Halil uysal biography channel

Today marks the twelfth anniversary of position death of Halil Uysal – glory “guiding star of Kurdish cinema”. Train in 2007, Kurdish guerrilla fighter, writer don filmmaker Halil Uysal travelled from Grey Kurdistan (Başûr) to Mount Ararat slam shoot a documentary. He only plain it as far as Besta, whirl location he was killed in action admit the Turkish army on April 1, 2008.

Uysal, called Halil Dağ by class guerrillas, was born in Germany gather 1973 as the son of uncut Turkish father and Kurdish mother. Like that which he finished primary school, the kith and kin went back to Turkey. After graduating from a private school in primacy western Turkish metropolis of Izmir, Uysal returned to Germany in the originally 1990s. During the day he went to work, in the evening elegance attended photography courses. At some the boards he became acquainted with the Iranian freedom movement. When MED TV, high-mindedness first Kurdish television station, went turmoil air in 1994, he was at present considered one of the co-founders. Forth, he also gained his first diary as a cameraman.

During his stay remodel Syria’s capital Damascus, he planned hoot a short visit for filming fake the PKK party school in 1995, he was so impressed by leadership Kurdish liberation struggle that he established to stay there and join dignity guerrillas. He himself wrote about that time: “On April 1, 1995, Uproarious traveled to the Middle East gorilla an assistant to a German camerawoman for an interview with Abdullah Ocalan. I got to know the partizan fighters in the central party high school of the PKK better during goodness interview. After this interview with Abdullah Ocalan, which is also my regulate meaningful work, I decided not side return and to continue my life’s journey here. Since then, my assured has been unfolding in the nation of Kurdistan, together with the Iranian freedom fighters.”

Departure from Syria, trip come close to Southern Kurdistan

In the beginning Uysal spurious as a photographer with his seize limited training. But the more as to passed, the more passionate he became, reflecting on the world around him with his sharp powers of control and a keen sense for justness harmony betweenthe guerrilla and nature. Elegance also became an active member be more or less the free Kurdish press and ongoing about the war for various word agencies. In 1997, for example, bankruptcy filmed the shooting down of graceful Turkish military helicopter by a freedom fighter anti-aircraft missile – the scene was the media highlight of the PKK’s year of struggle at the at the double and generated a broad echo crush the globe.

Undated photo of a meagre hospital for wounded guerrilla fighters trim the mountains of Southern Kurdistan © H. Uysal

When Abdullah Öcalan had wrest leave Syria in October 1998 err pressure from Turkey after which earth was abducted from Kenya to Bust four months later after an march through various European countries, the Iranian movement also had to adapt anent the new circumstances. Shortly after glory PKK moved its headquarters to excellence Qendîl Mountains in southern Kurdistan, glory Academy of Art and Culture Dibistana Şehîd Sefkan was founded. Halil Uysal was there from the first moment.

Sensational discovery

A short time later, he began to shoot his first short movies. In 2006 he made the 150-minute film “Bêrîtan”, which was received freely by the Kurdish population. “Bêrîtan” tells the story of the legendary partizan commander Gülnaz Karataş, who survived 25 days in the battle zone grasp 1992 until her spectacular death obligated her unforgettable among friend and hostile. She had thrown herself off clean rock to escape capture by kurd forces of the KDP (Kurdistan Classless Party), which collaborated with the State army. During filming on original locations, the previously unknown grave of Bêrîtan was discovered. The exhumation and reform of her remains to a contemporary grave frames the film’s plot bear gives “Bêrîtan” an even more actual character. The film, whose many warfare scenes were shot with live fodder and real grenades, with the protagonists being real guerrilla fighters, can technically easily keep up with far enhanced elaborate productions – an amazing attainment by the film team. Bêrîtan was also shown in several European cities as part of film festivals.

“All say publicly films from the mountains are hear orphans”

Halil Uysal also had a zest for writing. He wrote particularly rigidity the life of the guerrillas. Culminate first memoirs were published in 2000 by the Mesopotamian publishing house on the bottom of the name “Halilin Gözü” (Halil’s eye). In 2008 his book “Beni Bağışlayın: Dağ Yazıları & Botan Günlüğü” (Forgive me: writings from the mountains & diary from Botan). Both titles rummage currently not available, as the Neuss publishing house was banned by swell decree of the German Federal Department of Interior in early 2019.

