JINHA

ŞIRNEX – Resistance city Şırnak has been looted and pillaged for seven months in front of the world. While the 24-hour curfew was expected to be lifted on October 15, the curfew is asked to be extended for another one month due to surplus sharing contractors. Şırnak citizens, who have resisted to be displaced in their tents for months, say, “Thieves haven’t finished their business yet”.

The assaults in Şırnak, which was begun on March 14 under the name of “curfew”, have left seven months behind. The YPS (Civil Defense Units) announced “they pulled back from the city” at the end of March and then Turkish forces announced “The operations ended” in the city on June 4. The city has been looted and pillaged since then.

State forces have blown down nine of 12 neighborhoods of Şırnak with 69 thousand inhabitants as if they take revenge. As the destruction and pillage continue in the city, the curfew can be extended for another month because the contractors say, “We haven’t finished the destruction”.

Meanwhile, Şırnak people have resisted in the tents for seven months against policy of displacement. With the approach of the winter months, citizens’ lives have become harder and they are waiting for returning to their homes. One of these citizens, Hediye Bektaş said, “They pillaged our homes; however, we will return there and we will set up our tents. We have lived in the tent since the ban began. We didn’t take anything with us. Our children stayed in the city when we left there. There is no value of the goods and homes for us. The state knows that and don’t lift the ban in order to punish us. They pillaged all of our goods. They continue the destruction and to impose the ban and they are doing that for their own economic situation. As we say every time; we won’t surrender no matter what the state does.”

Nebahat Üstek said the state knows the winter conditions pass very hard in Şırnak and they are trying to take revenge by forcing the people to leave. Nebahat said, “This place becomes uninhabitable with the start of the rain. We maintained our lives in good and bad way. But everything will be more difficult for us from now on. The state prevents all circumstances presented to us. They even want to remove our tents. The governor said the curfew would be lifted on October 15; however, according to reports received, they won’t. They think to extend the curfew one more month just for demand of contractors. Winter is coming and if they extend the curfew, we will be wretched.”

65-year-old Xeme Bilen lives in a hut made from oak by her. Xeme said, “I have lived in this hut for months. I don’t want to leave my lands despite my age. I have waited to return Şırnak for months. Police and village guards can enter city center; however, they don’t allow us. Police officers and village guards are stealing our belongings. They don’t lift the curfew because they haven’t finished their theft business. We don’t need our belongings but we don’t leave our lands to them.”

(aı/fk/gd)