Republished from the Internationalist Commune of Rojava
Two years have passed since the German guerilla fighter Şîyar Gabar (Jakob Riemer) gave his life in the fight against Turkish fascism. On 9th July 2018, our friend and comrade Şîyar Gabar fell during a Turkish military operation in the Carcella area, in Gever in occupied Northern Kurdistan. With his life and struggle, his effort and sacrifice, Heval Şîyar has left his mark everywhere and has become an immortal part of our struggle. From Germany to Kurdistan, from Hamburg to the free mountains of the guerrilla territories, thousands of comrades who had the honour to accompany him on his way, who were allowed to learn from him and taught him, remember and commemorate the guerrilla fighter Şîyar Gabar with awe and respect.
Also for us as Internationalists in North East Syria Şîyar Gabar is a source of inspiration and strength. With his decision to move to the mountains of Kurdistan at a young age and to take part in the armed struggle, he is an example of revolutionary consistency and a determined life. For S. Şîyar there was no running away from the contradictions. He saw the world around him with open eyes and could not and did not want to accept the life that the system tries to impose on the youth today. Surrendering to the senselessness of a life of consumption and meaninglessness was not an option for S. Şîyar, and so he set out on a quest that would take him to the top of the Zagro Mountains. In the PKK, S. Şîyar found the answer to his questions, found in it the search for a meaningful life, for friendship and freedom itself, and did not let anything or anyone distract him from his path. Even if life on the mountains is marked by the effort, adversity and brutality of war, it was still for S. Şîyar the place where he managed to unite his heart and soul; the only place where it became possible to live a life in accordance with his own ideals and values.
S. Şîyar took part in the armed struggle with all his strength and to the end of his life and was ready to take on any task the revolution would ask of him. Thus he became a pioneer of a new revolutionary internationalism in the 21st century and is for us today a model, ideal and guide in the struggle for the liberation of humanity. His call to the youth of the world to do the same, to take up arms and fight for socialism is then as now more actual than ever and will be our mission and command in the future.
In memory of S. Şîyar, we, the Internationalist Commune of Rojava, have translated and subtitled this small portrait prepared by the comrades of the Press and Information Office of the Women’s Guerrilla YJA-Star. It is an honour for us to share with you today this video, which contains previously unpublished video material and excerpts from the diary of S. Şîyar Gabar. We hope that in this way it will be possible to understand the comrade Şîyar Gabar, his thoughts, feelings and his way in all its depth and to do justice to his memory.
We fulfill our promise to the martyrs with our life and our struggle.
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