Racist attack on seasonal agricultural workers in Elmalı

  • 15:53 2 August 2021
  • News
ANTALYA - The seasonal agricultural worker Kurğa family from Mardin, who was exposed to the racist attack by a group of 300 people in Elmalı, was forced to leave the village.
 
Seasonal agricultural workers living in Bayralar Village of Elmalı district of Antalya were forced to leave the village after being attacked and threatened by a racist group of 300 people for two days.
 
Speaking to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA), Servet Kurğa said that they had been attacked by a racist group for two days. Servet said: ‘’They attacked us at 00.00 last night. Our boss’s nose and ribs were broken. They told us, ‘You are Kurds, leave our lands.’ They came and attacked us today. We are being taken out of the village under the supervision of the gendarmerie. We could not take any of our belongings. We are going to Elmalı to next to our relatives.’’
 
‘I am worried’
 
Mustafa Kurğa, a member of the Kurğa family residing in Izmir, said that he could reach his family after four hours, and that the video circulated in the virtual media belongs to today. Noting that his family has been attacked by a racist group for two days, Mustafa said: ‘’Currently, my family has been taken off from the village under the supervision of the gendarmerie. They will go to our relatives. 16 people, including children, are being evacuated. I was worried for the safety of my family’s life. I am still worried.’’
 
‘My family left the village’
 
Mustafa continued: ‘’Last night, a group of racists raided the house and beat the people in the house. The gendarmerie who came to the scene told my family, ‘There is nothing we can do. Leave this place for your safety.’ This group said to my family, ‘You are Kurdish. We don't want you here. We're giving you time until tomorrow evening. If you don't leave Elmalı tomorrow evening, we will burn you and your family on fire.’’ They came and attacked again today. Attacked twice. These people are peasants, but they call themselves ‘I am an idealist (far right)’. The village mukhtar is provoking this event. He says ‘thay will go from here’. My family has left the village as of this hour.’’
 
‘We will do all the necessary meetings’
 
Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Antalya MP Kemal Bülbül made a statement on the subject on his Twitter account, and said: ‘’As a result of our long talks with the Elmalı District Organization and officials for the Kurğa Family, who were attacked in a neighborhood in Elmalı, our family has no security problems tonight. We will make all the necessary meetings in the morning.’’