Medine Mamedoğlu-Piroz Zırığ

 

ŞIRNAK - Hundreds of youth, women, children and old people were killed in Cizre, where was besieged by tanks, artillery after the declaration of the curfew on December 14, 2015. The people, who didn’t leave the town despite the massacres, responded the genocidal attack in Newroz celebration in 2017. “People of Cizre don’t bow down like they did before,” said HDP Şırnak MP Aycan İrmez.

 

Two years have passed since the curfew was declared in Cizre district of Şırnak on December 14, 2015. The preparation for massacre started by tens of thousands special forces members and soldiers brought from Turkey and Kurdistan continued for days. The houses of the people, who didn’t leave the town despite the empire of fear tried to be created, oppression and threats, were targeted. Hundreds were targeted, wounded and killed before and after the declaration of the curfew. In the town, where faced to the attacks of tanks and artillery for 79 days, hundreds resisted to stop the genocidal attacks.

 

The people of Cizre, who haven’t forgotten their lost and what had happened in their town even though two years have passed, didn’t leave their lands despite the displacement and demolition policies. They gave the most powerful answer to the genocidal attacks, massacres and denial and displacement policies during 2017 Newroz, the day of birth of the Kurdish people. Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Şırnak MP Aycan İrmez commented on the two years of Cizre and she said the people of Cizre continue to stand up with the resistance culture they have taken from the past.

 

*What are your comments on the days of curfew and the things going on after the curfew?

 

Calling their new policies as TOKİ (the division for state housing) is wrong. We should think the TOKİ (s) as camps. One of the most basic things they aim at is quantitatively to make the family structure smaller and reduce the number of children to 2 or 3. And this is to put a cultural massacre into practice.  Although we have repeatedly stated this situation at the parliament, we have never received a proper response in any way. The people are put under debt and their belongings are being seized with the houses building by the TOKİ. This means that even the right to possession of property is taken away from the people.

 

*Still dead bodies are taken from the places TOKİ building is built even though two years have passed, what are your thoughts about that?

 

Up to now, tens of dead bodies have been taken under the TOKİ buildings. There are tens of families waiting for these bodies. The people cannot even feel their sorrow due to these dead bodies. We are in a situation that finding their children’s bodies makes the families happy. Starting a legal process is beside the point now. The families get information from the media or the people around them. Getting information on their children is their right. Although tens of families gave blood to identify their relatives but cannot take their relatives’ dead bodies.

 

The families have been waited for two years. A policy on dead bodies is being followed. The government knew where the dead bodies were. At least a search work could have been carried out before building the houses there.

 

*You are witnessing the resistance of the people of Cizre who haven’t taken a step back even though they went through the massacre in history. What are your comments on their stance?

 

They want to standardize the people of Cizre. They tried to do this many times but the resistance of the people won each time. The people, who didn’t bow down to genocidal policies, stood up for their identity. This situation has continued since 1990s but each family has stood up for their honor. The people’s upright stance during 2016 Newroz has become a good example. These people know the state very well and they know what they want to do to the Kurds. They will not bow down like they did before.”

 

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