Tolin Mihemed - Lilav Eli

 

SHEHBA - The children of Afrin, who have been living in exile on their lands and welcomed the Kurdish Language Day celebrated annually on May 15, say their only dream is to return Afrin and continue their education in their native language.

 

The children of Afrin, who were subjected to airstrikes, tanks and howitzer attacks by Turkish army and Free Syrian Army (FSA) for 58 days, have welcomed the Kurdish Language Day celebrated annually on May 15 in Shehba Canton. A sixth-grade student Mufide Hamdi, one of the children of Afrin forced to leave their lands and schools, talked about what he had faced in Afrin as follows; “Erdoğan and his gangs attacked Afrin. The children went to schools were killed on their way to schools. The children playing in the streets and playground were killed. We weren’t afraid despite this and we went to school. We were forced to migrate to Shehba after facing the atrocity of Erdoğan. All I want is to continue my education in Afrin.”

 

‘I love Kurdish language. We aren’t afraid of Erdoğan even if he has attacked our lands, houses and school,” said Rezan Hebib, one of the children continuing to receive her education in her native language in the Berxwedan Camp. Another student Meryem Muhammed meanwhile said, “Erdoğan doesn’t want we receive our education in our native language. He is the enemy of the Kurdish people and Kurdish language. But he should know very well that we will receive our education in our native language no matter what he does and we will never forget what he does. As a child from Afrin, I say Afrin belongs to us and it will belong to us.”

 

Ufe Reşit, a teacher giving education in a school opened for the children of Afrin, said they gave education to the children in their native language. Ufe continued to talk as follows; “We opened a school in Berxwedan Camp for the children. The children and women are the most affected people so we do our best to keep their hope alive.” Stating that the Turkish state has targeted the Kurdish language in four parts of Kurdistan, Ufe said they would never give up their native language despite all attacks.