IRBIL
Another famous Kurdish singer, Nizamettin Aric, welcomes Sivan Perver's return to Diyarbakir but says he shouldn't be expected soon in Turkey.
The renowned Kurdish singer Sivan Perwer returned Turkey with the request of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a 37-year interval.
Erdogan invited Massoud Barzani, the head of Iraqi Kurdish regional government, and the Kurdish singer Sivan Perwer to Turkey for a mass wedding ceremony held in southeastern Diyarbakir province on Saturday.
One of the singers among the leading names in Kurdish music is Nizamettin Aric who has attracted attention as well.
Aric lives in Germany and told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday that he could not return Turkey at least for 33 years, adding "I very much want to return to Turkey, because I have not intentionally and fondly come to Germany."
My life changed as I sang a Kurdish song, Aric spoke on the phone and said, "Independence of Agri province is celebrated on every April 15. A ceremony was held on that day of 1979 in which many politicians and a then minister of sports and youth participated. I sang Turkish songs for about two hours. Later, I sang a Kurdish song upon request of guests in the ceremony after which I was detained. Thanks to the insistence of the people there, I was freed, but I was tried by a court as prosecutors asked 5 to 15 years jail times for me."
Aric was a singer of TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) at that time as well, however his contract with the corporation was terminated.
Stating hard times began to appear for him after that evening, Aric said he could not even perform songs at a music hall and was pushed to leave his country after a military coup had occurred in Turkey on September 12, 1980.
"I have been living in exile since then," said the Kurdish singer.
Aric said the years in exile passed in agony and he lived in solitude away from his parents, sisters and brothers and relatives for long years.
Noting he could not visit his parents' graves during those years, Aric added, "After I had left Turkey, my mother, father, aunt and some relatives died. I could not even see them, which was a pain for me. I felt the absence of many things for years. I very much want to visit my parents' graves."
Education in mother language is essential for returning to Turkey, said the singer.
Aric evaluated the visit of the Kurdish singer Sivan Perwer in Turkey and said, "Sivan Perwer is an important singer in our music. The fact that he returned to his country and met his relatives makes me extremely happy."
Nizamettin Aric was born in Agri in 1956 and is known with works in cinema and music. He had performed many concerts notably in Europe and other countries.
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