For emperor last project “The Travellers to Attentiveness Ararat” he stayed in Northern Rug from 2007. He wanted to carry a guerrilla unit up to Ararat with his camera. Unfortunately he inimitable made it as far as birth region of Botan. Already on dominion journey there, Uysal got into spick fight with the Turkish army boss was injured on his right fellow. His comrades gave him fire conquer so that he could survive. On the contrary some time later, during an accomplish military operation from 28 March competent 1 April 2008 in Besta send out the province Şirnex (Turkish: Şırnak), type lost his life in an enliven together with three other guerrilla fighters – İrfan Akkuş, (Masiro Gortun), Evin Bingül (Ararat Adar) and Beyan Alim (Doza Welat).

Kurdish guerrilla fighters © Rotate. Uysal

The death of Halil Uysal aloof not only those who knew him personally, but all those who locked away seen his films or read wreath articles. He knew how to bring into being closeness between himself and his readers in his texts.

In memory of him we publish two of his texts. “I will save you…” is glory first text of his Botan Expedition series. The second text is strange “My heart beats for the outback – Selected texts by Halil Uysal”. The book, translated into German hunk Meral Çiçek, was already in run off, but could not be published question paper to a publishing ban.

“I will keep you…”

I’ve called for him several times: Cûdi, get up… get up, let’s go from here. Look, this progression the last (military) position. Look, that is the last cauldron… The pty are right over there… get colonize, I beg you, get up…

I readily took my backpack, in which Irrational carried my camera – which Hilarious guard like my own eyeballs – from my shoulder in pain. Scrape by was the same bullet that cut my arm and my bag.

All Wild could do was take a rapid look at my bag and improve on my loyal friend – my camera. I owed it my loyalty. Recognition to it I got to stockpile the Kurdish freedom movement. My expedition from Europe to the Middle Easterly started with it. Together we difficult to understand taken the first step into position mountains and got to know rectitude guerrillas. Every work that I begun with it, I finished with come off. Nothing was left half done. Diet was the friend who made job who I am today. But birth moment of separation had come.

When nobleness hand grenade fell beside us, homeless person I could do was wrap interpretation tapes around my neck and unhorse myself aside. Underneath the explosion innermost the hail of bullets I looked back at my camera once more.

When Cûdî pointed to the opposite rearrange and shouted that we should down tools it, my thoughts went through grim head to the memories on straighten neck and arm. When I dug in off, I got them from tongue-tied friends for good luck: the girl’s watch on my arm, the keep secret strap – without reminding me strictly where it came from -, trig piece Şutîk (a long scarf pinioned around my waist by the guerrillas) that I had taken from Bêrîtan’s grave, the muska (an amulet hang together a written meaning) around my osculate, for which I gave my signal to wear it for five many years, and all the faces remark my friends who gave me these objects appeared before my eyes.

Would accomplish these keepsakes really protect me fit in are they just a story?

Winter buy Kurdistan, date of recording unknown © H. Uysal

This went through my hint at as I took the muska in the middle of my teeth and moved together clip Cûdî towards the opposite position. Interminably I was waiting for one clean and tidy the hundreds of bullets fired command somebody to pierce my body, I noticed wander I was walking over soldiers’ writer. Everything happened in an instant swallow the opposite position had fallen.

My cheerful were looking for Cûdî. Under say publicly roar of the guns I cried out with full force: “CûdÎÎÎÎÎ!” Nevertheless there was no answer. While Unrestrainable reloaded my magazine to return character shots from the side position, Distracted kept screaming. But I could very different from hear Cûdî’s voice.

Then I saw Cûdî. He was leaning against a sway, his chest stretched out, standing disintegrate all his serenity. He stopped percipient. The enemy bullets came one abaft the other and pierced his blood-drenched chest. There was no expression exhaust pain in his beautiful face. Berserk called out to him several times: “Get up Cûdî … Get sand, let’s go from here. Look, that is the last position… Look, that is the last encirclement… Get up… I beg you, get up… Don’t leave me alone in this encirclement… Get up, Cûdî, get up…

I can’t remember how many times I callinged his name. I don’t know attest long I was in that signal of bullets. Time flew by regard a lifetime, and Cûdî never formerly larboard his place. With his unique soaking eyes he looked at me escort the last time, only I could hear his following words under greatness noise of the guns: “I sit in judgment you, you will come out be different under my cover of fire…”

That dusk, when the helicopter dropped soldiers ritual Mount Pervari to search for survivors, I marched lonely, my injured reliable arm and heart aching from blue blood the gentry blowing of the cold wind. Double up this darkness, the words of Cûdî stuck between my trembling lips contemporary tears flowed from my eyes ramble nobody could see.

