The Co-Presidency of the KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Executive Council released a statement paying tribute to the Kurdish politician Salih Muslim and expressing condolences to his family and to the people of Kurdistan. KCK described Muslim as a “revolutionary democrat” who devoted his life to the struggle for freedom and democracy.
KCK noted that Salih Muslim was active in the Kurdish freedom movement for more than four decades. After meeting PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan in 1983, he became actively involved in the political and organizational work of the movement and played a significant role in shaping its development. “The main focus of his political work was in Rojava and Syria,” the KCK emphasized. At the same time, he always kept the freedom movement in all four parts of Kurdistan in view and worked for its development, it noted.
Political work and engagement in media activities
Salih Muslim was born in 1951 in Kobanê. He completed his schooling in Rojava and other parts of Syria, and in 1977 he graduated in chemical engineering from Istanbul Technical University. He later began his professional career as a chemical engineer in Saudi Arabia. There, he also took part in activities of the Kurdish freedom movement within the diaspora. The KCK emphasized that Muslim devoted his entire life to political struggle and that his family was also actively involved in the struggle. His youngest son, Şervan Muslim, was martyred in Girê Spî (Tal Abyad) while fighting against ISIS in 2013.
Role in the Rojava Revolution
In addition to his political work, Muslim was also active in the field of media work within the Kurdish movement, KCK said. Among other things, he translated Öcalan’s defense writings and analyses into Arabic, thereby contributing to the spread of the paradigm of the Kurdish freedom movement in the Arab world. The KCK also highlighted Muslim’s contribution to the political development in Rojava as he carried out important work in the establishment of political structures there and was an important moral voice during the resistance of Kobanê against ISIS.
“Salih Muslim always viewed the revolution in Rojava in connection with the democratization of Syria. He also worked intensively for the democratization of the Middle East in line with the concept of the democratic nation. In this context, he worked with great dedication to put the political line developed by Abdullah Öcalan into practice,” the KCK stated. Despite health problems, he continued his work until the very end, it added.
People-oriented revolutionary
In conclusion, the KCK stated: “Salih Muslim will be remembered as a modest and people-oriented revolutionary democrat. He will continue to live on both in the revolution of Rojava and in the freedom struggle in all four parts of Kurdistan, and will continue to help uphold a high standard of patriotic commitment.”
The KCK called on people to participate in large numbers in Muslim’s funeral.
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