Mourning tent for martyr of peace, democracy, Onder, in Hasaka

The Council of Martyrs' Families in Hasaka, Jazira Canton, set up a mourning tent for the activist Sirri Sureyya Onder, martyr of peace and democracy, a member of the Equality and Peoples’ Democracy Party, and a member of the Imrali Peace and Democratic Society Initiative delegation. He passed away on May 3rd following a heart attack, after spending 18 days in the hospital. The mourning tent was erected in Syriac Square in the Nasra neighborhood.

The tent saw the arrival of hundreds of people from Hasaka, Derbasiya, and Tal Tamr, as well as displaced people from Afrin, Shahba, and Serekaniye. The event witnessed a notable presence of the region’s diverse communities, Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, and Armenians, reflecting the symbolic figure of the activist known for his unwavering defense of oppressed peoples' causes, particularly the Kurdish cause, despite his Turkmen background.

The tent was adorned with photos of the late activist, flags of the Council of Martyrs' Families, and the Democratic Union Party (PYD), alongside images of Leader Abdullah Ocalan.

The mourning ceremony began with a speech by Kuli Mohammed, a member of the Council of Martyrs’ Families in Afrin and Shahba, who said: "We welcome you to the tent of dignity and peace, the mourning tent of the activist Sirri Sureyya Onder. He was born into a Turkmen family but saw it as his responsibility to stand with oppressed peoples, especially the Kurdish people. He spent his life defending peace and coexistence, eventually becoming a symbol in this field."

For his part, Farhan Dawoud, co-chair of the Democratic Union Party in Hasaka, stated: "In remembering the activist Sirri Sureyya Onder, we recall all the martyrs of freedom. Our peoples have faced exclusionary ideologies, but the thought of Leader Abdullah Ocalan on democracy and coexistence opened a new horizon. Sirri Sureyya Onder was one of the most prominent who embodied this ideology in practice, he is a role model who inspires us to continue the journey."

The ceremony also included the reading of several condolence messages, including one from Leader Abdullah Ocalan, another from the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), and additional statements of mourning from various political and civil entities.

Mourning rituals for martyr Sirri Sureyya Onder continue in the mourning tent, with an ongoing popular presence from across the Jazira Canton, in a farewell befitting a figure who carried the banner of peace and paid the price for his deep commitment to humanitarian principles.

A-H

ANHA