JINHA

ANTALYA - Volunteers opened a library yesterday in the southern Turkish city of Antalya, named after a 12-year-old girl who killed herself after her teachers accused her of stealing books.

Ebru, 12, killed herself on February 20 of this year after her teachers at school, in her village school in the impoverished Kurdish province of Ağrı, accused her of stealing books. Yesterday, on a day celebrated as "Children's Day" in Turkey, activists opened a library named after Ebru in the southern city of Antalya, where teachers and activists were affected by Ebru's story.

"When our children go to school, sometimes they can't find shoes; sometimes they can't find shoes," said Ebru's father, Hüdeyda, who traveled from the village of Taşbasamak to be present for the opening of the library. "Thank you for naming this library for my daughter."

Kadir Öztürk, local president of the educational workers' union Eğitim Sen, noted that in Turkey, those who steal money walk free while "you see what happens to children who steal baklava and books."

(hy/mg/cm)