JINHA

ŞIRNAK - Mem û Zin Cultural Arts Center personnel Gülistan Üstün (She was called as Eylem by her friends) was massacred in the basement of savagery in Cizre by state forces. Gülistan's best friend Mahabad Ölmez wrote her life story. Mahabad said Eylem was smoothy, sharer, faithful and how she drew struggle and art together.

We were preparing for the concert which we would perform in several days. I and Zeynep were trying to prepare a repertoire for the concert. We were sitting in the garden of the center. At that time a friend with curly and long hair came into the garden. She wore a shalwar and a black vest. She walked confidently and she was a beautiful woman. She sat at the table where Zeynep sat. They talked to each other for a while. Then, I joined them. Zeynep introduced us. Her name was Eylem. Eylem heval (friend) told us that we should go with each other. She told us that we had to know the importance of the history of the song that we were preparing. Eylem heval was a talented friend and her voice was beautiful. She had a part in cultural studies between 2005 and 2009. Meanwhile, she was sensitive about women. She took the stage many times on the occasion of March 8, International Women's Day and she wrote an article about the women.

She talked about many things. Then she began to talk about the prison. I learned that she had stayed in prison for five years and she had got out of prison several days ago. We asked her to tell us how she was jailed. She began to talk and she said, "I was jailed in 2009. The friends in arts center were shooting a video and they had to take the voice record. I had had a part in this project. Recording took several days and finally, we conpleted it. I departed from Diyarbakır to Cizre that day. I got home. I was very tired so I didn't talk to my family members. I fell asleep in living room. I woke up half hour later due to the sound of shouting and screaming. Police raided on our house. Police entered in the room where I was. They detained me by battering. I stayed thirsty and hungry for a few days. I was subjected to torture. Then, I was sent to Mardin T Type Closed Prison.

Eylem had been jailed for five years. Then, she was released. She had been jailed while she was a child. She met with life by suffering pain. Her eyes filled with tears. I knew her that day. Eylem began to come to the center everyday. She was a self-sacrificing friend. She liked to share and she listened to her friends' problems.

Curfew was declared in Cizre for nine days. Our people had difficult times. Eylem tried to find out how we can support the people after the curfew was lifted. She went into the neighborhoods at nights to sing song to the children. She tried to cheer the people up. Everything had begun to go well until the second curfew was declared.

Ban was declared again. We went to the neighborhoods to support our people with our brums and erbanes. We gathered around the fire and we sang the songs. The days were passing and we lost our friends and loved ones. The ban continued. We heard the sound of mortar fire and gunshots. They began to shell the region where we stayed without a reason. We were scared, but we tried to betray our fear.

Physical and psychological attacks on people had intensified. The wounded people couldn't be taken to hospitals. They took the wounded people to homes and tried to treat them. The time was passing and the attacks became more intensified. Eylem was among of the people those who had taken refuge in the basements that are called as "basements of savagery". They had waited to be saved for days. However, no ones heard their screams. Eylem could sacrifice her life for her friends and she did.

(mg/gd)