BEHDINAN – PKK Central Committee (MK) Member Rengin Botan said, “Heval Fazıl was one of those who took his place in the Kurdistan Freedom Struggle in the footsteps of the great Commander Egîd. He was a friend who got involved in the struggle at a young age and quickly became a leader and led the way.
When did you meet Commander Fazıl Botan, what were his distinctive features?
I commemorate our esteemed comrade, our teacher in war and life, Heval Fazıl Botan, with great love and respect. In the person of Heval Fazıl, I commemorate all the martyrs of Kurdistan and the human revolution. I commemorate the valuable commanders and comrades who came out of the Botan region, the place of resistance, such as Rojîn Gewda, Çiçek Kiçi, Bedran Gundikremo, Reşit Serdar, Piling Kiçi. We reiterate our promise that we will be worthy of those who stand up for the truth of Rêber Apo for a free Kurdistan and humanity.
Undoubtedly, while talking about Heval Fazıl Botan and its characteristics, it is necessary to express our struggle against the PKK and the resistance and patriotism of Botan, where he grew up. I heard about Heval Fazıl by name when I was practicing in the Cûdî region in 1991. While going to Cûdî practice in 1988, I first got to know Heval Fazıl’s village. While practicing in Judi, you naturally contact the local community. The first village we passed was Heval Fazil’s village. It was the Gite village of Quntara, at the foot of Mount Judi. It was smaller than many villages in the area. The village, which is very patriotic, has brought many fighters to the freedom struggle. When I was passing through that village, when I asked my friends, ‘Whose village is this?’, I was asked, ‘Heval Fazil’s village. Many friends, many commanders came out of here,” they said. I stated that I wanted to see the friends who came out of this village. At that time, I had not yet seen Heval Fazil.
Heval Fazil was very interesting to me. When I first met him, I saw him as a life teacher. He was my first commander. Many of my female friends also fought and became commanders under his command. Under the leadership of Heval Fazıl, I got used to war and life. We learned a lot under his command. We were always like Heval Fazil’s students.
What did its 34-year struggle mean for the Freedom Movement and the guerrilla?
We practiced with him for a long time. He has been in our management many times. He was the unit commander, the district commander, then he took part in the military council and the party assembly. He was a laboring and always taking part in the struggle, the fighter and commander. He was successful in all his practice. He has traces all over Kurdistan in his 34-year struggle. With his effort, honesty, command power, war style and tactics, he created the guerrilla movement style, active action against the enemy, self-sacrifice and the warrior line. Wherever you travel from Rojhilatê Kurdistan to Qendil, from Behdînan to Botan, you will find traces of Heval Fazıl. He fought everywhere. He was alive in his life. He was strong in combat. He was enlivening himself. Even if he was the one with the most problems, she would come alive next to him. No one would be unemployed with him. People were flowing into labor and business with it. He was giving spirit he was making it up. All the characteristics of the PKK were gathered in his personality. The pioneer who deserves this definition is Heval Fazil. He was very humble, did not look down on him, he was a practical example of PKK modesty. He showed his love in his respect. When one saw and got to know him, he wanted to make friends and work with him. He was a friend and commander in narrow and difficult times. In difficult times, people wanted to be with Heval Fazıl, because he did not feel that he was in trouble. No matter how much one talks about it, it doesn’t end. He was such a friend. In difficult times, people wanted to be with Heval Fazıl, because he did not feel that he was in trouble. No matter how much one talks about it, it doesn’t end. He was such a friend. In difficult times, people wanted to be with Heval Fazıl, because he did not feel that he was in trouble. No matter how much one talks about it, it doesn’t end. He was such a friend.
ALWAYS ON THE RIGHT LINE
He has always been a pioneer in the most critical processes of our struggle. He was ready for the battle of Botan. He was ready for the war in the Behdinan region. Qandil was also present during the war. Talking about what process he was always there and left his mark everywhere. He also served as the leading commander in the 1 June Operation. He was the leading commander in all of Botan, which made progress and carried out actions within the scope of the 1 June Operation. This move created motivation in the whole of Bakûre Kurdistan. Heval Fazil was one of those who pioneered them. He developed many tactics in the June 1 victory.
Heval Fazıl displayed a very strong Apoist stance against the invading Turkish state attacks and internal liquidationism against our movement. He has never lagged behind against the liquidationist line. He made his criticisms on the spot, his partisan attitude was ahead. Heval Fazıl’s stance against internal liquidationism can be considered as a leading stance. He was indeed persistent. He was always insistent on the right line and struggle. There was a combative personality formed in his warrior attitude. Dozens of living friends created it. One of them is me. Heval Fazıl has a great share in my development. Many of our living and martyred friends, our commander, Heval Fazıl, has a great effort. We learned many things from Heval Fazil at the command point. Commanding in our women’s movement also benefited a lot from Heval Fazıl. He learned under his command. They developed under the gains created by Heval Fazıl. We are grateful to Heval Fazıl in many respects. On this subject, we bow respectfully before Heval Fazıl and commemorate him with gratitude.
