Gulistan and Hero: Two women ever-present in memory of their friends

On August 23, 2024, the Turkish state, using a drone, targeted a car carrying journalists in the Said Sadiq district of Sulaymaniyah Governorate in Southern Kurdistan. The attack resulted in the martyrdom of journalists Gulistan Tara and Hero Bahaaddin, and the injury of six other journalists. Five days later, the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) claimed responsibility for targeting the journalists. Today, on the second anniversary of the martyrdom of journalists Gulistan Tara and Hero Bahaaddin, their colleagues, students, and comrades spoke about their work, their struggle, and their personalities.

Sometimes their memories are captured in a photograph, and sometimes in a moment of life that becomes unforgettable. The world recognizes them through their smiles and gazes in that photograph, and through the dedication that remains alive in the memories of their friends. Ultimately, their names are inscribed in the annals of eternity; they dedicated themselves to amplifying the voice of the Kurdish people, to the freedom of Kurdish women and the Kurdish people, and they gave their lives for this cause.

Two journalists who were friends with them and witnessed their courageous and hardworking personalities firsthand are Zana Mustafa Rashid and Mediya Omar.

"She approached life with a feminine sensibility." Zana Mustafa Rashid, a colleague and friend of Hero Baha'uddin, who took the photo that appears behind him, says: "I took this picture of Hero. When we were heading to Newroz Qandil, we were talking on one of the mountains, and that's where I took the picture. As you can see in this picture, Hero was always smiling. She approached everything with a feminine, Kurdish, and patriotic sensibility.

She was a loyal friend. She wouldn't accept shortcomings in work; rather, she looked for solutions to overcome any deficiencies." “Despite all those attacks, which also targeted journalists, she never backed down or stopped,” says journalist Mediya Omar, a student and colleague of Gulistan Tara. She says she was very fortunate to have known someone like Gulistan, and recounts: “The martyr Gulistan always sought to uncover the truth.

Throughout her 24 years working in the media, she was always at the forefront. She worked in various fields across Kurdistan. We in Rojava considered ourselves her students. She was our teacher in both work and life. She was a sincere person, embracing and supporting everyone. Despite all the threats and attacks journalists faced, she never backed down or stopped. She was a knowledgeable and generous woman. We learned so much from her and benefited greatly from her experience.” Gulistan and Hero remain in the memory of their colleagues, not only as journalists, but also as pioneering women who chose the path of freedom.

They struggled against the mentality that oppresses women, whether by the state or society. “She always wanted women to be at the forefront,” explains Zana Mustafa Rashid. She adds that Hero always emphasized to men working in the field that men are neither stronger nor superior to women. Recalling Hero’s struggle for women, she says, “She always wanted women to be at the forefront of society, pioneers in free media, life, and society. She believed in the strength of women. Today, there are many female journalists and women working in free media who have greatly benefited from Hero’s efforts and legacy.”

“She was a source of strength for us,” says Mediya Omar Gulistan Tara, describing her as a pioneer in the women’s struggle. “Martyr Gulistan dedicated so much effort and work to us. She taught us how to build ourselves as free individuals and how to develop ourselves in work and life. She encouraged young women to participate in the media. Even today, we continue our work and struggle in her footsteps. She was a source of strength for us. Every moment we spent with her was a lesson for us, and she is always present in our memories, especially in our struggles for women.”

Zana and Mediya, drawing on the determination they have acquired from Hero and Gulistan, affirm that they will continue to follow in their footsteps until the end.

ANHA