JINHA

AMED - Women reacted to the state forces attacks on the thousand-year history bastions in Sur by saying, "They covert to our history. Get your hand off our walls."

24-hour "curfew" was lifted in 14 streets of three neighborhoods in the Sur district of Diyarbakır after 176 days. As 24-hour curfew hasn't been lifted in the entire district, de facto martial law has continued. When you enter the streets where "ban" lifted, you first see the checkpoints. As all cultural heritages in the town have been damaged in the town, the walls of Sur have also their share of attacks. Even, special operation forces installed toilet on the Keçi Burcu (Goat Bation). As the portable toilet was lifted due to the reaction of the people, the state forces built a position on the bation. Diyarbakır people have reacted tothese attacks on the history. UNESCO has maintained silence about the walls which are among the World Cultural Heritage list.

Ayşe Çakmak, one citizen in Diyarbakır, poited out that these attacks are against the history of the Kurds and said, "They stay on our lands and in our houses. They have had the laugh on us by ridiculing on our history. These lands are our grandfathers and grandmothers. I have lived here for 40 years and we don't accept any attacks and what the Turkish police did here. We want our old houses and old life in Sur."

Ayşe said that they will never leave Sur to anyone and added, "They demolished here under the name of "Counter terrorism". Are the houses and history terrorists? They want to destroy everything in Sur. However, we won't let them. Why are they doing this to us? Why are they scared of the people? I have passed my life here. I haven't seen anyone behave so badly to the walls until now. They killed our people, they torn down our houses and now they are coverting to our history. Sur is ours; we won't leave it to anyone."

Sevda Demir is another citizen of Sur. She stated that she miss her home in the Hasırlı Neighborhood of Sur very much and added, "I had forced to leave Sur with my four children. Police tell us "The curfew won't be lifted in Hasırlı until they tear down all buildings." What they are doing to the houses and walls is not the right. These walls have remained standing here for centuries. I don't find this right. Kurdish people shuld raise their voice against these practices."

(mm/gc/gd)