Bêrîtan Elyakut/JINHA

AMED – Êzidi people, who fled from the atrocity of ISIS gangs, cannot find department or office concerned to solve their health problems. As sick women cannot go to hospitals, serious health problems have been raising in the camps.

Thousands of Êzidi people had been forced to migrate to Turkey’s Kurdistan cities and districts after ISIS had attacked Shengal on August 2, 2014. Êzidi people, who have begun to have health problems in camps following the migration, cannot go to hospitals due to Turkish government’s policies. As Syrian people are accessing to right to health through the IDs that have been given to them in Turkey, Êzîdis are excluded from this right. Êzidi women who stay in Shengal Camp that opened by Diyarbakır Yenişehir Municipality, react to the government policies and say the government should discontinue its discriminated policies. One of these women is 45-year-old Meyan Xelef. She states that she has health problems but she cannot go to hospital.

Meyan has been operated three times and she has pain because she cannot receive any treatment. Meyan said that volunteer doctors have partly solved their health problems; however the women, who are seriously ill, aren’t taken to hospitals. Meyan said, “We had to come to here from Shengal by fleeing from ISIS. Turkish state puts barriers to us. As Turkish state has denied everything to us just because we are Êzidis, they say they will grant citizenships to Syrian people. We don’t want be granted citizenships. We just want to access to our right to health while we are here. We’ll return to our lands. Denying to access to health right is a crime, Turkey is commiting a crime.”

Zerif Hemmo (63) said she had heart problem and something should immediately do for health problems. Zerife stated that she got support from the DBP, DTK and SES; however, they couldn’t help people, who are extremely sick. Zerif said her grandchild had a problem with eyes, “My grandchild doesn’t see 60 per cent, my grandchild can be treated; however, the hospitals don’t accept us. My grandchild will blatantly go blind. Something should be done. We didn’t want to come here and we’ll return to Shengal. But we are living here now and Turkish state should open the hospitals to us.”

Xunaw Yusuf (70) said, “Turkish government has exhibited a different attitude to Êzidis. We have witnessed the atrocity against Kurdish people here. Kurdish people are welcomed us like we are in our homes; however, Turkish government has factionalized us. We don’t accept that. Turkish government should change its approach against the Kurdish people and give up standing by ISIS gangs. We ask our right to health.”

(sg/fk/gd)