HE PIONEERED IN ZAP
Heval Fazıl was in the Central Decision Command in the process we call the ‘Zap operation’. Between 2007-2009, we took part in the command together. There was a foresight that the Turkish state would carry out invasion attacks. It was discussed that the attacks would be the Zap and Behdinan areas of Medya Defense Areas, which are important places for our Movement. It was our headquarters. Many gains were made in these regions. There were many attacks by the enemy against these regions. They never succeeded. The enemy wanted to attack again and start an invasion operation for him. After the discussions, Heval Fazıl made the basic preparations for the resistance in the February 2008 Zap operation. Heval Fazıl drew us into the preparations. Where are the positions to be established, the defenses to be built, the dochka positions, attack positions, tactics, etc. of where to surround the enemy. He had prepared everything. Heval Fazıl made preparations by saying, “Whatever the cost of the operation, let’s defeat them by making our preparations.” With the start of the operation and the attacks of the enemy, the enemy fell into the trap of the guerrilla in its first step. The enemy was aiming to advance from Çiyayê Reş to Çemço. However, at every step he fell into the guerrilla’s trap. The losses they suffered on the 9th day of the operation shook its foundation. The enemy regretted that he had made the operation. The enemy was aiming to advance from Çiyayê Reş to Çemço. However, at every step he fell into the guerrilla’s trap. The losses they suffered on the 9th day of the operation shook its foundation. The enemy regretted that he had made the operation. The enemy was aiming to advance from Çiyayê Reş to Çemço. However, at every step he fell into the guerrilla’s trap. The losses they suffered on the 9th day of the operation shook its foundation. The enemy regretted that he had made the operation.
Heval Fazil’s tacticalness, warrior mind and creativity broke the enemy. Heval Fazil was the main pillar of this success. Let me give an example; the ground was full of snow. Many friends had their feet burned by the snow. Despite him, when Heval Fazıl wanted to send them to the doctor, those friends did not want to go and said that they would stay under the command of Heval Fazil until they defeated the enemy. Heval Fazil created this spirit.
Many commanders such as Bedran Gundikremo, Reşit Serdar, Çîçek Kiçi and Rojîn Gewda came out of Botan, the heart of the resistance. What did Martyr Fazil mean to Botan?
Botan region is an ancient geography that connects four parts of Kurdistan. As in all our struggles against the PKK, Botan is a patriotic region that can protect itself and create resistance and sacrifices in all of the invasion attacks against Kurdistan in the last century. It is a place that contains and protects the ancient geography of Kurdistan and develops the patriotic people attached to its land. It is a place that has all the ancient features of the Neolithic revolution, preserves patriotism, and has produced many Egîds and heroes in this direction, and played a major role at the beginning of our revolution. Under the leadership of Commander Egîd, the first bullet was fired into the mind of the enemy in Eruh. Afterwards, the Botan region became the region of the Kurdistan revolution led by the PKK and Leader Apo and embraced it. It was the trace of the Egîds’ comrade, and it greatly affected the youth of Kurdistan, especially Botan. After the August 15 action, hundreds of heroes came out. Heval Fazıl was one of those who took his place in the Kurdistan struggle, following the footsteps of the Great Commander Egîd. He was a friend who got involved in the struggle at a young age.
He also took part in the war against ISIS, what would you like to say about it?
Many fighters and commanders of the PKK were involved in this process in terms of needs and support points. Many friends went to Shengal and Rojavayê Kurdistan to fight against ISIS. Heval Fazıl was one of those who participated in the fight against ISIS. He commanded those fighting against ISIS in Rojavayê Kurdistan. He waged a very strong fight against ISIS. He gradually cleared the region of ISIS.
It is with great sadness that we learned that Heval Fazıl was injured as a result of an accident. We learned later that he was martyred with great sadness. It is a very heavy loss for us. Heval Fazıl said that he did not want to die as a result of an accident or by the plane of the Turkish state due to lack of discipline or lack of vitality. After Heval Fazıl went out for treatment, I had the opportunity to contact him twice. Although he was seriously injured, his mind was on the country and the war. He was asking and remembering every friend he could think of. ‘I couldn’t protect myself, but friends, protect yourself. “Make good preparations in these areas so that the enemy cannot enter,” he said. He said this while talking to us, despite all his pain. I said, ‘Heval Fazil, get well soon, we are on the road, let’s do these things together’. Then we lost contact, but we were always following his situation. We were very impressed after receiving the news of martyrdom. Many friends were deeply affected.
Finally, how to be a follower of Fazıl Botan, how to protect his struggle?
He left a trace behind which one will always walk. As Heval Fazıl and many of his comrades deserve, we will continue their struggle and achieve success. It’s up to us to make their dreams come true. We will defeat the brutal enemy who wants to commit genocide against the Kurdish people. We will do this in every moment of our life, in every breath we take. In the person of Heval Fazıl, I bow respectfully in front of the memories of hundreds of friends such as Çiçek Kiçi, Rojîn Gewda, Reşit Serdar, Heval Hüseyin, Azad Siser, and repeat the promise that we will be worthy of them.
