Lorenzo Orsetti

Lorenzo Orsetti (February 13, 1986 – March 18, 2019), also known as Orso (Bear in Italian) and Tekoşer Piling, was an Italian anarcho-communist and antifascist from Florence who fought with the Syrian Democratic Forces in the Rojava conflict.

Lorenzo Orsetti
Born(1986-02-13)February 13, 1986
Florence, Italy
DiedMarch 18, 2019(2019-03-18) (aged 33)
Al-Baghuz Fawqani, Syria
NationalityItalian
Other namesOrso Dellatullo
Tekoşer Piling (nom de guerre)
OccupationChef, sommelier, internationalist volunteer fighter
Years active2017–19
Organization Syrian Democratic Forces

International Freedom Battalion

History

Orsetti was a chef and sommelier by trade and worked in different restaurants in Florence.[1][2][3] He became interested in the Rojava conflict, the struggle of the Kurdish people against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and the Rojava Revolution. He met Paolo Andolina, an Italian activist and anarchist who had fought against the Islamic State with YPG International.[4]

In September 2017 Orsetti travelled to Syria, where he joined the People's Protection Units (YPG). Once in Syria, he struck up friendships with several Italian antifascist volunteers who were fighting there alongside the Kurds.[5]

Upon finishing his military training, Orsetti joined a military formation organised by the Communist Party of Turkey/Marxist–Leninist[6] and then fought during the Battle of Afrin[7] against the Turkish Army and Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army's jihadists with other internationalists as part of TİKKO and AFFA (Anti-Fascist Forces in Afrin).[8]

Death

Orsetti was killed in action on Monday morning March 18, 2019 in the village of Baghouz, Syria. He was in that locality fighting in the Battle of Baghuz Fawqani against the last bastion of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria. He was attached to an Arab unit Syrian Democratic Forces when he and his comrades were killed by the jihadists in an ambush. His death was announced by Islamic State media and confirmed by the YPG and by TKP/ML, the latter of whom published Orsetti's letter to be read in the event of his death.[9] The letter states "I don’t have regrets, I died doing what I thought was the right thing, defending the weakest, and being loyal to my ideals of justice, equality, and freedom. So, despite of my premature departure, my life is still successful, and I am almost sure that I went with a smile on my lips. I could not have asked for better."[10]

When announcing his death, his comrades shared Orsetti's last will in which he explained why he had decided to travel to Syria and his ideological motives.[11]

Orsetti's body was returned to Florence in June 2019, and was interred in the Porte Sante cemetery.

Honours

A library in the train station of Berceto, near Parma, has been named in his honour.[12]

The municipality of Rome approved a motion to name a communal park Parco Nomentano in his honour, becoming Parco Nomentano Lorenzo Orsetti Partigiano. The ceremony took place during a festival organised in the park, announcing: “Five years ago we turned the spotlight on this area of greenery which had been abandoned: today it will be dedicated to a partisan of our era, Lorenzo 'Orso' Orsetti who fell in Syria while fighting against ISIS at the side of the Kurdish democratic forces. The struggle for freedom has neither borders nor confines, this is what Lorenzo taught us."[13]

In September 2019, the municipality of Florence approved plans to name a street in his honour. The motion was proposed by left-wing municipal councillors and opposed by the right-wing Lega Nord with the abstension of nationalist party Brothers of Italy, who disagreed with calling him a partisan and with the depiction of him as a hero.[14]

In November 2019, a bar and social space in Prato, Tuscany, joined the Arci network and renamed the bar in dedication of Orsetti, becoming the Casa del Popolo Lorenzo Orsetti. The inauguration was held on Saturday 9 November 2019 in the presence of Orsetti's family and friends.[15]

See also

References
  1. "Siria. La lettera-testamento di Lorenzo, ucciso dal Daesh: "Non ho rimpianti"". Avvenire (in Italian). March 18, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  2. "Chi era Lorenzo Orsetti, l'italiano ucciso dall'Isis in Siria". la Repubblica (in Italian). March 18, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  3. "Letter from slain International Volunteer Lorenzo Orsetti". Global Rights (in Italian). March 19, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  4. "Lorenzo Orsetti, Paolo (ex combattente Ypg): "Era sempre sorridente"". dire.it (in Italian). March 19, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  5. Mangani, Cristiana (March 19, 2019). "Lorenzo Orsetti, l'amica combattente: "La guerra fa schifo ma non si può stare a guardare"". Il Messaggero (in Italian). Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  6. "YPG: Internationalist fighter from Italy martyred in Baghouz". ANF News. March 19, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  7. Gilbert, Rosa (March 19, 2019). "Lorenzo Orsetti: a modern-day partisan". Morning Star. Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  8. "Afrin: One Year of Resistance". AMW English. January 21, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  9. "Our internationalist comrade was martyred in Baghouz". YPG. March 19, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  10. TKP-ML (March 18, 2019). "Tekoşer Pilîng'in (Lorenzo Orsetti) Mektubu (Englısh)".
  11. "Il video-testamento di Lorenzo Orsetti". sky.it (in Italian). March 20, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  12. "Library in Italy named after YPG Italian fighter Lorenzo Orsetti". ANF News. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  13. "Un parco intitolato a Lorenzo Orsetti, partigiano". Rete Kurdistan. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  14. "Lorenzo Orsetti, da Palazzo Vecchio primo sì per intitolare una strada al giovane morto in Siria". La Repubblica. La Repubblica. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  15. "INAUGURAZIONE CIRCOLO ARCI LORENZO ORSETTI". Arci Prato. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
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