Testimoniesشایەتییەکان
Those who were thereئەوانەی لەوێ بوون
Recorded for the documentary on Xala Shahab: the words of the comrades who shared his cells and the family who shared his life. Spoken in Kurdish; rendered here in English until the family approves the original transcriptions.بۆ بەڵگەنامەییەکەی خاڵە شەهاب تۆمارکراون: وشەکانی ئەو هاوڕێیانەی زیندانەکانیان لەگەڵی بەشکرد و ئەو خێزانەی ژیانیان لەگەڵی بەشکرد.
Believe me, Kak Jaafar was telling us jokes. It was as if Kaka Shahab was going on a trip, giving us advice and guidance.
In my life I never admired a leader as much as I admired Kak Shahab. I have met many strong and brave men. None like him.
He was more educated and well-read than we were. He never made us feel it. He treated all of us as his equals.
For the whole period we were together, I never saw Xala Shahab tense.
He was the first and last person I admired so much. He was my role model.
When he was in jail, he took responsibility for the 31 members who were jailed with him.
The bravery they showed still echoed for those jailed after them. Torturers would say: you are not Shahab or Jaafar, you will not resist.
The school of Xala Shahab was a hard one. Not everyone could be as disciplined as he was, from his manners and culture to everything else.
Hold tight to our movement. Look after each other. Put the needs of the community ahead of your own. Protect Mam Jalal; he is valuable for the Kurdish cause.
Shahab, the hero whose martyrdom paved the way for the birth of the PUK. The leader of all martyrs.