AMED - Gani Alkan, a witness to the July 14 Great Death Fast Resistance, said the resistance changed the course of the Kurdish freedom struggle, adding: “For them, the real victory was refusing to surrender. July 14 created a deeply rooted legacy of resistance.”

 

When the September 12, 1980 military coup is mentioned, Diyarbakır Prison No. 5 is among the first places that come to mind. The severe torture and inhumane treatment inflicted there during that period later led to the prison being ranked among the 10 most notorious prisons in the world. Although Prison No. 5 became infamous for the brutal torture carried out there, the resistance against that torture also holds a prominent place in the public memory. 

 

Leading PKK cadres Mazlum Doğan, Kemal Pir, Hayri Durmuş, Akif Yılmaz, Ali Çiçek, Ferhat Kurtay, Eşref Anyık, Mahmut Zengin, Necmi Öner and their comrades left behind a profound legacy of resistance through the struggle they waged against torture. Mazlum Doğan became the spark of the resistance. On Newroz 1982, in protest against the severe torture and inhumane treatment, he set his body on fire with three matchsticks.

 

This was followed by the action carried out by Ferhat Kurtay, Eşref Anyık, Mahmut Zengin, and Necmi Öner, who became known as ‘the Fours’.

 

The resistance entered a new phase on July 14, 1982, when leading PKK cadres Kemal Pir, Hayri Durmuş, Akif Yılmaz, and Ali Çiçek began the Great Death Fast. On the 56th day of the action, September 7, Kemal Pir and Akif Yılmaz lost their lives, followed by Hayri Durmuş on September 13 and Ali Çiçek on September 17.

 

‘JULY 14 IS THE PEAK OF THE RESISTANCE’

 

Gani Alkan, who was imprisoned during the death fast that 44 years ago, said that July 14 was not only a protest against torture policies but also a historic turning point that changed the course of the Kurdish freedom struggle. Describing July 14 as  “the peak of the resistance”, Alkan recalled that hunger strikes and death fasts had also taken place before this action. 

 

Recalling that the first death fast, launched in demand for the right to defense, ended without achieving its goal because the promises made to the prisoners were not kept, Alkan said: “The prisoners were repeatedly given promises instead of action. The attacks inside the prison were then intensified even further. The aim was to impose surrender. It was a period in which surrender was imposed in the fullest sense.”

 

Referring to the protest carried out by Mazlum Doğan, Alkan said: “Mazlum Doğan, the modern-day Kawa, lit the first spark with three matchsticks. Then ‘the Four’ expanded that spark by setting their bodies on fire. These two major actions paved the way for the July 14 Great Death Fast. They are interconnected chapters in history that complete one another.”

 

‘THE REAL VICTORY WAS REFUSING TO SURRENDER’

 

Alkan said that the Great Death Fast was declared in the courtroom and recalled those moments and what followed: “Hayri Durmuş stood up in court and said, ‘I protest your policy of brutality, and I am beginning a death fast.’ Kemal Pir then took the floor and said, ‘I agree with what my comrades have said. In fact, we are already late in launching this action.’ Hayri Durmuş returned from the hearing in high spirits. As soon as he entered his ward, he called out, ‘We have won.’ For them, the real victory was refusing to surrender. In this way, July 14 created the deeply rooted legacy of prison resistance. Akif Yılmaz was not present at the hearing that day. When the decision reached him, he joined the death fast without the slightest hesitation. When a prison guard told him, ‘This place will become your grave,’ Akif replied, ‘Yes, it will, but thank God.’ Those words expressed his determination and his commitment to the resistance.”

 

Alkan said: “Had July 14 not taken place, not only our bodies but also our identity would have been buried in the grave prepared for us. They wanted to destroy people’s memory and will. July 14 was the answer to that. This action sent a powerful message both to those inside the prison and to the struggle outside.”

 

‘THAT SPIRIT MUST BE PRESERVED’

 

Saying that the spirit of July 14 lives on to this day, Alkan stated: “The legacy of Amed Prison is present in the freedom struggle being waged today in Rojava, Başûr, Bakur, and Rojhilat. The determination demonstrated in the struggle for culture, language, and identity is rooted in that resistance. If people still say today, ‘We continue to resist with the spirit of Hayri, Kemal and their comrades’ it is because of the historical legacy left by July 14.”

 

Drawing attention to the Peace and Democratic Society Process, Alkan said that the discussions on democratic resolution and peace should be supported by strong social mobilization. Alkan continued: “The process of peace and democratic life will be long and challenging. Everyone has a responsibility in this process. The spirit of resistance of Amed Prison, the spirit of the guerrillas, and the shared values of Kurdistan must be preserved. People should be able to live with their own language and culture. This is important not only for the Kurds, but also for the common and democratic future of all peoples living in Turkey.”