KCK Executive Council member Emine Kara (Evîn Goyi), Kurdish artist M. Şirin Aydın (Mîr Perwer) and Kurdish patriot Abdurrahman Kızıl were murdered in the attack targeting Ahmet Kaya Kurdish Cultural Centre, a restaurant and a hairdresser in Paris, the capital of France, on 23 December 2022.

 

Evîn Goyi (Emine Kara) was born in 1974 in Şêxan (Hilal) town of Qileban (Uludere) district of Şirnex (Şırnak). Growing up in a patriarchal society, Evîn Goyi joined the freedom struggle in 1988. Evîn Goyi, who assumed an important role and mission especially in the women's struggle, carried out activities in the Federated Kurdistan Region and North and East Syria. Evîn Goyi, who took part in the people's defence against ISIS, went to Europe for treatment after she was wounded there. Evîn Goyi's asylum application to France was rejected, but she remained in Paris despite the decision and continued her work until the day she was murdered. On 23 December 2022, she was murdered in an armed attack at the Ahmet Kaya Cultural Center together with artist M. Şirin Aydın (Mîr Perwer) and Abdurrahman Kızıl. Although the perpetrator was caught after the massacre, the incident has still not been clarified.

 

 

On the anniversary of the massacre, we talked to Evîn Goyi's niece Suna Kara about her struggle that started at home and became socialised.

 

A STRUGGLE THAT STARTED AT HOME

 

Stating that hundreds of women who were influenced by Evîn Goyi's struggle took part in the struggle, Suna Kara said: "Evîn Goyi was a pioneer even in her childhood. In fact, her search for truth started at a young age. She never accepted the life imposed on her. Both at school and at home, everyone was impressed by her stance. She was always smiling and people drew strength from her smile. She was like a mountain next to the people he stood with. She got this characteristic from her mother. My grandmother managed everything at home and she was our breadwinner. At that time and at that age, it was difficult to struggle against this system and society as a woman. Evîn started school in those years. In those years, not everyone could go to school. I had aunts older than Evîn, but none of them could go to school. Evîn comrade never accepted the life imposed on her. She joined the ranks of the struggle in the most difficult times. After joining, she fought a great struggle."

 

Evîn Goyi travelled to four parts of Kurdistan and fought for the truth said Suna Kara and added: "She led the women's revolution in Bakur under the most difficult conditions. She also took part in party work in Başûr (South Kurdistan). A woman in Başûr could not easily take part in the work, but she overcame this. She was not satisfied with this and fought against ISIS in Shengal. She fought for Yazidi women. She took her place among the pioneers of the Rojava Women's Revolution. She was wounded in the clashes against ISIS in Rojava and had to go to Europe for treatment. She had a very difficult time after travelling to Europe. I personally withnessed that process. She applied for asylum in Europe but France did not accept her. During the treatment process, she never gave up her struggle. She took part in the struggle until this conspiracy was established."

 

"Heval (Comrade in Kurdish) Evîn fought hard to strengthen the women's struggle. She fought for 'how women should struggle and lead'. She led the women's struggle even in independent work. What pushed her the most was witnessing the martyrdom of her woman friends. Perhaps this was the most important reason why she was so committed to the struggle. She was a very different person. Her resilient spirit is still alive among us," Suna Kara said.

 

'FRANCE MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE'

 

Stressed that her aunt was murdered with the partnership of Turkey and the French governement, Suna Kara said: "Evîn Heval's death was not a coincidence. This was a previously planned conspiracy. The murderer was not alone. If the Frenc state could not prosecute the person it captured, this means that it is a partner in this massacre. If the Frenc government says 'we didn't do it'i then it should reveal the perpetrators. France must account for this and axpose the perpetrators. They massacred our Evîn, but thousands of Evîn flourished in these lands. Evîn heval spreat to four parts of Kurdistan. There was not a handful of land in Kurdistan that she had not set foot on. Her traces were everywhere. I was always very impressed by her stance and the struggle she left us is growing day by day."

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut