JINHA

AMED – Sur’s thousands old history and people’s home were shelled with tanks and artillery, after the siege and destruction policies, the trustee has put into practice in Sur now.

As “curfew” declared in the Sur district of Diyarbakır on December 2, 2015, has been imposed in the town, the trustee has added to the attacks for one year. Sur people declared “self-government” last year on August and demanded to govern themselves. The town has been blockaded six times since then. The first curfew was declared in the town on September 13, 2015. Many historic buildings, including Four-legged Minaret have been damaged due to the attacks on the town. Sur has inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List; however UNESCO hasn’t interfered to the destruction of the town. The head of the Bar association Tahir Elçi was killed on November 28, 2015 while releasing a press statement in order to protest the destruction of the Four-legged Minaret.

As Diyarbakır people took the streets to protest the massacre of Tahir Elçi, the longest “curfew” was declared in Sur on December 2, 2015. The curfew has been still imposed in the town. As the resistance continued in the town for 103 days, the Ministry of Interior announced “the operations ended,” on March 9. Thousands of people have been forcibly displaced. The curfew was lifted only in Dabanoğlu and Cevatpaşa neighborhoods after the clashes were ended in the town. All historical buildings were damaged, homes were demolished and there were racist and sexist graffiti everywhere in the neighborhoods.

The government ordered “urgent expropriation” in six neighborhoods (Dabaonoğlu, Hasırlı, Cemal Yılmaz, Savaş and Fatih Paşa) following the operations ended and this order was published in the Official Gazette on March 25. Everyone waited a statement from UNESCO; however again, UNESCO stayed silent.

As the destruction in Sur has continued, state forces have built police stations in every street. Sur people say they have subjected to harassment, insult and battery by state forces.

Now, trustee has been appointed to Sur Municipality. State forces raided on Sur Municipality on September 11 and the officers of the municipality were chucked out. Diyarbakır Deputy Governor Bilal Özkan has been appointed to the municipality as trustee. Sur people ask what they will do to their town!

(mm/gc/gd)