NÇM artist Today is the day when art will not be silenced! 2025-01-22 12:41:48       MÊRDÎN - Referring to the massacre of civilians on guard at the Tişrîn Dam, NÇM artist Sema Özel Asi said, "We will crown the existing art with truth. As the artists of this land, we must give voice to these with our voice and our art. All artists of conscience in the world should also put a stop to these attacks."   The attacks of Turkey and its Syrian National Army (SMO) gangs on Northern and Eastern Syria continue uninterruptedly. The peoples of Northern and Eastern Syria have been on watch since 8 January against the attacks on the Tişrîn Dam, which have been going on for 44 days. Citizens from 7 to 70 from all cities of Northern and Eastern Syria from Kobanê to Qamişlo are participating in the vigil, while Turkey's drone attacks continue to target civilians. Citizens, who do not leave the vigil despite the massacres and SİHA attacks, state that they will protect the dam and call for an end to the attacks as soon as possible.   16 civilians were killed   While 16 civilians have been killed in Turkey's SİHA attacks since 8 January, the famous Kurdish theatre actor Bavê Teyar (Cuma Xelîl) was also killed on 18 January as a result of the targeting of the people keeping watch at the Tişrîn Dam. The massacre of Bavê Teyar was met with reactions from all over the world and was interpreted as proof that Turkey is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. While the resistance of the people in Tişrîn Dam against the massacres of civilians carried out by Turkey continues despite all the attacks, reactions and international calls against the massacres continue.   Mesopotamia Cultural Centre (NÇM) artist Sema Özel Asi made evaluations on the targeting of Kurdish artists and civilians.   ‘Every human being has to defend the land they live in’   Sema Özel Asi stated that the ongoing vigil at Tişrîn Dam is a meaningful action and noted that the two parts are not disconnected from each other. Sema Özel Asi said, "We feel an attack there as if it were an attack here’ and added, ‘We see how the people are embracing it, but we also see how there is an attack against the people resisting against it. Journalists, artists, politicians and the whole people are the ones who are at the vigil and who are being targeted. Every human being has to defend the land they live on."       ‘The dam meets the basic needs of the people such as water and electricity’   Sema Özel Asi noted that the Tişrîn Dam has a vital strategic importance and said, "If we want to live in a place, we have to defend it. That dam meets the basic needs of the people such as water and electricity. The massacres in this sense make us deeply sad. Most recently, our journalist friends Cihan Bilgin and Nazım Daştan were massacred, followed by the theatre actor Bavê Teyar. In addition, many civilians were massacred. The sovereigns massacre the people there without discriminating between journalists, artists and civilians."   ‘Our childhood with Bavê Teyar was massacred’   Underlining that Kurdish theatre actor Bavê Teyar, who was killed in Turkey's drone attack, was an artist whom Kurds in four parts of Kurdistan describe as ‘my childhood’, Sema Özel Asi said: "Our childhood was slaughtered there along with Bavê Teyar. We Kurdish children grew up with Bavê Teyar's films. We laughed with his films and integrated his humour into our lives. Every artist exists with his own truth. Art is a quest. For this reason, our culture, art and our entire existence are being slaughtered. In this sense, we will follow the values he created. Each of us needs to express our reaction against this. We will crown the existing art with truth. Bavê Teyar used to say ‘Qelen ê welat ne erzan e’ (The title of the country is not cheap.) We, as artists of this land, must give voice to these with our voices and art. All artists of conscience in the world should also put a stop to these attacks."