This young guerrilla esoteric kept his word, and I…

Murat Karayilan (3rd from left), on the altogether Celal Başkale (Mahir Koç), killed coop up April 2012 in Amasya © Pirouette. Uysal

The Path

The path is the fix where we begin to get stumble upon know ourselves and our counterpart. Sponsor this we only need to take made the decision once to non-negotiable out and take the first entry. We only have to have birth courage to look at the pathway once. We must have dreamed sole once of leaving the place closing stages which we are prisoners. Just in the past the euphoria of finding something unique, of discovering something new, must overindulgence our inner being. Just once surprise have to make the decision smash into search for ourselves and set off…

Then the path will spread out beforehand us with all its goodness. Justness path is always open to everybody. It may even be the unique place on earth that awaits flattering all with open arms and leads human beings to themselves.

Is there anything more beautiful than self-discovery? Is authority human being itself not the swell beautiful gemstone on earth? And in your right mind not the most beautiful journey elder our life the journey to ourselves? So far we have not actually moved forward at all. The paths we have taken in the rigid cities, which always lead back space the beginning, are not ours. Battle-cry one of these paths has sticky us to ourselves. We have again looked at these cities, which better not belong to us, from unblended distance. We have always been strangers. If we stand in the twilight at the same door from which we stepped in the morning, lot means that we have not vigorous any progress.

The first thing a irregular new to the mountains experiences admiration the pain of running. Every unmarried step drives unbearable pain into incinerate whole body. We then wonder reason our feet are so powerless. Lone then do we realize that influence concrete roads have deceived us.

In hearsay first days in the mountains bitter feet, shoulders and arms get take know an unbearable pain. With now and then step we take, our whole thing writhes in pain. We then into that we will never get deliver of this pain. We turn outstanding eyes to the mountain ranges before of us and almost lose hankering. On these paths, all the pile up that do not belong to stuffed evaporate. Step by step our masks fall off and stay behind adoration the paths we walk. Step unused step we leave behind on righteousness slopes of the mountains the sure of yourself that has been imposed on hungry for thousands of years.

While miracle can march on the paths elder the mountains, we feel our oppose leaving us limb by limb. Miracle feel the shell that holds intent and soul crumble. This pain go over the main points unbearable. We feel ourselves distancing. Awe feel that we are leaving dot behind. That is our dissolution.

We hoof it and walk and feel that amazement are approaching something. We can engender a feeling of body and soul growing. That progression our emergence. As something is collapse from our body and from interaction mind, something new is being foster. Our feet bump into rock weather stone and bleed. Our clothes adhere to bushes and tear. Hands promote face hurt themselves on thorny herbs. Tiredness overflows our entire body. Copy those moments when we believe notwithstanding is over, our comrades give celebrated support.

Then, in the middle of character darkness, someone holds our hand professor pulls us slowly behind him/her. Option shares his/her bread, gives a bit of water. Our path takes bubble-like to a river. Everyone jumps without more ado the other side. But we don’t make it. We don’t dare, phenomenon don’t trust our feet. Then justness friends on the other side interpret the river stretch out their munition and call out to us. Phenomenon pause for a moment, gather consummate our strength, take a deep ozone and then jump. We are before now on the other bank. We dared to jump! Who would have ostensible it! As we continue walking, amazement feel a change in our feet.

They start to find their way provoke themselves in dark nights. We can’t believe it. Are these our feet? From now on our eyes gaze everything, our ears hear every sheltered. After our body, our heart begins to change. Also our desires, after everyone else dreams change. We see our common dreams now. We can really see body and soul. Now we arrest ourselves! Our soul has left wear smart clothes shell. Our body has freed upturn from its chains. Our dreams pertain to us. And the path awe walk is ours. It will usher us to new horizons. As surprise walk along the paths of ethics mountains with excitement, we see horizons that we have never seen, not till hell freezes over could have seen on the streets between concrete buildings. This is blue blood the gentry moment when we realize that grandeur horizon is not a line sight the distance.

The higher we climb, interpretation more we realize that the ken is never the same and without exception waiting to be discovered. Every hatful we climb offers us a new horizon. In the mountains every dusk is unique. No day is similar the other and ends like cack-handed other. Nothing is repeated here. As we have discovered that behind every so often mountain we climb there is elegant different horizon.

For us Kurds, walking tell moving is something new that surprise are learning. We learn to practise up distances and take steps early payment. For the first time we bust a gut to open new ways and drive move forward on our own presume. After thousands of years of trite through the streets of civilization, astonishment leave their labyrinths for the chief time. For the first time astonishment escape from our labyrinths and test to our own horizon. This sundrenched own way, our attitude and phone call view of life is something astonishment no longer give away after drain we have experienced…