Funeral of Tahir Elçi: “Victims of unidentified murders will welcome him”
Chair of Diyarbakir Bar Association Tahir Elçi was bidded farewell with “Em te ji bîr nakin” (We won't forget you) slogan. Thousand of people walked to Yenişehir Cemetary for his burial.
Elçi was killed because of the absence of the state
At the ceremony, HDP's co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş made a speech:
“We are going through such a time that it is impossible for a person who devoted his life to peace and democracy to die peacefully in his bed.”
“The way you lived is what matters. Elçi was talking about peace to his bitter end.”
“We witnessed tormenting events on the streets, we held many funerals, we grew up waiting in front of morgues, but we haven't accepted this as our fate. Eventually, there will be peace someday. We will see that.”
“The only thing that we wish is to live on our lands in peace. We didn't want war.”
“The people who tell the truth have no right to live here. The truth hurts.”
“Elçi had always known that telling the truth comes with a price. He knew that he won't die in his bed peacefully. We are ready to lay down our lives in order that our children and grandchildren would die on their beds. If they think that they can frighten us like that, they are mistaken.”
“Elçi will be welcomed by thousands of people who were in fact killed by people that we know very well. Today, everyone, Kurds and Turks, cry for you.”
“We doubt that this murder will be solved. This state has never been the state of every one of us.”
“Not the state, but the absence of state killed Tahir. The state in Ankara doesn't feel this pain. You cannot hold a society together, if that society is unable to share even the pain and sorrow.”
“Our struggle will continue until we achieved our goal. Don't you worry Tahir Elçi; it shouldn't have been like this.”
“I know it is not easy, but these days will pass. All the pain and sorrow will turn into flowers with the spirit of Newroz.”
“There were a handful of pigeons where I came from”
Tahir Elçi's wife also made a speech in his funeral ceremony:
“Victims of unidentified murders will welcome him. He will try to introduce himself kindly just like he always does and they will say to him: 'All the victims of unidentified murders know you, the entire world knows you. You devoted your life to us. We have been watching you from here.” They will ask him if there are any pigeons left like him. Then, a shadow will pass from his face and he will say: 'To be honest, there were a handful of pigeons where I came from. Eagles and carrions crows were all around.' They will ask: 'You defended us. Who will defend you know?' He will say: 'My wife and my friends who think like me are still there. And now that my ban on leaving the country is lifted, I am free to travel the continents and the seas.' All the victims of the unidentified murders will greet him gratefully, they will embrace him.”
“The history will understand me. The corrupted media, the TV's that threatened me, the newspaper that pointed me as target; goodbye to all. The ones who didn't understand me and didn't want to understand me; goodbye to you too. Goodbye to the tortures I went through. Goodbye to the babies who were lying dead on the shores. Goodbye to the orphans of the victims of unidentified murders. Goodbye to the ones who loved and supported me. My wife and my children, goodbye.”
“The barrier of fear is crossed”
Co-mayor of Diyarbakir Fırat Anlı said the following:
“Every death is equally painful for us. For the last 6 months, these people have been holding funerals everyday.
“We are here to bid farewell to a revolutionary person. From now on, our burden is heavier.
“During the '90s, we resisted every injustice with Tahir Elçi.
“Nobody can be blocked by the barrier of fear on this land. These people conquered the fear of death; they live freely now.
“Elçi left an honorable struggle to us. We will keep on struggling under his guidance.”
Murdered like Dink and Anter
Elçi's brother Ahmet Elçi said that he was murdered like Hrant Dink and Musa Anter. Pointing out that Kurdish intellectuals have been pointed as targets and killed since the foundation of the republic, Ahmet Elçi said: “The colonists must know that Kurds will fight until they gain their freedom. Tahir and his path is free. We will fight to the last drop of blood. People of Diyarbakir, Botan and entire Kurdistan should resist. Our Armenian, Syriac and socialist friends should resist; let's unite. My brother is not dead; Kurds and people of Middle East should resist and become free.”
We are the witnesses of his struggle for peace
Vice Chair of Diyarbakir Bar Association Ahmet Özmen also spoke at the ceremony.
“Elçi was subjected to a political lynching. In response to this lynching campaing, he said that he isn't afraid of anyone. An unlawful investigation was opened against him. The perpetrators of the lynching campaign against him shouldn't be forgotten. The comments that were made even before the autopsy report is released hint at the murderers.”
“We are the witnesses of your struggle for peace. They killed hundreds of people before you, but they must know that you are immortal for us. The bullet that killed you shot all the Kurdish lawyers. We, the Kurdish lawyers, promise that we will claim our history and culture. We remain true to human rights and the rule of law that you had always cherished.”
