner of resistance even higher. In this sense, we feel indebted to them.
Just as they carried on the legacy of their fallen comrades, we too will uphold their legacy. Because we learned this culture from them. We continue our struggle on this basis and follow in their footsteps. Friends like Heval Rıza wrote history, opening a page in Kurdistan’s history that everyone can take pride in. We carry and uphold the banner they raised with great pride.
It was a great fortune for us to be their comrades, to know them. Martyrs like Heval Rıza are the sons of this people, the heroes of this people. Once again, I commemorate Heval Rıza and all the martyrs of the revolution with respect. Once again, I repeat the promise that we will follow in their footsteps.”