ŞIRNAK - The last wish of 97-year-old Rewşen Karaviş, who has been trying to find solace from her 35-year longing for her son Hiznî with the photograph that has been hanging in her room for 28 years, is to have a grave for her son. The body of her son was never released to her.

 

A 28-year-old photograph hangs from the wall of Rewşen Karaviş, who lives in the Zorova village of İdil district of Şırnak, never taken off the wall of her house. This photograph, which has been on her wall for 28 years, belongs to Hiznî Karaviş (Egît Mazlum), Rewşen's son. This photograph of her son taken when he turned 20, is not just a frame but her son she holds on to.

 

'I AM NOT BETTER THAN THOSE WHO ARE GONE'

 

Hiznî, one of the 10 children of Rewşen, took part in the Kurdish Freedom Movement in 1987. Coming back to his village after a year, Hiznî started to pack up to join the PKK after a few months. Thinking that she can't handle his absence, Rewşen begs him not to go. Hiznî says he is not better than those who are gone and joins the PKK. Hiznî lost his life in a clash in 1994.

 

LAST PHOTOGRAPGH

 

Stating that her son went to Hatay as a worker before he joined PKK, Rewşen told that this photo was taken while he was in Hatay. Rewşen told that she framed this photo when her son died and has been trying to find solace in this photo since then. The last wish of Rewşen is to have a grave for her son so that she can visit him there.

 

'THIS PHOTOGRAPGH WILL BE ON THAT WALL UNTIL I DIE'

 

Speaking about how brave her son was and he never submitted to injustice, Rewşen says that the photograph of her son will be on that wall until she dies. Rewşen said: "I looked after 10 children alone after my husband passed away. Sometimes we couldn't even find bread. Hiznî was the youngest of my children. This photograph was taken a few days before he went to the mountain. I have been crying looking at this photograph since then. It will be there until I die."

 

'I WISH I COULD HAVE A GRAVE TO VISIT'

 

Speaking about her longing for her son, Rewşen said: "He went to the mountain and I never saw him again. We heard he died in 1994. They told that he was killed in a clash with the soldiers and they torched his body. Damn those who did this to him. I have been waiting for his body for 28 years. I am 97-years-old and I don't have any hope of finding his body now. I just wished he had a grave that I could visit."

 

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut