Hikmet Tunç

 

VAN - Women resisting against to construction of a marble quarry in Yurtbaşı (Şexan) Neighborhood said that with the destruction of the barns, their animals, which are their only source of income, were left without shelter. Sedef Yücel, one of the resisting women, stated that she was pregnant, despite being subjected to violence, and that her daughter was threatened with being detained.

 

Citizens organized a march on May 26 and expressed their reactions against the marble quarry, which started its activities in Yurtbaşı (Şexan) Neighborhood of Gürpınar district of Van. Responding to the protests with firearms, the village guards and soldiers attacked the residents of the neighborhood who resisted the destruction of the barns. 40 during the incidents in which the barn was destroyed and four people were detained, a woman who was learned to be pregnant was also battered and her daughter was threatened with detention.

Women reacting to the destruction of the barns against the marble quarry spoke to our agency.

 

Pregnant woman: They kicked me, I fainted

 

Sedef Yücel, one of those who opposed the demolition of the stables for the marble quarry, said: “They battered our children, they hit them with truncheons. They were handcuffed and tortured. I went too, they kicked me, I am pregnant. A female police kicked me. I fainted two or three times. However, I did not go to the doctor. They told me 'we'll take your daughter into custody'. They tried to handcuff my daughter's hands and take her away. I stood against this. My shoulders hurt due to the blows I received, and I still have pain in my feet.”

 

Cows left without shelter are cared for in a tandoori house

 

Stating that her only livelihood is animal breeding, Sedef said that many people were tortured for the sake of the marble quarry. Stating that the marble quarry that is intended to be put into operation is of no benefit to the neighborhood, Sedef continued as follows: “There is nothing but harm. Because they demolished our barns, there is no barn for our sheep to stay. Many of us put our cows in tandoori houses where we bake bread. They destroyed our barns while sheeps were in. Many of our sheep were injured. Our chickens were in their coop. May Allah not accept this cruelty.”

 

‘They threatened to arrest us’

 

Mevlüde Bilek, one of the residents of the neighborhood, who said: "They rained bullets on us," stated that she was at the scene during the destruction of their barns and that her uncle was battered by the soldiers and tried to be pushed down from the slope. Mevlüde said: “They sprayed tear gas. They threw gas bombs. They pushed my uncle off the cliff. If he had fallen from there, he might not have survived. They were threatening us with detention.”

 

‘Our only source of livelihood was our sheeps’

 

Nejla Bilek, who said that they were beaten while trying to get in front of the construction machines against the marble quarry, also used the following statements: “We didn't know anything during the day. There is another way to the marble quarry, they came from there. Suddenly we heard gunshots. We ran. Everyone was so scared. They destroyed our barns. Our sheep and chickens were inside. They were buried under destruction. We were barely able to save our animals. Children, women, without listening to us, they fired bullets on us. Ten soldiers surrounded my brother and battered him. Our only source of livelihood was our sheeps.”

 

‘We will not allow the construction of the marble quarry’

 

Kudret Bilek stated that the soldiers and village guards had come to the neighborhood and wanted the barns to be emptied before and said: “Then we opposed. They just came back three days ago. We didn't let them demolish our barns. However, without informing, they came from the back road and secretly destroyed about 40 of our barns. The polices battered us. Our children are exposed to persecution and discrimination by going to big cities. We will not allow the construction of a marble quarry.”