Medine Mamedoğlu/JINHA

AMED - "I hear songs sung by young people, who gathered around the fire in front of the mosque, while I fall asleep. I just saw their eyes, and I miss their eyes, too. I miss them very much." said 66-year-old Gülsüm Asena, who witnessed 46 days of the Sur resistance. She said she'll live with their memories until she dies.

The curfew in Diyarbakır's Sur district was declared nine months ago, on December 2, 2015. As many neighborhoods are demolished as a result of the damage caused by the state's shelling attacks that lasted for months, thousands of people have had to leave the district. In March, the state announced that the operation was completed in the town; however, the de facto ban continues to be imposed on the town. Diggers have taken the place of tanks and begun to blow down homes. 66-year-old Gülsüm Asena, who witnessed 46 days of the Sur resistance, told us about the resistance and her memories in Sur. Gülsüm shed tears when she talked about the youth. She only wants to learn the last words of the youth.

Gülsüm and her husband decided to stay in Sur when the 24-hour curfew was declared in the town on December 2. Gülsüm stated that they had a happy life before the curfew was imposed, "Then, the state began to attack by declaring curfew and clashes broke out. We couldn't step out from our home. The state took the peace in Sur, everyone had to leave their homes. I didn't want to leave. I said that if one day I die, I should die in Sur. On the 46th day of the resistance, the youth told us, "Leave or they will kill you." Before, I had been wounded by a shrapnel piece, but I hadn't left. The youth forced us to leave in order to protect us."

Gülsüm noted that she feels like she has lost something since she left Sur, "I live in the Bağlar district of Diyarbakır now. I feel like I live in another city. I feel like I have lost something since I left Sur. I do everything to find what I lost; however, I cannot find it. I still hear songs sung by young people, who gathered around the fire in front of the mosque, while I fall asleep."

Gülsüm told us that she spent her time with the youth in Sur, and she told the youth to leave the town when clashes became intense; however, the youths told her, "I'll die but not leave". Gülsüm said, "The youth were very good toward us. They didn't harm us. We were at our homes and they were near the trenches. They sacrificed their lives for us. I will protect them in my heart until I die. The state forces had tanks, bombs and artillery; our children just had Kalashnikov rifles…They resisted for 100 days despite that. I want to learn their last words…

"I was sitting in front of my home before the ban was declared. These young people came and said, "Mother, can you give us tea?" and I told them that this home was their home, too. Then, we had tea together. After having tea, they washed the tea cups. I told them that I would wash them but they said, "You told us this home is our home, too. Then, we will do what we did in our home." I just saw their eyes, and I miss their eyes, too. I miss all of them very much."

(mg/gd)