Forty-two years have passed since the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) carried out its first armed actions on August 15, 1984, in the Dihê (Eruh) district of Sêrt and the Şemzînan (Şemdinli) district of Colemêrg. The action in Dihê, led by Mahsum Korkmaz (Agit), marked a significant turning point in the course of the Kurdish issue and the ensuing conflict. On the anniversary of August 15, Fehmi Korkmaz, brother of Mahsum Korkmaz, one of the PKK’s first commanders, spoke about his brother.

 

‘I THOUGHT MAZLUM DOĞAN WAS HIS TEACHER’

 

Recalling how his brother Mahsum Korkmaz met Mazlum Doğan, who came to Êlih in 1976 and 1977 to carry out political activities, Fehmi Korkmaz said Mahsum initially introduced Doğan to the family as his teacher. Fehmi Korkmaz said “Comrade Mazlum Doğan would often come home with Mahsum. After a while, we realized that he was not his teacher, but his friend and comrade. Before Mazlum Doğan came, Mahsum and a few of his schoolmates had formed a group of their own. There were various Kurdish parties and associations at the time. Mahsum was not affiliated with any particular faction. They had a group that supported one another, and their ideas were close to those circles.”

 

Korkmaz continued: “With Mazlum Doğan’s arrival, their meetings became more regular. They came to be known as a group, and people began referring to them as ‘Talebe’ (Students). Their activities developed rapidly within a short period. Following a number of incidents at the school, they also began to attract attention across the region.”

 

‘THEY EARNED THE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE’

 

Korkmaz said: “People who believed in truth and justice stood up against injustice. That is why they earned the people’s respect and trust. Mahsum was attending school while also helping my father at the hotel. He always stood against injustice. He would never ask his friends to do something he would not do himself. That was his work ethic. They became known for their honesty and their principles. Over time, families and villagers who had once been reluctant to open their doors to them began to trust them, welcome them into their homes and host their friends more readily.” 

 

‘THE KURDISH PEOPLE WILL NOT FORGET’

 

Korkmaz said that the Kurdish people had paid a heavy price over the years, adding: “People made great sacrifices in prisons and in the mountains. We were few in number back then, but today there are millions of us. Kurds now hold their heads high wherever they are. This is a great legacy.”

 

Korkmaz said: “The people were subjected to great oppression. But the Kurdish people do not forget these things. Kurds have always been on the defensive; they have never been in favor of war. If there is a just, dignified and lasting peace today, why would Kurds not accept it? What is needed for this is trust.” Korkmaz added that Kurds were ready for peace if the conditions of war were brought to an end and an agreement was reached, saying: “Kurds are ready for the truth to come to light.”

 

‘IF MAHSUM WERE STILL ALIVE’

 

Korkmaz said the step taken as part of the Peace and Democratic Society Process was highly significant. Korkmaz continued: “If Mahsum and his comrades were still alive today and had witnessed this process, they would have been the first to embrace it. Why would they not want a lasting and dignified peace? The Kurdish people have managed to stand united. The spirit of this movement also calls for unity. We all hope for a just and dignified peace.”