Van- Today marks the 11th death anniversary of journalist Deniz Fırat, who was killed in an attack of ISIS on the Makhmour refugee camp on August 8, 2014. 

A commemoration ceremony was held in the Xeçxatûn neighborhood of Van’s Ebex (Çaldıran) district by many journalists with the participation of the members of the Mesopotamia Women Journalists Association (Turkish: Mezopotamya Kadın Gazeteciler Derneği, MKG), the Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association (Turkish: Dicle Fırat Gazeteciler Derneği, DFG), the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), the Peace Mothers’ Initiative and DEM Party MPs Gülderen Varlı and Mahmut Dindar.

After a minute's silence, Öznur Değer, member of the MKG and DFG, made a speech, saying that every day has a meaning in Kurdistan. “Today is a meaningful day because it marks the struggle of Deniz Fırat. Deniz was killed in an attack of ISIS while covering the attacks on the camp. Since the 1990s, the free press has carried out a great struggle.”

Mentioning the peace process, she said, “This process has started thanks to the struggle of Deniz Fırat and her comrades. We vow to follow in the footsteps of Deniz Fırat and her comrades. As the free press, we have a heavy burden on our shoulders but we get strength from the struggle of our colleagues and we will continue to struggle.”

“Deniz Fırat was displaced along with her family in 1999,” said Seyat Yıldıztan, brother of Deniz Fırat, after the speech of Öznur Değer. “We will do our best for the process that has started. We came to visit her grave; however, the cemetery has been blockaded. Peace cannot be built like this. All we want is peace and fraternity.”

The commemoration ceremony ended after flowers were placed on the grave of Deniz Fırat.